Ninja Foodi: An Instant Pot on Steroids

Cyber Monday is my favorite time of the year to look for some great deals. This past November, I was able to snag a great deal on an eight-quart Ninja Foodi.



I had wanted a pressure cooker for some time after hearing rave reviews from friends about their Instant Pot. An InstaPot seemed safer than the old pressure cooker that was in the kitchen while I was a child. I witnessed various chefs get hurt when the shaky part on the top was removed or if they try to open the lid too soon.

However, as I have discovered with our small kitchen, I developed a preference for multi-purpose items. I was not sure if it was worthwhile to buy a pressure cooker to take up the space. Thanks to my research background, I was able to come across Ninja Foodi. I was immediately intrigued because it was multipurpose! It was like an Instant Pot on steroids, I swear. It is a pressure cooker, steamer, slow cooker, air fryer, roaster, broiler, dehydrator in one!

We are in love. Unfortunately, our kitchen is not big enough to accommodate two of those. I can just dream for a bigger kitchen in the near future.


I have used all functions so far. Here's what I have learned about each function:

• Pressure: It makes perfect hard boiled eggs. My husband and I want to try making soft-boiled eggs next. It does well for hot cereals, legumes, and grains (quinoa). You can pressure cook a whole chicken then switch to air crisp (air frying function) to finish it off. 
• Steam: we are still figuring out this one. I personally like the stovetop method of steaming better but will keep on playing with this one.
• Slow cook: I have done different recipes and they turn out well. I used this feature to make bone broth. After cooking for 24 hours, this ended up smelling like bone broth for a while (I did not like this smell). I think I will stick with my regular slow cooker for bone broths which does not retain that smell afterwards.
• Sear/saute is a nice feature to prepare for pressure/roasting functions.
• Air crisp: we used to have a separate air fryer but this one makes better fries (potato/sweet potato). We also use this for broccoli and Brussel sprouts. Yum.
• Bake/Roast: We find that it's faster to roast vegetables in this than in the oven. Roasting fish on a high rack for about 12 minutes is also delicious!
• Broil: Funny, this is one function I have yet to try. I do not normally broil food anyway.
• Dehydrate: I bought a separate accessory (dehydrator accessory with five levels). I made dried cranberries. I love dried cranberries but it's so difficult to find dried cranberries without cane sugar. I mixed cranberries with maple syrup before putting them in the Foodi. 

If you are aching for a new kitchen toy to play with during the pandemic, this is it!

Spelt: A great wheat alternative

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I cannot eat wheat much. I had a LEAP blood test a few years ago that indicated I had sensitive reactions to wheat.  I did not think much of spelt which I can eat until now.  The #stayhome had me experimenting with spelt and the results have been great. Spelt is a nice alternative to wheat. Yes, spelt still has gluten. As is the case with gluten-containing foods, moderation is key. I have found that switching spelt one for one in recipes work quite well. The end result is a nutty flavor. The product is more brown which looks somewhat like whole wheat. We tried making spelt bread with yeast. I thought it turned out pretty good considering the issue is that our kitchen was too cold for the bread to rise. We will give it another try in the near future. One setback... spelt flour, like with other wheat flour alternatives, is more pricey. We found a great deal in getting bulk from My Spice Sage.

There is something special about eating homemade pasta. After receiving my LEAP test results, I tried to make pasta using other flours that I can eat (rye, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, millet) but all failed. I did not think of trying spelt until the #stayhome thing happened. It turned out well. I made a batch of fettuccine to freeze. Last week, I made some bowties. My dear husband was surprised by how much work it required to make those bowties but... it was so worth it. I had the free time to do so.

Here is a list of things I made using spelt flour.

• Yeast bread
• Navajo flatbread
• Pasta
• Crepes (reduce the amount of liquid)
• Cookies
• Quick breads
• Waffles/Pancakes
• Matzah

Tacos: The "Sex With Your Pants On" Version

I took the "sex on the pants on" language from the Whole 30 diet.  Whole 30 is based on the premise that we should only clean foods for at least 30 days as a way to cleanse themselves from inflammatory food.  Some people do this for 60 or 90 days.  The creator of the Whole 30 diet talks about how we should not consume foods that appear similar to inflammatory foods (i.e. paleo chocolate chip cookies, cauliflower crust pizza, yada yada).

BUT I must dispute... there is this amazing tortilla recipe that replaces corn.  I love corn.  Heck, I grew up in Colorado, meaning I ate Mexican food a LOT.  And don't get me started on polenta.  But unfortunately, corn is inflammatory for me as I learned a few years ago after my cancer treatments.  I came across this recipe from Dr. Axe a few years ago.  I have been hooked  since then and making them on a regular basis.  I do use yellow squash instead of zucchini which works quite well.  I tell you... those tortillas are so orgasmic (pun intended!).    I have yet to meet any guest of mine who does not go "ohh ahhh!!!" after eating them.

I use a 1/4-cup measuring cup instead of an ice cream scoop to flatten them.  I usually make just what I need for a meal and keep the batter in refrigerator.  I also discovered that the batter freezes quite well.  I use those tortillas for many things.  Those tortillas are delicious with everything but here's a list of my favorite tacos:

• Egg/avocado
• Beet, mushroom, scallion mix with yogurt-feta dressing
• Salmon with mango salsa
• Crispy chicken tacos

By all means, please try this recipe in your kitchen in the near future and let me know how it turns out for you! :-) 

The impact of COVID-19 on our cooking

To state the obvious, one major impact of the COVID-19 is that I have much more free time to write.  And there's been talks about how there's a shortage of yeast as everyone's suddenly trying their hand at making artisan bread (my husband as an example).  As my friend, Katie commented yesterday after I told her I was cooking a lot those days, "Don't you already cook a lot?"  I replied saying that I am cooking a lot more!  Thus, I am looking forward to sharing some of what I have learned in the past few weeks after spending more hours in the kitchen.

For now... I want to comment on how it has been touching to see a sense of community when it comes to cooking.  I am seeing people sharing recipes and tips.  It is through those exchanges that we remain connected as a community.  A friend, Alisha, posted on her Facebook wall a recipe for Navajo Flatbreads.  I tried the recipe using spelt flour as I do not do well with wheat flour.  Those flatbreads are great with hummus and labne.  My husband's nerd buddy, Jon made videos in ASL how to make bread which inspired my husband to get a dutch oven and other things he needed to bake bread.  A couple of friends, Aaron and Blake, talked about maybe making mango chutney which prompted us to find a great recipe for mango-ginger chutney.  Now our freezer is filled up with little jars with mango-ginger chutney for future meals.

Going back to Katie's sentiment about me usually cooking a lot, I am truthfully touched by how much more time people are spending in their kitchens those days.  There's something to be said about the essence of being lost in the kitchen.  It is therapeutic and meditative.   

I look forward to more of those exchanges as we ride out this difficult time.  Until the next time... :-)