This is your public service announcement to NEVER throw away your rotisserie chicken carcasses – you can make an absolutely delicious, rich, homemade chicken bone broth out of them that GELS! When homemade chicken stock gels up (yes, exactly like jello) that means it’s a nutrient-dense bone broth, which is very high in collagen. The stock has a rich, unctuous, and viscous texture. Not to mention it’s high in protein, and the collagen is beneficial for your joints, skin, and overall well-being. And it’s essentially free since we use scraps that would otherwise be thrown away!

I don’t know about you, but I use rotisserie chickens all the time. Why go through the hassle of cooking a chicken when you can get one fully cooked and super flavorful for like $7 at the store? I use shredded rotisserie chicken meat for all kinds of things. Like chicken salad, chicken and dumplings, and healthy chicken mushroom stroganoff.

When you’re done collecting all the meat from the rotisserie chicken, you’re left with the carcass, mostly consisting of the bones and skin.

...GET THE RECIPE for Rotisserie Chicken Bone Broth (it gels!)!

Hello, lentil and barley soup! This recipe is such a great start to soup season now that it’s September (already?!). It’s cozy, hearty, and filling, and adding fresh cilantro (or parsley) and lime juice maintains a fresh, bright, light flavor. This is a super healthy and well-rounded soup – packed with nutrients, fiber, plant-based protein, and tons of veggies (including baby spinach, stirred in to wilt at the end of cooking). Pearl barley and lentils take the same amount of time to cook, making them an easy pairing for this soup. Use rice or quinoa for a gluten-free version, and use your stovetop, pressure cooker, or slow cooker for this lentil barley soup recipe.

It’s soup season, y’all!! If you’ve been with Bowl of Delicious for a while you know I’m all about the soups (this is BOWL of Delicious, after all). If there is another category of food that is so easy to make incredibly tasty, healthy, hearty, in bulk to freeze, in one pot with very few dishes, and that feeds both your body and soul, I don’t know about it.

...GET THE RECIPE for Lentil and Barley Soup!

Irish Lamb Stew is a hearty, cozy, nourishing meal to make when it’s cold outside, and it’s the perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! This version uses Guinness beer, or another dark Irish beer, along with beef broth as the base of the stew (but you can use all broth if you want to omit the beer). A non-traditional addition here is sweet potatoes, which add a subtle sweetness to the stew. And the thick, luxurious broth base? It’s thickened with a puree of the vegetables – no flour needed. As a bonus, you can use the stovetop, slow cooker, or pressure cooker for this Irish lamb stew recipe!

With surprisingly few ingredients for the depth of flavor achieved in this Irish Lamb Stew, you’ll want to keep your kitchen stocked to make this all winter long. It takes a bit of time to cook, as do all stews with a tougher cut of meat, but it’s incredibly hands-off and easy to make.

Irish lamb stew is the perfect thing to keep simmering on your stovetop in a Dutch oven if you’re home on a snow day or working from home on a cold, dreary day.

...GET THE RECIPE for Irish Lamb Stew!

Cooking barley (pearl or hulled) in an instant pot or pressure cooker is the fastest, easiest way to cook this heart-healthy grain to fluffy perfection in only 20 minutes! Use cooked barley as you would rice or oatmeal- in salads, for breakfast, and all kinds of recipes. 

Barley is a nutty, earthy grain with a wonderful flavor and chewy texture that’s really inexpensive. It’s packed full of soluble fiber and nutrients, making it a heart healthy grain. It’s kind of an in-between of oats and rice – more versatile and less slimy/mushy than oats, and more hearty and nutritious than rice.

I love using barley to make all kinds of things, but one drawback is that it takes a long time to cook. Enter: the Instant Pot!

Barley can take up to an hour to cook on the stovetop. But if you use a pressure cooker, it will only take 20-25 minutes of completely hands-off time (plus the time it takes to come to pressure). No stirring, just the instant pot working its magic while you live your life.

You can make a batch of barley and store it in your fridge for a few days, using it throughout the week in recipes that are very quick if you already have the barley cooked.

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Barley!

This Instant Pot Pulled Pork is so easy, delicious, and takes less than half the time to make– start to finish- than making it in the oven! Using your pressure cooker to make this low-carb, paleo, and whole30 compliant pulled pork recipe is SO easy and comes out SO flavorful and juicy.

You can pile it high on pulled pork sandwiches with your favorite barbecue sauce on a burger or slider bun, or add to tacos or burritos topped with cilantro and onion for a Tex-Mex meal.

It’s cheap, it feeds a crowd, and it’s freezable. What more could you want?

Don’t have a pressure cooker? See recipe notes below for how to make this in your slow cooker or oven.

I made this pulled pork recipe when I was stocking my freezer for after I had my second baby. I stashed a whole bunch in my freezer (along with two batches of my favorite enchiladas), and thawed it out in portions for easy meals.

Thank you, past Elizabeth.

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Pulled Pork!

This Instant Pot Potato Soup has all the comforting taste of a loaded baked potato made in only 30 minutes in your pressure cooker! Butter, sour cream, and cheese are melted in to every bite of this deliciously simple recipe. I love topping it with chopped bacon and green onions.

I love a good classic baked potato with crispy skin, but they take a heck of a long time to cook. Enter: loaded baked potato soup!

A pressure cooker makes quick work of this potato soup recipe- you can have dinner on the table in only 30 minutes. But if you don’t own one, don’t worry- you can make this in your slow cooker or on your stovetop, too.

I love how simple this recipe is. At its core is onions sautéed in butter, with diced potatoes that cook in chicken broth with plenty of salt and pepper. This mixture is pureed, then sour cream and grated cheese is stirred into the soup, which melt into every creamy, decadent bite.

And the best part? Topping each bowl with more sour cream and cheese, chopped bacon, and green onions.

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup!

This Vegetarian (and vegan!) Split Pea Soup recipe is so easy to make on your stovetop, instant pot OR slow cooker! With diced potatoes for heartiness and lemon juice and dill for bright, fresh flavor, you’re going to love this healthy recipe.

This split pea soup is easy, CHEAP, and super healthy. It’s chock full o’ veggies.

This super popular Instant Pot split pea soup is made traditionally with a ham bone and chicken broth and has been made in thousands of kitchens across the world. So here’s something just as delicious for all you plant-based people!

I love the fresh flavor from the lemon juice and dill in this recipe. It’s a warm, hearty, and comforting soup, but the bright flavors are perfect for when you’re craving warmer spring weather.

This split pea soup with potatoes and dill recipe takes about 2 hours to cook on the stovetop, but the hands on time is only about 10 minutes. And it makes a ton, so you can freeze half of it.

And if you want to save time, you can use your pressure cooker, or let it simmer all day in your slow cooker while you’re out and about!

...GET THE RECIPE for Vegetarian Split Pea Soup!

This Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash Recipe is tossed with garlic, herbs, parmesan cheese, and olive oil, and cooks up in only a few minutes in your pressure cooker! This is the perfect low-carb alternative to pasta or a delicious vegetable side dish for any occasion.

If you haven’t hopped on the spaghetti squash bandwagon yet, I suggest you get on board. The humble spaghetti squash is so versatile and delicious. And it’s AMAZING how much the little strands of squash resemble its namesake- spaghetti!

Spaghetti squash makes a great alternative to pasta if you’re looking to add more veggies to your diet or want something low carb. You can toss cooked spaghetti squash with marinara sauce, bolognese sauce, pesto, or any other pasta-type fare.

Spaghetti squash cooks in the instant pot in only 7 minutes! You can stop there, and use the cooked squash however you want.

But in this recipe, I’ll explain how to sauté some pine nuts and minced garlic right in your instant pot, with plenty of olive oil and fresh herbs, tossed with the spaghetti squash and parmesan cheese for a complete one-pot side dish or light meal.

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Herbs!

This Instant Pot Chicken, Broccoli, and Quinoa recipe has melted cheddar cheese in every bite. It’s packed with wholesome ingredients and is total comfort food. It tastes like broccoli cheese soup, but in casserole form, with chicken and quinoa added. YUM!

The instant pot makes easy work of this recipe. While it won’t save you THAT much time compared to making it on the stovetop (see notes in recipe for how to do this), there’s something great about the “set it and forget it” method of Instant Pot recipes that makes them so appealing.

You don’t have to pay attention to stovetop temperature, and you don’t have to stir to make sure it isn’t sticking or burning on the bottom.

Here’s the thing about Instant Pots: unless you are cooking something that usually takes a LONG time to cook (such as dry pulses in this Split Pea Soup or a really tough cut of meat, like pork shoulder), pressure cookers generally don’t save a lot of time.

Sure, you can technically cook chicken meat in 5 minutes. BUT, that doesn’t account for the time it takes for the Instant Pot to reach pressure, which can sometimes take 15-20 minutes depending on the recipe.

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Chicken, Broccoli, and Quinoa with Cheese!

If you’re looking for a super cheap, super nutrient-packed, delicious crockpot meal, look no further than this Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup with Ham and Kale. It’s warm, cozy, freezable, and hearty. It makes a TON. And it’s a great way to use up any leftover ham you may have!

Yes, I said it. The “K” word. KALE. But please, don’t run screaming away! You KNOW kale is good for you.

And you may think it’s a bitter pill (or leaf) to swallow, but wilted in soup it’s absolutely delicious. In fact, you won’t even taste it! This soup is the perfect way to enjoy one of the healthiest leafy greens out there, since cooking is one of the ways you can take the bitterness out of bitter greens. (There are other ways too, such as soaking them or massaging them, like in this massaged kale salad).

If you really, REALLY don’t like kale, fear not. You can easily substitute spinach or some other leafy green in this soup.

Have you ever heard of 15 bean soup before?

In the dried beans section of your grocery store, you will find a pack of beans that is labeled “15 Bean Soup Mix.” Or it might be “16 bean soup mix” or “13 bean soup mix.”

The numbers don’t really matter- you can use this recipe with any of them.

...GET THE RECIPE for Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup with Ham and Kale!

This Instant Pot Pot Roast recipe cooks to melt-in-your-mouth tender perfection in a jiffy in your instant pot! And best of all? In addition to the pot roast, you also cook carrots, mashed potatoes, AND gravy – all right in your pressure cooker!

Let me get right to the details about this promotion. Then, I’ll talk about this awesome pot roast.

From now until the end of November, I’m partnering with ButcherBox to offer Bowl of Delicious readers an awesome deal!

What is ButcherBox, you ask? Oh, right. I got ahead of myself there :-)

ButcherBox is a subscription service that delivers high-quality meats right to your door. They provide100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef, free range organic chicken, and heritage breed pork, raised free from antibiotics and hormones. And their bacon doesn’t have any added sugar or nitrates/nitrites. They have tons of cuts to choose from- everything from whole chickens to filet mignons to pork chops to chuck roasts.

If you’ve tasted both conventional meat and grass-fed/antibiotic-free meats, you know how different the taste is. But did you know that there’s a difference in nutritional value as well?

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Pot Roast!

This Instant Pot Turkey Breast with Lemon and Thyme is a Thanksgiving game changer! Free up your entire oven for sides and pies and cook up a juicy, tender, bone-in, skin-on turkey breast in your pressure cooker in under an hour. You’ll even have drippings to make gravy when it’s all done!

A turkey breast is a wonderful alternative to cooking an entire turkey for Thanksgiving. It still feeds a good amount of people (a 6-7 lb. turkey breast will have about 8 servings), and as a bonus, it cooks up a bit more evenly since it’s all white meat.

And cooking it in your instant pot is SO EASY! You just set it and forget it, so you can focus on more important things. Like your friends and family and pie.

Even when it’s not Thanksgiving, it’s easy to whip up a turkey breast in your instant pot for tons of lean protein for turkey sandwiches, soups and stews, or a Sunday dinner.

AND you can freeze the leftovers (or use them in turkey salad or healthy leftover turkey soup).

What seasoning to use

I used lemon and thyme – and lots of it – to season this turkey.

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Turkey Breast with Lemon and Thyme!

This Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili tastes slightly sweet, has a mild kick, and is so smooth and velvety from adding a whole can of pumpkin (plus my secret chili ingredient). It takes fall cooking to a whole other level!

No Instant Pot? Don’t worry- you can do it in your slow cooker or on your stovetop, too.

When I first heard about pumpkin chili, I’ll admit: I was skeptical. I thought it might be too sweet, or too “pumpkiny,” or just otherwise taking the fall pumpkin trend a bit too far.

I love chili, and I love how simple it is, so I didn’t want to muck it up too much.

Honestly, I didn’t even expect to put it on the blog, I was so skeptical.

But OH. MY. GOODNESS. I was wrong. It’s soooo good! I think you’re going to love it.

First of all, there’s a whole can of pumpkin added to it. It definitely adds a squash-like, pumpkin flavor to the chili, but not overwhelmingly so. (For another great recipe that uses the WHOLE CAN, try these healthy pumpkin pancakes!)

What it does do is add a big ol’ serving of vegetables to the chili (pumpkin, along with other winter squash, is super good for you– it’s packed with vitamins A, C, B6, and tons of fiber!).

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili!

This Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage with Carrots and Buttered Potatoes is the perfect festive recipe for St. Patrick’s Day or any cozy winter meal! All of the ingredients cook in the pressure cooker, which cuts the cooking time in half and makes the flavors so good! You can also make this in your slow cooker or on the stovetop.

The Instant Pot corned beef is perfectly cooked to a wonderful, fall-apart, tender texture. The vegetables cook separately from the beef in the cooking liquid, which seasons them perfectly.

And the POTATOES. They are smothered in plenty of salted Irish butter and mixed with a generous amount of fresh chopped parsley. They are, I think, the star of this meal- I could eat them with every meal of every day.

Best of all, this recipe makes a lot. Which is great for a crowd, and even better when you have leftovers you can use for corned beef hash!

What is corned beef, anyway?

To be honest, I’ve always been kind of put off by the name “corned beef,” even though it’s one of my favorite things to eat ever. It’s a beef brisket that has been cured with salt, and actually doesn’t involve corn at all.

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage with Carrots and Buttered Potatoes!

Eat more fish- that’s one of my biggest healthy eating goals for 2018. Packed with omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein, fish and seafood is a staple of the Mediterranean diet. This Instant Pot Fish Stew is a perfect way to incorporate more fish into your diet! And it only takes 20 minutes to make start to finish in your pressure cooker (but you can make it on your stovetop or slow cooker too!).

I used sea bass to make this. It’s a relatively inexpensive fish, it’s mild tasting, sturdy, and usually wild caught. And it’s easy to find in the freezer section of your grocery store. You can use any other firm white fish, such as cod or halibut, or even tilapia, if you want.

The thing I love about this stew is the fish stars as the main ingredient. It’s bulked up a bit with some potatoes and tomatoes, and flavored simply with fresh lemon juice, fresh dill, and extra-virgin olive oil, with just a pinch of red pepper for spice.

I cut my fish into large pieces- about 2 inches each. This ensured it wouldn’t vanish into the soup.

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Fish Stew (Stovetop and Slow Cooker Optional)!

Brr, it’s COLD lately! I’m in Texas, and this sixteen degree weather is not something I signed up for when I moved here. But I’m not complaining, since I’ve got this warm, hearty, delicious Winter Minestrone Soup with Root Vegetables and Quinoa to keep me warm!

Minestrone is one of my favorites, and this version of winter minestrone soup with lots of seasonal vegetables, such as potatoes, cabbage, kale, and parsnips doesn’t disappoint.

Winter Minestrone Soup is the perfect candidate for Bowl of Delicious’s January theme of recipes that fit the Mediterranean diet.

Aside from its Italian roots, this soup is packed with plant-based goodness- tons of veggies, white beans, and quinoa- staples of the Mediterranean Diet. It’s made extra delicious topped with a good portion of extra-virgin olive oil and some parmesan cheese for that delicious, salty, umami punch. 

Traditional Minestrone soup uses small pasta, such as ditalini. I chose to use quinoa instead for a few reasons. First, it’s a whole grain (well, techinically a seed), so its nutritional value is better than pasta.

Second, it holds up very well when it’s cooked, meaning you can freeze this or make it in advance and it won’t turn mushy like pasta would.

...GET THE RECIPE for Winter Minestrone Soup with Root Vegetables and Quinoa (Instant Pot + Slow Cooker Optional)!

This Instant Pot Black Eyed Pea Soup is an easy way to cook this hearty, cheap, and nutritious soup with dried black eyed peas in half the usual time! And it’s a great way to use up any leftover ham (or a ham bone) you have from the holidays. In the south, it’s traditional to eat black eyed peas and greens on New Year’s Day for good health, prosperity, and luck in the new year. 

Packed with healthy pulses, tons of veggies, and smoky flavor, this soup will warm you to the core on cold days. And since it’s freezable and makes a TON, you can easily store the leftovers for the next time you need a quick, warm meal on a busy weeknight. It’s gluten- and dairy-free, too!

I love the traditions surrounding New Years. A while ago, I posted a recipe for Vasilopita, a traditional sweet Greek bread with a coin hidden inside (whomever gets the coin in their slice gets good luck in the new year).

And in fact, I’ve even heard that some people add a coin to this soup with the same intention.

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Black Eyed Pea Soup (Stovetop and Slow Cooker Friendly)!

This Instant Pot Split Pea Soup, made with a leftover ham bone (or any other ham), is a game-changer. The pressure cooker cuts the cooking time in half and imparts the flavor of the ham into every scrumptious bite. It’s so simple, but SO delicious. And it’s ridiculously easy to make!

What are split peas?

Dried split peas are part of a food group known as pulses, which include beans, chickpeas, peas, and lentils. I love cooking pulses in my pressure cooker because it takes such a short amount of time, meaning you can start it on a weeknight and have it ready in less than an hour for dinner. My last pressure cooker pulse creation was this Instant Pot Chili, made with dried kidney beans and ground beef.

I love cooking with split peas because they have many of the same health benefits as other pulses, but take a shorter time to cook and don’t require pre-soaking. And they are just so tasty!

And my favorite part about pulses: you get a lot of nutritional bang for your buck. They are one of the cheapest and healthiest foods out there- a whole 1lb.

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Ham!

Thank you to USA Pulses & Pulse Canada for sponsoring this post!

My life has changed drastically since buying a pressure cooker. I’m constantly amazed by how quickly it cooks ingredients with traditionally long cooking times. This recipe for Instant Pot Chili is made with dry kidney beans, but only takes 15 minutes of actual cooking time! It’s packed with warm and velvety flavors from a mixture of awesome spices, including cocoa powder (trust me, it works). Since the bulk is made from dry beans, it’s super inexpensive to make and much healthier than a majority meat chili. 

I plan on making this weekly to get me through the winter. It’s like eating a big bowl of cozy- it’s so hearty and satisfying and warms you to the core. Mmm, mmm.

I got an Instant Pot for Christmas, and I’ll admit: it took me a while before I felt confident using it. There is a bit of a learning curve associated with it, as with any new cooking technique or kitchen gadget. But after only a few uses, I can officially say that I’M OBSESSED. It’s amazing for cooking tough cuts of meat to perfect juicy tenderness (think: pulled pork or pot roast).

...GET THE RECIPE for Instant Pot Chili with Ground Beef and Dry Kidney Beans (Slow Cooker Optional)!