Meals on the Road: InstantPot Lentils and Rice

I've mentioned in several previous posts that I am completely in love with the InstantPot. It's a pressure cooker that cooks dried stuff - like beans and rice! - quickly and effectively (and if you like, you can also employ it to saute, steam, and slow cook). Plus, you can use the InstantPot in the RV without worrying about short circuiting the electronics (disclaimer: don't hold me to this; check your amps).

Tonight I made a one-pot meal of lentils, rice, and veggies that took a total of ~30 minutes to prep and cook. It was filling, hearty, easy to make, and - major, major bonus - inexpensive.

Here's how to do it:

Ingredients

-1 cup uncooked brown rice

-1/2 cup dried green lentils (I assume red lentils would work, too)

-1.5 to 2 cups chopped veggies: I used mushrooms and peppers

-2 tsp olive oil

-Seasoning to taste

-1.5 cups water

Instructions

1. Place all of the ingredients in the InstantPot. Yup, just dump 'em in.

2. Close the lid and lock it. Set the steam valve to the closed position. Press the "Manual" button and adjust the time to 23 - 25 minutes. (If you want to use larger dried beans, like black beans or pinto beans, add a few minutes to the time.)

3. Drink a beer and listen to a podcast. Personally, I'm really into No Meat Athlete and The Rich Roll Podcast right now. 

4. When the InstantPot is done cooking, let it sit for ~10 minutes before opening the lid.

5. Cross your fingers that everything cooked properly. In this case, it did.

6. Enjoy with other planty stuff of your choice. In this case, I paired the rice with some roasted butternut squash.

*Tip: Heat the water before adding it to the InstantPot. This will permit the InstantPot to seal more quickly.