The Instant Pot is one of the most versatile tools in my kitchen.  I LOVE my Instant Pot for so many reasons.  Though I don’t tend to make many one-dish meals, I do use it for lots of other tasks, like making bone broth, elderberry syrup, and yogurt.  I also really love to steam fresh vegetables in the Instant Pot.  In fact, I had two Instant Pots going for our Thanksgiving dinner – one for steaming sweet potatoes, and one for steaming cauliflower.

It’s a healthier alternative to prepare veggies, especially when compared to microwaving.  I adored my Pampered Chef micro-cookers for years, but I’ve switched to steaming because I know now that it’s just safer.  When we know better, we can do better!

Steaming retains more of the nutrients that are more apt to get fried in the microwave.  I know there is a lot of controversy about how healthy (or toxic) microwaves are, but there’s enough evidence out there for me to look for alternative cooking methods.  We try to use the microwave sparingly now, though some days the convenience factor just takes over.  If you’re looking for more information about the potential dangers of microwaves, HERE is a convicting article.  It’s worth the read.

So, given how much I use my Instant Pot for steaming vegetables, combined with my complete inability to remember how long to steam each one, I put together a list of the vegetables we’re most likely to eat (along with a few extras).  I always add at least 1 cup of water, and do a quick release.  You can download the list HERE and print to tape inside your cabinet door.  Happy steaming!