A Grateful Meal

Vegetarian

How to Make Instant Pot Basmati Rice

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This blog post covers how to make Instant Pot Basmati Rice. It doesn’t matter whether you prefer brown or white rice, this recipe works for both!

Truth is, as much as I love to cook and feel that I’m a pretty decent cook, I am terrible at making rice – or at least I used to be. I especially struggled with brown rice – it just never turned out right until I started using my Instant Pot. I think one of the reasons I used to be bad at making rice is that I used to peek and lift the lid of the pot, which you are never supposed to do. What can I say? I’m impatient. 

One of the first things that I made in my Instant Pot, when I got it years ago, was rice. I was initially skeptical about having an Instant Pot in the first place, but how easy and foolproof rice was to make in the Instant Pot sold me. (Don’t worry, I have since discovered the many more benefits of owning an Instant Pot.) I love that I can set it and forget it. Whole grain rice doesn’t take forever as it does on the stove thanks to the pressurization. Plus, there is the fact that I can’t mess it up by “peeking” on the rice. 

So, I thought I’d put together a tutorial on making one of my favorite rice varieties, basmati. It’s fragrant, nutty, and goes perfectly with my Vegan Tikka Masala with Chickpeas. 

Brown and white instant pot basmati rice on a white background.

What you’ll need:

  • Basmati rice: You can use white or brown basmati rice. Did you know that white rice is just merely the inner carbohydrate part of brown rice? Brown rice has retained its outer layer and thus has B-vitamins and more fiber than it’s white counterpart. There is nothing wrong with preferring one or the other. Both are a good source of carbohydrates and energy. One just happens to retain extra vitamins and fiber.  
  • Liquid: Clearly, you could just water for the liquid portion of cooking the rice, but if you want to add more flavor switching to a broth or stock like chicken, beef, or vegetable will add more flavor to otherwise bland food. Basmati rice does have some fragrance to it and more flavorful than you’re typical rice. 
  • Seasonings: You could certainly spice up the rice any way you’d like, but adding at least a pinch of salt adds some flavor. 
  • Oil: Adds some flavor and a more creamy mouthfeel to the rice. Olive oil or butter are my usual choices. 

How to Make Instant Pot Basmati Rice

When it comes to the Instant Pot, the high-pressure setting is your friend. It gets the job done SO much faster! It might seem a little scary, but the Instant Pot makes it perfectly safe compared to the old pressure cookers of yesteryear. Simply dump all of your ingredients in the Instant Pot, make sure the pressure release knob is sealed, and that’s it. Because brown rice retains more fiber, it takes longer to cook, even with the high-pressure setting. Here is a breakdown of the cooking settings that I use: 

  • Brown rice: use the manual setting on high pressure to cook for 25 minutes. The rice button on the Instant Pot is typically used for white rice. 
Bowl of brown instant pot basmati rice with a cilantro garnish.
  • White rice: use the manual setting on high pressure for 12 minutes, or use the default rice setting (on my model it’s 12 minutes on high pressure). 
Bowl of white instant pot basmati rice with a cilantro garnish.

Also, you can use the quick release on this Instant Pot Basmati Rice if you’re in a hurry, but the texture will be best if you let it naturally release for at least 10-15 minutes. 

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Instant Pot Basmati Rice

Brown and white instant pot basmati rice on a white background with an instant pot next to it.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes for brown rice; 12 minutes for white rice
  • Total Time: 17-30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: side dish
  • Method: Instant Pot
Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of basmati rice (brown or white)
  • 3 ½ cups of liquid (water or broth)
  • ½ tsp. salt (plus other seasonings, if desired)
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil or butter

Instructions

  1. Put all of the ingredients in the Instant Pot. Cover with lid and seal the pressure release knob.
  2. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes for brown rice and high pressure for 12 minutes for white rice.
  3. Allow the pressure to release naturally (ideally 10-15 minutes) before serving.

Keywords: side dish, instant pot

Vegan Tikka Masala with Chickpeas

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This Vegan Tikka Masala has the right hint of spice in a creamy tomato sauce and chock full of protein and nutrients. Plus, you can get it on the dinner table in about 30 minutes – what’s not to love?

This tikka masala has all the flavors you could want in a satisfying meal. It’s got spice, sweetness, tang, and creaminess all wrapped up in one meal. Plus, it’s so filling thanks to being chock full of fiber and protein. Leftovers get even better by allowing the flavors to marry together longer. 

You can get the meal together in just about 30 minutes, and 20-25 of those minutes are hands-off. So really getting to eat this meal from about 5-10 minutes of work is like being on top of the world. 

Vegan tikka masala on a plate next to a pot of vegan tikka masala with chickpeas.

Ingredients

For this recipe, you’ll need:

  • Light-colored oil: I use a light tasting olive oil, but you could use avocado oil to sauté the vegetables. 
  • Onions and garlic: These are the foundation flavors of so many recipes, and this recipe is no different. 
  • Ginger: Ginger gives the dish a nice sweet spice flavor to it. I prefer fresh, but you could use ground ginger. If you use ground ginger, decrease the amount to 1 tsp. instead of 1 tbsp. 
  • Tomato Paste: Tomato paste is known for giving a rich umami flavor, especially when you sauté it a little before adding the rest of the ingredients. 
  • Garam masala: Garam masala is an Indian spice blend that actually is different from region-to-region in India. Mine contained coriander, black pepper, cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon. I used the McCormick brand. 
  • Cumin: Cumin adds a robustly smoky flavor to the tikka masala.
  • Turmeric: This yellow, anti-inflammatory spice adds a bittersweet taste to the dish. 
  • Tomato sauce: I used a large can of the sauce, but if you want a little more texture, you could use diced tomatoes with their juices. 
  • Coconut milk: Coconut milk is responsible for the creamy texture and naturally adds a bit of sweetness.
  • Chickpeas: Chickpeas are chock full of fiber and protein, which makes this dish so filling and satisfying.
  • Cilantro: The cilantro adds a burst of freshness.
  • Cooked basmati rice: You can use either white or brown, whichever your preference. Brown will add a little extra fiber compared to the white. 

How to Make Vegan Tikka Masala

Like I mentioned above, the work of this recipe is contained in a brief 5 minutes. The rest is to set it and forget it. For the actual “work” part, you’ll need to saute the onion for a few minutes and then add the ginger, tomato paste, and the spices. You’ll let that saute for just minute or two. The spices should be really fragrant, and the tomato paste will have changed to a darker color. 

You’ll add in the canned ingredients next: the tomato sauce, coconut milk, and chickpeas. You’ll let it all simmer for about 25 minutes. Serve it over a big pile of rice and fresh cilantro on top. Done and done. 

Vegan tikka masala with rice on a white background with a blue and white towel.

How to Serve 

I consider myself an omnivore – meaning I eat just about everything. I do enjoy going meatless at least 1-2 times per week. This meal makes a great addition to a Meatless Monday and for meal prep for the week. Like I mentioned above, I feel this Vegan Tikka Masala gets better for leftovers. If you wanted to bulk up the recipe with more nutrients and fiber, you could easily add in some broccoli, cauliflower, or peppers to go along with the rice. 

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Vegan Tikka Masala with Chickpeas

Vegan tikka masala with rice on a white background.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
  • Category: Indian
  • Cuisine: Indian
Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp. light-colored oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. freshly grated ginger
  • 3 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tsp. garam masala
  • 1 ½ tsp. cumin
  • 1 ½ tsp. ground turmeric
  • 1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 2 cans (15.5 oz. each) of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Cooked basmati rice, for serving

Instructions

  1. Cook basmati rice according to package directions. 
  2. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for about 4-5 minutes. Add in garlic, ginger, tomato paste, garam masala, cumin, and turmeric and sauté for additional 1-2 minutes. 
  3. Add in tomato sauce, coconut milk, and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, and simmer for 25-30 minutes. 
  4. Serve with cilantro on top and with steamed basmati rice. 

Keywords: Indian, tikka masala

Air Fryer Tortilla Chips

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These Air Fryer Tortilla Chips are incredibly easy and delicious – they are warm, crunchy, and taste just like restaurant-style tortilla chips, but without all the fuss and excess oil. 

We all know what happens when we go to Mexican restaurants. They bring the basket of chips, and before you know it, 3 baskets have come and gone before the food even gets to the table. There is just something about those crunchy, warm, and salty chips that make us all powerless. 

Tortilla chips at home just aren’t the same. If you buy the bagged, the taste isn’t right. I don’t like frying foods at home, and baking tortilla chips don’t quite get the texture right. These Air Fryer Tortilla Chips are the right answer for a healthy homemade alternative that mimics the restaurant-style chips.  

Ingredients

For this recipe, you’ll need:

  • Corn tortillas: You could use flour, but corn tortillas give the best flavor for chips. I used the six-inch round corn tortillas. 
  • Light-colored oil or spray oil: I usually brush the tortillas after cutting them with light tasting olive oil. You could also use avocado oil. If you have spray oil, that works just as well. The bottom line is to make sure that the oil is light in color. The lighter the color, the less likely the oil will burn.  
  • Seasonings: I sprinkled the chips with salt, fresh cracked pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice. If you really want to mix it up, try seasoning with cumin or chili powder – both would taste great. 
Close up of a basket of air fryer tortilla chips

How to Make Air Fryer Tortilla Chips

You’ll need to cut the tortillas into wedges like a pizza shape. I actually use a pizza cutter and cut them in stacks of 3-4 tortillas at one time. Once you have your shapes, it’s just brushing (or spraying) with oil and seasoning them before tossing them into the air fryer. 

One of the key techniques with air fryers is to arrange the food in a single layer so that the hot air circulates and cooks the food evenly. You don’t have to worry about that with tortilla chips in the air fryer. The first time I turned the air fryer on with the chips, I heard this clinking noise coming from my air fryer. Turns out, the chips are so light that the air circulating around the chips tosses them around while they cook. Long story short, TLDR: just dump all the seasoned tortilla wedges into the air fryer – don’t worry about putting them neatly in a single layer. After cooking them for about 3 minutes, I still go ahead and open the air fryer to toss them around to make sure they are evenly cooking. All that’s left is to cook another 2 minutes, and boom – serve them up with some salsa and gauc. 

Basket of air fryer tortilla chips with salsa

How to Serve 

I really don’t need to tell you what to serve with tortilla chips, but if you’re looking for some recipes to accompany your chips – I got you covered with the following:  

Pepita and Red Pepper Salsa

Buffalo Chickpea Dip

Instant Pot Carne Asada

Cilantro Garlic Sauce

Chicken Tamale Dumpling Soup

Healthier Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

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Air Fryer Tortilla Chips

Overview of basket of chips with salsa
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Mexican, snacks, appetizer, side dish
  • Method: Air Fryer
Scale

Ingredients

  • 12 corn tortillas (6 inch), cut into wedges
  • Light-colored oil or spray oil (light tasting olive oil or avocado works well)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 lime (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat air fryer to 360 F. Brush oil or spray oil on to tortilla wedges. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice (if using).
  2. Put all the wedges in the air fryer (it doesn’t matter if they are in a single layer) and air fry for 3 minutes. Then shake the air fryer basket to redistribute, then cook for an additional 2 minutes or until golden all over. Best served immediately. 

Keywords: tortilla, chips, snacks

Cilantro Garlic Sauce

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This cilantro garlic sauce is light, fresh, and citrusy, making the perfect sauce that you can use as a salad dressing or drizzle on just about anything. 

I’m always looking for a good sauce or dressing to liven up my meals. Especially during warmer weather, I’m looking for sauces that taste light, fresh, and citrusy. This Cilantro Garlic Sauce is the perfect combination of all three qualities. Made with ingredients that I almost always have on hand, it’s easy to whip up at a moment’s notice to jazz up a boring meal. Plus, if you’re like me, you buy cilantro for recipes but have a hard time using it all up before it goes bad. This sauce will use up all of that leftover cilantro that you have hanging out in your vegetable crisper. 

Jar of cilantro garlic sauce surrounding by a spoon, limes, garlic clove, and cilantro on a white counter.

Ingredients for Cilantro Garlic Sauce

  • Cilantro: Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs. If you add it to anything, it instantly makes it taste fresher. Some people love it; others hate it. Me? I’m squarely in the LOVE it camp. I definitely don’t taste soap when eating cilantro. 
  • Plain yogurt: Plain yogurt adds a little sour tang to the sauce or dressing. You can use Greek or regular yogurt; it doesn’t matter. I used Greek yogurt. But it is essential to get the PLAIN yogurt – you don’t want to add vanilla yogurt to this sauce accidentally. That would not be good.
  • Garlic clove: Raw garlic is super pungent, so I found that adding just one small-medium clove is a perfect balance. If you have a larger clove, I would only use half. 
  • Lime juice: Just like cilantro, lime juice adds a fresh flavor and vibe to anything. I prefer fresh, but if you only have bottled, it’ll do. 
  • Olive oil: When you blend everything in the food processor or blender, adding a little fat from olive oil emulsifies the sauce making it extra creamy and rich. A little goes a long way, so this recipe only calls for two tablespoons. 
  • Seasonings (salt and cayenne): A pinch of salt goes perfectly with the cilantro, lime, and garlic. I like a little heat, so I used 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. It’s just the right amount to give a kick without being all out spicy. 
Food processor bowl with cilantro, lime juice, cayenne pepper, yogurt, and garlic inside the bowl getting ready to be made into cilantro garlic sauce.

How to Make the Sauce 

If you can push a button, you can make this sauce. Everything is added directly into the food processor or blender bowl and pureed until entirely smooth. Once you’re done, inspect the sauce to ensure that the garlic is chopped very finely, so you don’t end up taking a big bite of raw garlic later. If you want to be sure that the garlic is fully pureed, try mincing the garlic before blending. 

How to Use the Sauce

While this recipe is called a cilantro garlic sauce, I like to use it as a dressing as well. If you’re looking for a fresh, tangy dressing to use on salads, this is the ticket. I like blending this up on Sundays when I do some meal prep to use throughout the week. You can use it for:

  • Drizzling on tacos or burrito bowls – it’s an absolute must for my Instant Carne Asada
  • Tossing salads
  • As a dipping sauce 
  • As a marinade for meats 
  • The possibilities are endless! 
Jar of cilantro garlic sauce with a spoon in the jar and cilantro in the background on a white counter.
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Cilantro Garlic Sauce

Jar of cilantro garlic sauce surrounding by a spoon, limes, garlic clove, and cilantro on a white counter.

This cilantro garlic sauce is light, fresh, and citrusy, making the perfect sauce that you can use as a salad dressing or drizzle on just about anything. 

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 small jar 1x
Scale

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chopped cilantro stems removed
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • Pinch of salt 
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne (optional for spice)

Instructions

Blend all of the ingredients together in a food processor or blender until smooth. Serve or refrigerate for up to 1 week. 

Notes

When storing in the fridge for up to 1 week, mild separation may occur. Simply shake or stir until re-incorporated. 

Keywords: dressings, sauces

Buffalo Chickpea Dip

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Who doesn’t love to pour buffalo sauce on everything? I’ll wait. This Buffalo Chickpea Dip is the perfect vegetarian cross between hummus and a creamy buffalo chicken dip. It’s a total crowd-pleaser, and meat-lovers won’t even realize that it’s a vegetarian buffalo dip.

Close up of buffalo chickpea dip surrounded by veggies and crackers on a plate.

The Easiest Healthy Appetizer or Snack

This recipe is ridiculously easy, and everyone loves it. I recently made this for a Memorial Day gathering, and it was gone in the blink of an eye. It’s a sharable appetizer that travels well and tastes great even when it’s cooled off some, so it’s perfect for potlucks, holidays, and of course, game day. It’s also perfect for whipping up a healthy snack, which is rich in protein and fiber thanks to the beans and cottage cheese. Instead of buying or making a batch of hummus, you could add this recipe to your meal prep and have something new to dip your crackers and veggies into all week long.

Buffalo Chickpea Dip Ingredients

You’ll need:

  • Cannellini beans: I know it might be surprising that the first ingredient isn’t chickpeas, but cannellini beans have a very creamy texture and make the dip super creamy and rich tasting. Chickpeas have much more texture, so you’ll fold in the chickpeas whole (not blended) right before you bake the dip. 
  • Cottage Cheese: It might seem a little odd to add in cottage cheese, but it works perfectly in this recipe. It helps hold the dip together, adds a creamy tang, and just melts right in to give a nice creamy texture along with the cannellini beans. 
  • Seasonings: Dried dill, garlic powder, and onion powder are all flavors reminiscent of ranch dressing, which is the perfect match for all things buffalo sauce.
  • Chickpeas: Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans. Like I mentioned before, they have a little more of a toothsome texture to them than cannellini beans, so they’re best folded into the dip right before baking for added texture. 
  • Cheddar cheese: Some shredded cheese on top makes everything better, am I right? Just a little on top makes a nice cheesy crust.
  • Garnishes: I drizzled a little bit of ranch dressing on top, but not much. You could also do the same with blue cheese dressing, but it’s optional – the dip is also great all on its own. 
  • Dippers: Of course, you’ll need foods to dip into the chickpea dip. Raw veggies like broccoli, sliced bell pepper, carrots, cucumbers, and celery are natural choices. Crackers, tortilla chips, pita, or toasted bread go great as well!
Ingredients for buffalo chickpea dip in a food processor bowl (cottage cheese, buffalo sauce, seasonings, and beans).

How to Make the Dip

As I mentioned, this Buffalo Chickpea Dip can’t be easier! It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

  1. You’ll blend all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender except the chickpeas, cheddar cheese, garnishes, and dippers.
  2. You’ll fold in the chickpeas, pour it into a baking dish, and top with cheddar cheese.
  3. Lastly, you’ll cover it with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25m minutes. 

Easy-peasy. Serve with your favorite dippers and call it a day. 

Buffalo chickpea dip with piece of celery dipped in surrounded by veggies and crackers on a plate.
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Buffalo Chickpea Dip

Buffalo chickpea dip surrounded by veggies and crackers on a plate.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 can (15.5 oz) of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup of buffalo wing sauce (I like Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce)
  • 1/4 cup of cottage cheese
  • 1 1/2 tsp. dried dill
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
  • Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for drizzling (optional)
  • Assorted raw veggies, crackers, toasted bread, tortilla chips, and/or pita, etc. for dipping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil or spray a medium baking dish with baking spray.
  2. In a food processor bowl, pulse together cannellini beans, wing sauce, cottage cheese, dill, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth.
  3. Fold in chickpeas and pour into a baking dish. Top with cheddar cheese and cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve with raw veggies, crackers, toasted bread, tortilla chips, and/or pita.

Air Fryer Carrots with Parmesan and Dill

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These Air Fryer Carrots are deliciously caramelized and rubbed with a parmesan-dill rub for a bold and sweet flavor that makes the perfect easy side dish. 

Using an Air Fryer

I hear everyone ask if an air fryer is worth the cost. It’s no secret that I love my air fryer, which is a countertop convection oven, and allows hot air to circulate rapidly. The hot circulating air makes food crispy and cooks very quickly, without the mess and fuss of deep fat frying. I highly recommend buying an air fryer. 

A close up of caramelized air fryer carrots on a plate topped with dill and parmesan

Air Fryer Carrots Ingredients

You’ll need:

  • Carrots: You’ll need to peel and cut the carrots in half or to a size that will allow the carrots to cook in an even layer in the air fryer. 
  • Olive oil: Using a small amount of oil will allow the carrots to crisp nicely in the air fryer. 
  • Parmesan cheese: Who doesn’t like parmesan cheese? I recommend using freshly grated parmesan cheese for maximum flavor. You can also use pecorino cheese instead. I have used both, and they both give lots of flavor. Pecorino cheese is a little bolder and saltier than parmesan cheese, so consider omitting or decreasing the salt as not to make the carrots too salty if you use the pecorino cheese. I like to grate a little extra on top when the carrots are done. 
  • Seasonings: One of my favorite blend of seasonings is dill, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne. I’ve used it on so many roasted or air fried vegetables. I recently told a friend about this combo, and now she’s obsessed with it too!

How to Make the Carrots

Really it comes down to just 3 simple steps. 

  1. Toss the carrots in the seasoning.
  2. Air fry and toss halfway through to evenly cook. It’s important to do this with most air fryer recipes to ensure even cooking. 
  3. Serve and enjoy immediately.

Okay, that was really just two steps, but you get my point – it’s an EASY, no-fuss side dish. These Air Fryer Carrots really will go with just about anything. 

Caramelized air fryer carrots on a plate topped with dill and parmesan

More Air Fryer Recipes

If you’re looking for more air fryer recipes, you might want to check these ones out as well:

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Air Fryer Carrots with Parmesan and Dill

Caramelized air fryer carrots laid out on aplate topped with dill and parmesan
  • Author: admin
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. of carrots, peeled and cut in half or cut to fit your air fryer
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
  • 1 1/2 tsp. dried dill
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat air fryer to 360 F. Toss carrots together in a large bowl with olive oil, cheese, dill, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne (if using).
  2. Spread out evenly on the bottom of the air fryer (see notes). Air fry for 7-8 minutes. Toss carrots and continue cooking for additional 4-5 minutes for perfectly al dente carrots.
  3. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to cook in batches so that the carrots line the bottom of the air fryer in an even layer. If you need to work in batches, you can keep the first batch(es) of carrots warm on a sheet pan in a 200-degree oven while the remaining carrots cook.