Baked oatmeal - 4 points on WW blue

I absolutely love oatmeal. I eat it for breakfast, sometimes for lunch and often as snacks. I don't even need to put sugar in it if I load it up with fruit, chocolate chips or nuts. However, I often find these delicious additions don't fit well into my daily points when I'm trying to follow weight watchers.

In fact, when I chose my WW plan, I went for blue because oatmeal is zero points on purple and I knew I would over eat it if it didn't have any points attached. I also love sweet potatoes, so that would've been another temptation!

In moderation though, oatmeal can be a great option and this baked oatmeal is further fortified with eggs and applesauce to make it fluffy and filling and only 4 points.

Ingredients

2/3 cup quick oats

2/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2 eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tsp Lankato granulated monkfruit or other zero calorie sweetener of your choice, optional

1 cup fresh or frozen fruit (such as mixed berries, blueberries, chopped apples, chopped peaches)

1/4 tsp of baking powder

1 generous sprinkle of cinnamon

cooking spray

Cooking equipment: small baking pan, I use a 7" round pan.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray small baking pan with cooking spray. Put fruit in the bottom of the pan. Mix wet ingredients, taking care to whisk the eggs fully. Add dry ingredients and mix well into a wet batter, pour into the pan over the fruit. Bake for 18-22 minutes until the oatmeal is fully set.

Half the pan is 4 points.

You can also double the recipe and make four servings and use a standard 9" round pan to bake it. I tend to each too much when I do this, since I love oatmeal so much.

4 serving double recipe - this one had peaches on the bottom!

On the WW blue plan if you use the recipe builder it's 4 points for one serving and 7 if you eat two servings. Since WW sometimes has weird math, if you put half of the ingredients individually, it's only 3 points. I use the higher recipe builder calculation.

Taco skillet casserole - 2 points on Weight Watchers

Are you looking for a one pan dish that is quick and easy to make? Look no further than this taco skillet casserole!

This dish uses cooked rice to come together really quickly, or if you don't have rice that's already cooked you can cook the rice right in the pan by adding 3/4 cup dry rice and 1.5 cups of water. The dish will take about 25 minutes longer if you use uncooked rice and cook it in the pan. I use leftover rice from the night before's dinner.

The whole recipe is only 10 points on Weight Watchers blue plan (formerly Freestyle) and it's easily 5 servings, making it 2 points for serving. Top it with a little cheese and sour cream for extra points. You can also roll it up in a in wrap for a burrito, I like to do this the next day for lunch.

If you are looking for another great one-pot meal, you can also try my un-stuffed pepper skillet. It's similar but more like a stuffed pepper than a taco flavor. 

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1.25 lbs 99% FF ground turkey (you can also use beef or higher fat turkey but it will increase the points if you are following Weight Watchers; my photos show lean beef)
1-2 packets taco seasoning, ideally low sodium
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can of corn
1 14.5 oz can of black beans
1.5 cups of cooked rice

Optional toppings:
Shredded cheese
Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Wrap or taco shell

Cooking equipment: Very large skillet or high-sided pot or Dutch oven (preferred)

Directions:
Spray pan with cooking spray and turn on medium heat, add ground turkey and season with 1 packet of taco seasoning. Brown the meat until fully cooked, about 5-7 minutes.

Add tomatoes, corn, black beans and cooked rice. Stir. Add a second packet of taco seasoning if desired for a spicier/more flavorful dish. If the mixture appears dry (especially an issue with low fat meat) add up to a .5 cup of water. Allow to warm fully and simmer uncovered about 5-8 minutes.

Top with cheese and sour cream or yogurt,if desired and serve.

When made with 99% FF ground turkey, the recipe is 10 total points on Freestyle. Dividing it into 5 servings makes it 2 points each, excluding any optional toppings. The 5 servings are pretty generous portions, easily 1 cup.

This blog is not affiliated with Weight Watchers in any way. This post may contain affiliate links, if you make a purchase using one of these links this blog may receive a small commission. Thank you for your support.

The easiest, healthy, instant pot marinara sauce

This is the easiest recipe for homemade marinara you will ever find and thanks to the instant pot electric pressure cooker, it's also the fastest. I may never buy marinara sauce again.

This recipe also doesn't have any added sugar! By my calculation, the whole recipe is 3 points on the Weight Watchers Freestyle program. The 3 points come from the olive oil used to saute the onions and garlic but you could use cooking spray instead for a zero point recipe.

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 of a small onion, diced
4 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled (or you can substitute 4 tsp of chopped refrigerated garlic)
32 oz crushed tomatoes
15 oz tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 Tb dried basil
2 Tb Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt

Equipment:
Instant pot or other electric pressure cooker, I use a 6 quart duo.
Garlic press, if you don't have a garlic press you can dice your garlic before you begin.

Turn your instant pot on the saute setting, low temperature and add the olive oil and onions to the bottom. After the onion cooks 2-3 minutes, add your garlic. I use my garlic press and press it directly into the pot. Saute the garlic and onion and additional 2-3 minutes.

Add all remaining ingredients to the pot, using the half cup of water to rinse the remaining tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes from the cans into the pot. Lock the lid in place on the top of your instant pot and turn the vent to sealing. Press cancel on the pot to end the saute setting and then set the pot to the pressure cook, high setting and set the timer for 10 minutes. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes and allow the pressure to naturally release for at least 15 minutes.

After the natural release is finished you can quick release any remaining pressure, carefully.

I have not tried to double this recipe in the 6 qt or made this in a mini 3 qt instant pot, I have intentionally not filled the pot full to avoid spraying sauce out of the valve.

I have used this recipe as a marina sauce for pasta and also as a pizza sauce for 2-ingredient dough pizza.

This blog is not affiliated with Weight Watchers in any way. This post main contain affiliate links, if you make a purchase using one of these links this blog may receive a small commission. Thank you for your support.

Cheesy crock-pot chicken - 3 pts on WW

My husband and I absolutely love crock-pot chicken made with cream cheese. It's really simple to throw in a crock pot in the morning and it's a versatile filling, we eat it:

• over rice (this was more common pre-Weight Watchers, but it's also the best!)
• over cauliflower rice
• over egg noodles
• as a taco/burrito filling
• in a wrap
• with black beans

This dish is so cheesy and decadent I did not even check the points on it when I first joined Weight Watchers, thinking they would be way too high. However with a few simple swaps I was shocked that it was only 3 points a serving! That is dividing the recipe into 4 servings, which is a very large serving.

To make this magic happen for 3 points, you need to use fat free cream cheese. While I try to avoid the fat free products that have fillers, I make an exception for this meal because sometimes I just need something quick and easy. If you change to light cream cheese, the recipe is 7pts/serving. 

This recipe is even easier because you can use frozen chicken without thawing it first. I have also left it for up to 9 hours and it was fine but it does burn on the sides a little bit. I spray it with cooking spray really good or use a crock-pot liner. 

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breast (about 2.5lbs, fresh or frozen)

8oz fat free cream cheese

1 can of light cream of chicken soup (I use the Aldi fit & active brand)

1 packet Italian dressing seasoning mix

cooking spray

Cooking equipment:

5 or 6 quart crock-pot or slow cooker

Directions:

Spray sides of crock-pot with cooking spray and put chicken in the bottom of the crock-pot. Sprinkle full packet of Italian dressing seasoning on top of the chicken and add the cream of chicken soup and block of cream cheese.

Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred the chicken and mix with the cheesy sauce and serve as desired.

Crock-pot chicken over cauliflower rice (3pt) with some chips on the side (4pt)

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of these links this blog may receive a small commission, thank you for your support. This blog is not affiliated with Weight Watchers in any way. Points were calculated in June 2018 using the WW freestyle program. 

Parmesan crusted chicken - a Weight Watchers sheet pan meal

I have been really into sheet pan meals lately. It is a great way to cook a vegetable and protein really fast after work and it can be done with very little oil, so it's Weight Watchers friendly.

This meal relies on a lot of zero point foods with a few extra carbs and cheese to spice things up! The chicken is 3 points a serving and you can have 4+ ounces of potatoes for 4pts (4 7/8 ounces to be precise...not that I checked 😊). I also track 1 point for the olive oil I use on the green beans for a total of 8 points.

True story, the first night I made this I was still in the kitchen weighing my potatoes and tracking my food and my husband said "Damn baby, this is good." So it's not only Weight Watchers friendly, it's husband approved. Win, win.

Ingredients - Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts (approx. 6-8 ounces each)

2 eggs

Juice of half a lemon (I recommend fresh, or you can use 2 Tbsp of refrigerated)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 cup Seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used freshly grated but you don't have to)

ground pepper to taste

I used 3 potatoes this size.

Ingredients - Potatoes

3 large potatoes (I used red)

1 generous sprinkle of garlic powder

1 generous sprinkle of onion powder

1 generous sprinkle of Italian seasoning

2 tsp of olive oil

Ingredients - Green beans
16oz fresh green beans, cleaned and trimmed
2 tsp of olive oil
1 generous sprinkle of garlic salt

Equipment
2 cookie sheet pans
Parchment paper (preferred) or aluminum foil
Small mesh strainer if you use fresh lemon juice

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Put eggs, lemon juice, garlic powder and Italian seasoning in a medium sized bowl. If you are using fresh lemon juice, squeeze it through a mesh strainer to keep the seeds out. Lightly beat the eggs with a fork until the ingredients are well mixed. Add the chicken to the bowl and stir to coat the chicken.

Line one cookie sheet with parchment paper. Take 3 large potatoes and cut them into 1/2 inch cubes. Pile potatoes into the middle of the cookie sheet and pour on the olive oil garlic, onion and Italian seasoning and toss gently. You can also do this in a mixing bowl but I like to save a dish where possible. Spread the potatoes across the pan in a single layer and put them in the oven.

The potatoes need an approximately 5-minute head-start on the chicken & green beans. While they are cooking you can get your chicken ready.

Line your second cookie sheet with parchment paper (my photos show foil because I ran out of parchment paper, but parchment is still my preference). Mix the seasoned bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese together. Take each chicken breast from the egg mixture and coat in the bread crumb mixture and lay it on the cookie sheet. Grind fresh black pepper on top of each chicken breast to taste.

If you have chicken breasts that are 6-8 oz you can do 4. I had two that size and one really big 10 oz one, so I only made 3 but cut the big one in half after it was cooked to make 4 servings. I suggest smaller 6-8 oz breasts because larger ones have to be cooked longer.

Toss your green beans in 2 tsp of olive oil, either in a  bowl or on the cookie sheet. You do not need to spread the green beans out.

Oven ready!

Put your second cookie sheet with your chicken and green beans in the oven for 18-22 minutes. If your chicken breasts are smaller, they will cook in 18 minutes but if they are larger, you will need 22 minutes. If you have larger pieces of chicken, take care to watch your green beans and potatoes do not burn.

I recommend using a digital thermometer to temp the chicken at it's thickest point and ensure that it is as least 165 degrees F. I had to put my one larger breast back in for an additional few minutes because it wasn't quite to temp yet.

As shown this was 9 points, I topped it with cheese!

You can top with additional grated Parmesan cheese for an additional point for 1 Tb.
Chicken divided into 4 servings is 3 points each serving. To track this you will need to add the ingredients to the recipe builder. For the potatoes, I track an entry on WW called "roasted potatoes with 1 tsp of olive oil" and weigh the number of ounces I have with my food scale (4 7/8 ounces is 4pts). I also track 1pt for olive oil on the green beans and any additional cheese I add on top, Parmesan is 1pt for 1Tb.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of these links this blog may receive a small commission, thank you for your support. This blog is not affiliated with Weight Watchers in any way. Points were calculated in May 2018 using the WW freestyle program. 

Almond milk crepes - 1 point on Weight Watchers

Have you developed an irrational craving for pancakes since you started Weight Watchers? No? Just me then?

Crepes are a very WW friendly option to help stave off your cravings. This dairy-free crepe recipe  is only 1 point per serving and there are many options to stuff your crepes with zero or low-point fillings. Such as:

• Eggs + bell pepper + tomato
• Eggs + mushrooms
• Eggs + reduced fat cheese (points for cheese)
• Eggs + 99% fat free deli turkey
• Eggs + tomato + avocado (points for avocado)
• Reduced fat cheese (points for cheese)
• 99% fat free deli turkey + reduced fat cheese (points for cheese)
• Bananas + Powdered peanut butter such as PBFit (1 point/serving of PBFit)
• Strawberries + Greek yougrt
• Strawberries + light whipped cream (points for whipped cream)

2 points - crepe with eggs, veggies and reduced fat feta

If you really must have a pancake and have a few more points to spare, check out my recipe for high protein peanut butter pancakes using powdered peanut butter.

Batter ingredients:
3/4 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1/4 tsp of table salt
Non-stick cooking spray
* if you are making only sweet crepes, add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

Directions:
Whisk together all ingredients to form a thin batter. I suggest using a hand mixer to ensure there are no clumps of flour. It should be thinner than pancake batter, if it's too thick, you can add a little more almond milk or water.

Preheat a round, non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. On my stove, I use temperature setting 7 of 10. Give the pan a quick spray of cooking spray and pour about a 1/3 of a cup of batter in the pan. You will want to spread the batter out by swirling the pan or there is such a thing as a crepe spreader.

Not quite ready to flip....if you use a spreader it will be easier to make it more round.

Allow the crepe to cook until lightly brown, about 2-3 minutes and then flip it over. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Top with your preferred toppings, or eat plain!

Recipe makes 6-8 crepes.

Nice light brown!

Mine don't look as pretty as the ones sold on the streets of Paris but they still taste good!

2 points - crepe with banana and a drizzle made from PBFit

This recipe was adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe for Whole Wheat Crepes to be dairy-free. This blog is not affiliated with Weight Watchers in any way. Point values were checked in April 2018 under the Freestyle program. This post may contain affiliate links, if you make a purchase from one of these links this blog may receive a small commission. Thank you for your support.

Blueberry lemon cake - 3 WW pts

Summer is coming! This great cake has all the summer flavors you crave and less guilt.

Even though I'm trying to eat healthy, sometimes I still feel like baking. I mean I want to eat the baked goods too but sometimes you really just feel like baking. Just me?

So I decided I would bake something to take to my friends house. That would kill the urge and I'd only eat 1-2 pieces.

Even though it was for non-WW people, I baked it WW style and planned to warn them that it was healthy.

This cake is light and summery. You could almost eat it for breakfast with a side of yogurt! It's not overly sweet, with about half the amount of sugar of similar cakes. I avoid artificial sugars, if you want it sweeter you could add some stevia or drizzle some honey on top.

Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/2 brown sugar
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups self-rising flour
1 Tb lemon juice (approximately the juice of half a large lemon)
16 oz frozen blueberries, thawed
1 Tb corn starch


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9-inch square cake pan.

Whisk eggs with sugar until it's light in color and thick. I use the whisk attachment on my Kitchenaid stand mixer.

Fluffy egg sugar

Add yogurt, applesauce, vanilla and salt and whisk on low speed until mixed thoroughly. Add flour and whisk until incorporated fully. Add the lemon juice and stir well until fully combined.

Rinse thawed blueberries thoroughly. Pat dry with a paper towel and toss with corn starch until no white remains from the corn starch.

See the white corn starch? Keep mixing!

Pour half of the batter into the greased cake pan and top with half of the blueberries. Add the remaining batter and top with remaining blueberries.

Bake at 375 for 38-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cut into 12 servings, each piece is 3 points on WW freestyle or 2 pieces for 7 points.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of these links this blog may receive a small commission, thank you for your support. This blog is not affiliated with Weight Watchers in any way. Points were calculated in April 2018 using the WW freestyle program.

Peanut sauce - 2 points on WW

Anyone who has met me, can tell you that I love Thai food. Cooking it the dishes I love from take out at home has been an ongoing project (see here my attempts at Pad See Ewe).

One of my frustrations since I started Weight Watchers, is that there aren't as many entries ethnic foods (hint hint WW powers that be). For example, I couldn't find a point count for my beloved Thai iced tea.

If you've read any of my recent posts, you also know that I am obsessed with low calorie powdered peanut butter. I might have to start ordering PB Fit by the case, unfortunately Amazon only sells the chocolate variety by the case.

I decided to try making a peanut sauce out of PB Fit so I could have it for Asian dishes, store bought peanut sauces can have a lot of sugar. You could easily use 1-2 points worth for an Asian dipping sauce. 1/4 of this recipe is 2 points, compared to 2 points for a Tb of most  pre-made peanut sauces, that's barely a dollop. This whole recipe is 8 points.

I initially used this sauce on a rice noodle stir-fry but it would also make a great dipping sauce for grilled chicken. I'm planning to try it shortly in my Instant Pot recipe for Asian style peanut chicken.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of PB Fit (or similar powdered peanut butter such as PB2)
1 Tb dark soy sauce (or you preferred soy sauce)
1/2-3/4 cup of water

Place PB Fit in a small bowl and add soy sauce. Whisk in 1/2 a cup of water. Gradually add small amounts of additional water until sauce reaches desired thickness.

If you are using it as a sauce on noodles like I did below, you might want a thinner sauce. If you are using it as a dip for chicken, you might want it a little bit thicker.

Each serving is 2 points on Weight Watchers Freestyle, the recipe makes 4 servings. The size of each serving will vary based on how much water you add. If you add more water, the serving will have a large volume but still be 2 points. With the full amount of water it's maybe 1/4 cup for a serving but to be honest I didn't measure because I poured it  all on some noodles and just included the full count for the sauce in my recipe. I put one batch of this sauce on a whole box of rice noodles, made with the full amount of water.

Peanut sauce on rice noodle stir-fry was 8 points/serving.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of these links this blog may receive a small commission, thank you for your support. This blog is not affiliated with Weight Watchers in any way. Points were calculated in April 2018 using the WW freestyle program. 

6 minute fajitas with the Instant Pot

I really love oven fajitas except that they take 40 minutes in the oven. That means I normally only make them on the weekends when I am home to start them. Otherwise we'd be eating dinner at 7pm and I'd be all hangry.

This recipe actually came about because I came home from work one day, had everything I needed to make fajitas except time and they sounded so good. I was a hungry woman, so this recipe is as easy as possible.

I'm also doing weight watchers and I wasn't in a great point situation....cake happens. Sometimes, the same week that baklava happened.

This led me to think....why can't I make fajitas in my Instant Pot???? Well, turns out, I can.

Making fajitas in the instant pot is quicker than making them in the oven and also healthier because you don't need to use any oil.

Now, I will say that I slightly prefer the taste of my oven fajitas and I expect I will continue to make them. However, on work nights, I will definitely look to my Instant Pot for my fajita needs, as I do for so many other things.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2lbs chicken breasts cut into 1 inch strips (you can also use thighs or tenderloins)
• 3 bell peppers, cut into strips
• 1 onion sliced (I don't like onions, so I skip this but I listed it as I realize most people do :))
• 1 package of taco season (I use reduced sodium)
• 1 cup water

You'll also want shells, lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream and anything else you like on your fajitas!

Directions:

Pour 1 cup of water in the bottom of your Instant Pot. Place your sliced vegetables in the pot and sprinkle with half of the taco seasoning.

Place your sliced chicken on top of the vegetables and sprinkle with remaining taco seasoning. Place your lid on your Instant Pot and set to sealing. Cook on manual, high pressure for 6 minutes.

When the cooking cycle has ended quick release the pressure.

There is a fair amount of cooking liquid remaining in the pot at the end (water, juices from the chicken) so I recommend using either tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the meat and vegetables make your fajitas.

I made these in my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo. You could easily make a larger batch in the 8 quart and this might be small enough to make in a mini - if you try it let me know!

This recipe is zero points on Weight Watchers! The only points are from the shells, cheese and other accompaniments. I had mine with La Bandarita low carb shells (1pt each), reduced fat cheese (3pts for 1/4 cup) and light sour cream (2pts) for a total of 7 points for 2 very filling and large fajitas.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of these links this blog will receive a small commission, thank you for your support. This blog is not affiliated with Weight Watchers in any way.

Easy Asian style peanut chicken in the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker

This recipe is quick, easy and delicious in the instant pot or other electric pressure cooker. This delicious chicken is fabulous on rice but since I'm currently doing the low carb thing, we had it on cauliflower rice. Having a sauce-covered main dish is key for me to not realize I'm eating vegetables instead of actual rice.

Ingredients:
2 tb of toasted sesame oil (I like this one from Trader Joe's)
1 tb of chopped garlic (I use this kind but you can use fresh if preferred)
3 chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch cubes
13oz can of lite coconut milk
8oz jar of peanut sauce (I used this kind)
salt to taste
3 TB of cornstarch to thicken sauce

Directions:
Turn your Instant Pot (IP) on saute, normal and let it warm up for 3-4 minutes. Add the sesame oil and the garlic. Saute the garlic for 2-3 minutes.

Pour in your coconut milk first, add the chicken and top with the peanut sauce and stir.

Turn the saute function off and turn the IP to pressure cook and set for 8 minutes. Make sure the vent is turned to "sealing." When pressure cook is completed, quick release the pressure.

The sauce will be pretty thin, if you want a thicker sauce, press cancel on the IP and change the setting to saute, high. Then spoon about a cup of sauce into a small bowl (I like to use coffee mugs) and add 3 Tb of cornstarch. Whisk it together until it's fully blended and add it back to the pot, stirring it in. Allow the sauce to simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce reaches desired thickness.

Serve over rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa.

Over cauliflower rice for a lower carb option. I sauteed the cauliflower in sesame oil.

This post contains some affiliate links, if you make a purchase via the links this blog will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support. 

Best newbie recipes for the instant pot

While I really love my instant pot (IP) it was a little overwhelming when I first got it. It is so weird not to be able to see my food cooking! I'm used to taking a peak to see how it looks while it's cooking!

If you're new to the IP or thinking about buying one (the holiday sales are here!) you can read all about why I love mine here. If you already have yours but aren't sure what to do, check out my suggestions for easy recipes for new IP owners!

1. Basic pulled pork
This was quickest and easiest pulled pork I've every made. The IP really shines when cooking meat that is normally prepared "low and slow."

Put a 4lb pork butt or shoulder on top of your trivet, pour on a cup of water and a cup of barbecue sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ) and set the IP on manual, high pressure for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Natural pressure release (NPR) for 10-20 minutes and then quick release (QR). Overall cook and prep time is less than 2 hours, quite a bit less.

2. Butternut squash
Much easier and faster than roasting it in the oven. It's a game changer. Directions are here.

3. Baked potatoes
I love baked potatoes (especially to take to work for lunch) but they take a really long time in the oven. I ain't got time for that. Now I make them in my instant pot in half an hour. Here is a recipe I like from Aunt Bees Recipes. If your potatoes are really big, you might need to add a couple of extra minutes. The first time I did this I had really big potatoes and they were a little under-done. Like cooking in the oven or on the stove, you'll get a feel for that an know when to add 1-2 extra minutes over time.

4. Chicken black bean rice burrito bowls
This is my go-to instant pot whole meal. I love it and it's somewhat healthy, until I cover it in sour cream. Then it's delicious. Here is the recipe from Cook Fast Eat Well. I made this every other week when I first got my IP. It makes a great dinner for 2 with leftovers for another 2 meals for each of us.

5. Mac and cheese
I love making mac and cheese in the IP, I might never buy boxed mac again. I started with this recipe from Dad Cooks Dinner but I even found his to be more complicated than necessary. I don't add the butter, mustard or hot pepper sauce and I use whatever cheese mix I have on hand, usually about 50% cheddar. Sometimes I toss in a few drops of liquid smoke when mixing in the cheese to give a smokier flavor. If I'm being fancy I will toast the bread crumbs on top but a lot of times I will skip that too.

Still a little unsure of where to start? Check out my 6 tips for new IP owners and the most useful accessories to go with your new IP!