My best friend, Chad, was dealt an unexpected blow this year. Out of the blue, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroendocrine Cancer and Type 2 Diabetes. To say we were shocked by this news is the understatement of the year! Chad and I have been singing partners for over 12 years, and he is like a brother to me.
Chad is handling this turn of events like a champion. It SUCKS, and there is no question about that. But, Chad has dedicated himself to trying to inspire others not to give up the fight. Touching others keeps his fight alive! As part of being a service to others, Chad asked if he could join me in some of my cooking videos to make some diabetic friendly recipes. He is hoping he can help inspire others to heal themselves with healthy eating as he does the same for himself.
Since he used to work on a Thai food truck, Chad and I decided to whip together an easy and flavorful Instant Pot Thai Soup! Check out our video here, and the recipe below!
By the way, if you are interested in helping Chad with his medical expenses, all of the proceeds of our band, The Desert Okies’ new CD go to support him. Check it out at www.desertokies.com!
This post may contain affiliate links for products I use and love. When you use these links to make purchases, you help keep Modern Day Fox alive! Thank you!
Print Recipe
Modern Day Fox Instant Pot Thai Soup
A diabetic-friendly and Paleo hearty soup! The peanut butter gives this soup a rich, creamy flavor.
In my fitness groups, we have been talking about what a critical time of year this is to stay dedicated to our health and fitness goals. This is when most people throw in the towel and start talking about “Jan 1st” as the magical date to make big changes. I say, why not right now? Just because you make good decisions for your health during the holidays doesn’t mean that you can’t indulge a little too! How about making sure you get in that 30 minutes of exercise each day as a non-negotiable? How about making a plan of action for how you will approach holidays meal. Will you fill your dinner plate with meat and vegetables and skip the bread basket, but indulge on a piece of pecan pie? Or would you rather fill up on rich mashed potatoes and gravy and let the kids enjoy the chocolate brownies? Or, are you going to eat all the food, but make sure that you are back on track the very next day? Make a conscious decision about how you are going to approach these things, and you are bound to feel less guilt-ridden anxiety and make better decisions for yourself.
All that said, why not be the person who brings a dish to the holiday table that doesn’t use refined sugar and a 1/2 lb of butter? If you are looking for ideas, I have a great one for you! Try this super-simple Maple Spiced Sweet Potato dish that you can throw together in roughly 15 minutes in your Instant Pot! Not everything has to be baked with brown sugar and butter to taste amazing. You might be surprised to find that some real maple syrup and unrefined coconut oil adds flavor while also letting you actually taste the natural flavor of the sweet potato. Of course you can sugar up this recipe as much you would like, but this version skips the guilt while serving up all the goodness! Your body will thank you!
Here is a video showing how it’s done. Don’t forget to subscribe to my youtube channel! And, if you are interested in joining my fitness accountability group, send me an email to moderndayfox@gmail.com!
xo Jaime
Print Recipe
Modern Day Fox Instant Pot Maple Spiced Sweet Potatoes
Perfect for your holiday feast, try this healthy sweet potato dish as a change from the traditional high calorie sweet potato casserole. This recipe takes roughly 20 minutes start to finish, and uses no refined sugar!
Peel and slice potatoes coarsely. Slice in half again, or to your desired cut.
Place potatoes into liner pot with 1/4 cup water.
Add melted coconut oil, All-spice (or cinnamon and nutmeg), salt, and maple syrup.
Stir well to coat sweet potatoes.
Place lid on Instant Pot and turn valve to Sealing.
Set pot to 8 minutes, manual high pressure. If you prefer a firmer potato, you may opt to cook for 6 or 7 minutes instead. Use a quick release when timer goes off.
Stir potatoes carefully as not to break them apart too much.
Pour into serving dish.
Drizzle with additional maple syrup or honey, if desired.
Meal prep can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! Instant Pot to the rescue!
I’ve been experimenting with cooking spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot. It is admittedly a bit of a different texture than when baked in the oven as it is cooked with moisture in the Instant Pot rather than dry heat. But, it gets done SO much faster and I like that. I love how spaghetti squash is so porous and takes on flavors so easily. I recently had a meal from my favorite meal service, Paleo Works, that combined spaghetti squash, chicken and tomato bruschetta. I decided to try to do a quick copycat recipe using my Instant Pot. While mine is admittedly a hack in comparison to that chef’s creation, I think I threw together a tasty meal. You can certainly make your own homemade bruschetta, but I use a jarred grocery store kind in this recipe in order to save time.
I also have been exploring warm potato salads. Have you ever had a Hot German Potato Salad where the potatoes are slightly over cooked and starting to fall apart? The potatoes begin to fall apart as you stir in the dressing and it creates a thick sauce. It is so good! It occurred to me that I could create an Italian version of Hot Potato Salad using jarred basil pesto and red potatoes. I also threw in some green beans for a veggie kick, and chicken for added protein. Best of all, I could cook it all in the Instant Pot at once!
I made four of each of these meals for a total of EIGHT meals all at the same time in roughly 45 minutes. While the squash was cooking, I prepped the chicken, green beans, and potatoes. When the squash finished, I removed it and washed my pot. I then added the chicken, potatoes and green beans to the pot to cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. I scraped out the spaghetti squash and mixed in some tomato bruschetta. I portioned it out in four containers. When the pot timer went off, I released the steam and removed half of the chicken and evenly distributed over each of the servings of squash. I added a heaping spoonful of bruschetta on top of the chicken, and BAM! Four meals were done. Next I scooped out the potato mixture and put it in a bowl. I thinned out some jarred basil pesto with olive oil and then gently tossed the potato mixture with the pesto until it was coated evenly. I divided it into four servings, and BAM! Four more meals done!
A couple notes: I tried the hot potato salad using frozen chicken. I cooked it for 13 minutes. It was good, but the potatoes were extremely soft. I think if you are using frozen chicken, then you should cook the potatoes and green beans separately for 8 minutes. Cook the frozen chicken for 13 minutes. Then, combine. Also, if you don’t like basil pesto, just use melted butter instead. I also made this with cilantro pesto and it was delicious!
This prep is easy, quick, AND healthy. Get yourself an Instant Pot and give it a try!
Interested in the mesh steamer basket shown in my instruction video! Grab it here! Or, try this one that was just released on Amazon!
xo Jaime
The links found in this post are affiliate links that help support the life of this blog. All opinions are my own, and I am not sponsored by any companies at this time. When you use my links to purchase, you help keep Modern Day Fox going!
Slice spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise. Spoon out seeds and strings. Place halves in steamer basket and into liner pot. Add one cup water.
Set pot to manual high pressure for 4 minutes and allow 5 min natural release. If you like firmer strands of spaghetti squash, you may opt to do 3 minutes instead.
While squash is cooking, cube red potatoes. Trim ends from fresh green beans and cut into thirds. Cube raw chicken and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. You may choose to add additional seasonings of your choice. I typically add a garlic seasoning from Sprouts that I like.
When Instant Pot timer goes off and steam has released for five minutes, turn the valve to release remaining steam. Use an oven mit to remove squash from pot. Allow to cool.
Wash your liner pot.
Add potatoes, green beans and chicken (in that order) into pot. Add one cup broth.
Replace lid on pot, turn valve to sealing, and reset to 8 minutes high pressure.
While the chicken and potatoes are cooking, use a fork to scrape spaghetti squash out of its skin. Transfer strands to a large bowl.
Stir in 6 oz (half the jar) of Tomato Bruschetta. Portion out squash into four meal prep containers.
When timer goes off in Instant Pot, use a quick release for the steam.
Use a large spoon to scoop out half of the chicken chunks and evenly portion in each container on top of the squash.
Spoon remaining Tomato Bruschetta evenly across all four containers over the chicken chunks.
Garnish with shredded parmesan cheese, if desired.
Carefully use a slotted spoon to scoop the remaining chicken, potatoes, and green beans out of the pot. Potatoes will be very soft so handle with care. Discard broth that remains in the pot.
Combine pesto and olive oil in a small bowl to thin it out a bit.
Spread pesto over chicken and potato mixture, and carefully toss to coat evenly.
Distribute to four meal prep containers.
Garnish with shredded parmesan cheese and walnuts or pine nuts, if desired.
This girl is back on the Fix wagon. I finished up Hammer and Chisel a few days early so that I could join my rock star challengers with a new round on May 1st. Since I have a few newbies in the group, I decided to go to battle with them and do the 21 Day Fix again on Beachbody on Demand. I’m excited. I know this program gives me results and that is what I’m looking for! So many exciting things coming up this summer and I want to be in tip-top shape. My group truly inspires me to be better and to do better.
To celebrate my first week of the Fix, I am putting up a super easy breakfast recipe that you can make in your Instant Pot. Don’t have an Instant Pot? No problem. Make it on your stovetop. Then, go to Amazon and order your Pot! (I’m sorry, but I just love that thing.)
This recipe is a sweet twist on quinoa while still being clean and healthy. When served with berries and nuts, it makes for a hearty breakfast. Eat it up, then go get your workout done! Enjoy!
xo Jaime
This post contains affiliate links for Amazon and Beachbody, but this is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. When you use my links for purchases, you are directly helping to keep this blog afloat!
Print Recipe
21 Day Fix Approved Instant Pot Good Morning Quinoa
My parents recently sent me a text that said a “Sushi Bazooka” was on the way and to watch for it in the mail. What the heck? A what?? My mom said that my dad saw it on television or Amazon or somewhere, and he decided that they needed one. He also decided that my brother and I needed one. Alrighty then! I can’t laugh at my dad too hard. My love for kitchen gadgets clearly comes from him. He texted me the other day to tell me he had just found a pressure cooker in the garage he’d never even used and forgot he had. I’m going for a visit to Maryland this weekend and though my parents will be out of town, I’m staying at their house. I might have to see what else in that garage!
Anyway, the “Sushi Bazooka” post will be coming soon since you know I have to review and link you up to this contraption. In the meantime, I want to share a 21 Day Fix Approved sushi “unroll.” This sushi bowl is sure to hit the stop for you raw fish lovers out there. I found my “sushi grade” tuna at Sprouts. The butcher recommended that I trim a very thin slice off each side of the steak and wash well before consuming. She said that although the tuna is “sushi grade,” it is still cut on the same board as the other fish. I’m very glad she told me that, and I certainly took her advice.
Now that I know I can successfully work with raw fish, I am ready to tackle my Bazooka! Stay tuned!
Wanna see me make it live? Check out my youtube video and make sure you subscribe!
Also, here is a link to Steve’s Kitchen where I found the great instructions for the sushi rice.
Want more info on 21 Day Fix! Hit me up with questions! I’d love to have you join my team. The fastest way to get a message to me is through my Facebook page! Hope you are following me!
*These instructions are based off an instruction video from Steve's Kitchen." Please see the link to the video below.
Rinse sushi rice well to remove as much starch as possible. Combine rice, water, and dash of salt in saucepan over medium heat. When it starts to boil, turn heat down to simmer. Cover saucepan with a clean dish towel or aluminum foil and then place glass lid. (Make sure to fold the edges of your dish towel up and over the lid as to keep it safely away from your hot burner.) Do not disturb for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Place cooked sushi rice in a plastic or wooden bowl.
In a small sauce pan, add rice vinegar and sugar and cook over medium heat. Stir and allow sugar granules to dissolve completely. Remove from heat, and drizzle over sushi rice. Stir gently with a plastic spoon.
Thoroughly wash sushi grade tuna. On a clean service, dice tuna into small pieces. Place into bowl.
To the tuna, add diced green onions, lite soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Stir well to coat tuna.
Build each serving by adding 1/2 cup rice, 1 and 1/4 cup cucumbers, 1/2 of the tuna mixture, and 1/4 avocado to two bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with 1/2 TBSP sesame seeds.
Recipe Notes
You will prepare more rice than you need for this recipe. I did this purposely in case you want to use additional rice in your bowl. If you are following 21 Day Fix, I recommend using the 1/2 cup that I put in the instructions as this equals one yellow. If you are not following the Fix, you may add as much rice as you like to your bowl. You may have family members (in my case, my husband) who will want a lot more than a half cup. The rice recipe works equal parts rice to water, so adjust up or down as needed.
The counts for the bowls assembled as listed in the instructions: 1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 Green, 1 Blue, 1 Orange
You probably already know that I love my neighbor, Sharon, since I feature her on here frequently. She loves to cook just like I do and we have a blast texting each other recipes and swapping samples. Good neighbors make life so much more fun.
Sharon texted me the other night very excited about a steel cut oats recipe she saw on The Chew. Sharon never leaves a recipe the way she found it, and neither do I. So, I took Sharon’s recipe that she had adapted from The Chew, and I made my own changes based on the ingredients I had. Of course I also had to adapt it for the Instant Pot too!
What resulted was a breakfast dish that not only tasted good, but has incredible nutritional value. As Sharon said, “If I can get high fiber, anti-inflammatory antioxidants, and a proper glycemic index all in one bowl, I’m good!” Not to mention that steel cuts oats are very filling and help keep your bowels moving.
Set Instant Pot to Saute. Melt tahini and butter. Add oats and toast for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add in remaining ingredients and stir well.
Turn off Pot and reset on Manual HP for 3 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally. Stir and add additional sweetener to taste. Serve hot and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
This recipe was adapted from one seen on The Chew.
1 cup of dry steel cut oats should only be considered 2 servings, but this is an extremely filling recipe. I could have easily fed my family of 4 and still had leftovers.
Hi I'm Jaime.
Modern Day Fox is a place where we celebrate the multi-passionate people in this world who are making it happen. This is also a place for me to create content around the topics I am personally most passionate about – personal development, photography, fitness, food, image, and music. This is a space to inspire and to be inspired. It's a classroom to teach and to learn. It's a table to share and explore. Together, let's learn how to "outfox them all!"
Hi I'm Jaime.
Modern Day Fox is a place where we celebrate the multi-passionate people in this world who are making it happen. This is also a place for me to create content around the topics I am personally most passionate about – personal development, photography, fitness, food, image, and music. This is a space to inspire and to be inspired. It's a classroom to teach and to learn. It's a table to share and explore. Together, let's learn how to "outfox them all!"
Recent Comments