What is an Instant Pot? And why I (finally) bought one.

Before Black Friday 2016 I had never heard of an Instant Pot. But that day my newsfeed was filled with posts about how great the Instant Pot is and how it saves people time and money—and how Amazon often puts it on sale. I didn’t buy my Instant Pot that day. I thought it was a trend like so many other kitchen gadgets out there, and I’m not one for fads.

Fast-forward to Boxing Day and once again, my newsfeed was filled with posts about Amazon’s great price on this product. I am an avid slow cooker user, and read that the Instant Pot could replace a slow cooker—this intrigued me. I was growing tired of how heavy my slow cooker is, and my tendency to overcook things in it. It was because of this that I decided to do some research on the Instant Pot. I quickly learned it is a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker and so much more—all in one.

Needless to say, 1.5 months ago I bought an Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Pressure Cooker, 6Qt/1000W and I haven’t used my slow cooker since.

Why I love the Instant Pot

1)   Quick meals

If you have a busy household, then you will appreciate the ability to have homemade chili on the table within one hour of your first onion chop (and it will taste as though it was cooking all day long—see below).

2)   Flavourful food

I have yet to make anything in my Instant Pot that isn’t flavourful and tasty; just as it would taste had it simmered in a slow cooker all day long.

3)   Healthy cooking

Just as a slow cooker encourages home cooking, so does the Instant Pot. I love being able to cook real food and having it ready in a minimal amount of time. The Instant Pot allows you to serve healthy meals without having to rely on packaged convenience food.

4)   The sauté feature

To be completely honest, I was sold on the Instant Pot from the moment I realized I could brown the meat and caramelize the onions in the same pot as I cook the chili—one pot cooking. This convenient feature saves time and dishwater!

The Instant Pot’s learning curve

Before I owned an Instant Pot I had never used a pressure cooker, so the functionality and capabilities of this feature confuse me. I am still not sure as to when I should let the Instant Pot “naturally release” the steam versus letting the steam out myself. I usually underestimate the time it takes the Instant Pot to naturally release the steam and the lid will not open (for safety reasons) until all the steam is released from the pot.

Also, the heat and pressure of the manual steam release is quite loud and forceful, so I advise against trying to have a conversation while doing this. I also suggest moving the Instant Pot away from kitchen cupboards since the hot steam can do damage. I have heard of some Instant Pot owners buying PVC piping to redirect the steam away from the cupboards—this is on my to do list.

Knowing how long to cook some meats and meals can be difficult to determine—also knowing it takes 5 to 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to heat up is helpful when planning to have supper on the table by a certain time. Luckily, the Internet is a great resource for timing, recipes as well as cleaning tips for the Instant Pot. There are many bloggers (my favourite is This Old Girl) as well as Facebook Groups devoted to the Instant Pot.

Tried and tasted Instant Pot recipes

With the exceptions of modern additions or changes, I have made the following Instant Pot recipes with great success! My daughter loved all of them. She prefers one pot spaghetti to the traditional kind now.

Chili
Hearty hamburger soup
One pot spaghetti
Apple spice steel cut oatmeal
Whole chicken

Instant pot steel cut oats

The recipe below is one of my own. I like my pork chops tender and this recipe makes them as tender as they get and my daughter likes her pork chops sweet—so this recipe is our go to when it comes to pork chops.

Kid Friendly Sweet Pineapple Pork Chops

4 pork chops, boneless
Salt & pepper

1 cup of fresh pineapple; cut into widgets
2 tbsp. of soya sauce
¼ cup of honey
2 tbsp. maple syurp
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of ground cloves

1. Set Instant Pot to sauté and drizzle with olive oil to prevent pork chops from sticking.
2. Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper and place in the inner pot.
3. Brown pork chops on both sides/
4. In a small bowl, combine soya sauce, honey, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
5. Pour sauce over pork chops, covering them as much as possible.
6. Lock cover into place; seal steam nozzle.
7. Set to manual setting for 15 minutes.
8. Naturally release pressure for about 5 minutes.

Serve with rice and your favourite vegetable. This recipe is at is says–sweet, so kids will like it. 

Many slow cooker recipes can be modified for the Instant Pot. Its pressure cooker capabilities are phenomenal and not as intimidating as your traditional pressure cooker. If you are unsure how your cooking skills will transfer over to the Instant Pot start with something simple like hard boiled eggs, which seems to be a popular stepping stone into the Instant Pot world.

Do you own an Instant Pot? What are some of your favourite recipes? I’m always looking for more recipes, so please share them in the comments below.

How to Host a Teddy Bears' Picnic

Summer is finally here and what better use of a warm day than to hold a Teddy Bear’s picnic!

Not too long ago I had an extra little friend in my daycare class and decided as it was a full house, that something special was in order. I sent home invitations asking the children to bring their favourite teddy bears the next day for an al fresco lunch.

We played games, sang songs, ate a yummy lunch and shared it all with our “bear-y” good friends! The children had a lovely time. 

If you would like to host your own Teddy bears picnic here are some tips:

Venue

We held the party in our backyard, but any spot outside with some grass to play on is ideal. Make sure you have somewhere shady to retreat from the sun's hot rays, and ensure all the children wear wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen.

Decoration

The natural environment, a park or a summer garden, all make the perfect natural décor, but don’t forget to make it extra special by laying out a tablecloth, a picnic blanket and have brightly coloured plates and cups on hand.

Food and drink

Any food eaten outside is fun, but a traditional picnic should include sandwiches, fruit, cheese and a little treat. We made sure to drink plenty of water too, as it was a hot day.

Songs and games

My group is used to circle time, but today instead of just saying their own name, when we said hello, the children also had to introduce their teddy bear and try to tell us all a little about their special friend. We had a black bear, a lamb, a teddy with a bow, a dinosaur and a blue bear in attendance.

No teddy bears picnic would be complete without singing the famous song:

If you go down to the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

We also sang “Teddy Bear, Teddy bear” and some other toddler favourites such as “The Wheels on the Bus,” “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Baby Bumblebee”.

Instead of “Duck, Duck, Goose” we played “Bear, Bear, Honey” and also enjoyed all the outdoor toys, including cooling off by playing at the water table.

Music

Although it’s nice to sing your own songs, it's not a party without music, so after we finished singing- we put the radio on and danced with our bears!

Sunday, July 10th is the official international “Teddy Bears Picnic Day”, so you still have time to arrange a party of your own - just grab a bear or two, pre-bear carefully and have fun! 

Fiona Tapp a Freelance Writer, Educator and Mum to one, can be reached at www.fionatapp.com

It's Strawberry Season! Let's go picking!

Every year my mother-in-law takes my daughter strawberry picking. It's a yearly tradition for them. My mother-in-law loves to pick multiple baskets of fresh, local strawberries and make jam, muffins and strawberry shortcakes with them. She even freezes them by the pound and uses them throughout the winter months for smoothies. Ottawa is lucky to have many nearby strawberry farms to both purchase and pick delicious local strawberries from.

Apparently this year the crop was delayed due to the brief cold snap and lack of rain, but according to my mother-in-law this coming week should be the peak time to grab local strawberries at their best! If you’re unsure how good the crop is, feel free to contact the farm in question – they know best!

Here is a list of some tried and true Ottawa strawberry farms with details as to whether or not they allow "pick your own" (of course this could change as the crop diminishes, so again, always best to check with the farm: 

Ottawa Strawberry Farms: 

Acorn Creek Garden Farm
928 Acorn Creek Road
Carp, Ontario
613-836-2613
http://www.acorncreek.com

Avanmore Berry Farm
16365 4 Road,
Avomore
613-346-2336
http://www.avonmoreberryfarm.com

Duquette Strawberries
2236 Champlain
Clarence Creek
613-488-3284
http://www.duquettestrawberries.com

Kinburn Berries
2795 Kinburn Side Rd.,
Kinburn, Ontario
https://murrayhawley.webs.com/
Pick your own? Yes

Orleans Fruit Farm
1399 St. Joseph Blvd.
Orleans, Ontario
http://www.fermedorleans.com/wpferme/
Pick your own? Yes

Miller’s Berry Farm
6158 Rideau Valley Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
613-692-2380
http://www.millersfarmandmarket.ca/
Can you pick your own? Yes

Proulx Berry Farm
1865 O'Toole Rd. 
Cumberland (Ottawa), ON K4C 1N2
613-833-2417
http://proulxberryfarm.com/
Can you pick your own: Yes

Purple Cow Strawberry Farm
1439 Sale Barn Road
Greely, Ontario
613-821-1345
Can you pick your own? Yes

Richmond Nursery Strawberry Farm
5740 Old Richmond Road
Richmond, ON
613-838-2282
http://www.richmondnursery.com/
Can you pick your own? Yes!

Rideau Pines Farm
5714 Fourth Line Rd
North Gower ON
(613) 489-3601
http://www.rideaupinesfarm.com/about.html
Can you pick your own? Yes

Shouldice Berry Farm
Three locations in Bells Corners, Barrhaven and Nepean
http://www.shouldicefarm.com/pick-your-own-strawberries.html
Can you pick your own? Yes!

What you need to know about strawberry picking

·      If you have a basket from previous years bring it with you, otherwise a new one will cost you a few cents (it can even be from another strawberry farm).

·      Most farms discourage eating too many berries while picking (especially when that year’s harvest isn’t at its best), so when going with small children make sure they have eaten well and understand the rules before heading to the strawberry patch.

·      Dress for the weather! There isn’t a lot of shade at most strawberry patches so don’t forget your hat, sunscreen and a bottle of water.

·       Local strawberries need to be cooled as soon as possible (so try not to leave them in a hot car all day or they may turn to mush) and plan on washing and consuming them within three to four days – maybe less if the weather is hot!

My favourite strawberry recipe

When I think of local strawberries I also think of rhubarb! Every June and July I bake this tried and true Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler Cake recipe from Dinner with Julie. It makes a large pan so it’s great for summer BBQs! I guarantee it will become a family favourite! Click here to get the recipe!

Did we miss a great Ottawa strawberry farm? Let us know in the comments below and we'll add it to the list!

Family Friendly Fiddleheads

One of my favourite things about spring is the gradual addition of fresh, local fruits and vegetables to our daily meal plan. One of the spring vegetables I particularly get excited about are fiddleheads.  If you have never eaten fiddleheads before or if you have seen them while strolling through the produce section at your local supermarket but hesitated to pick them up, you are in for a pleasant surprise!

Fiddleheads may look funny, but they taste good!

Despite this vegetable’s unusual curly appearance, fiddleheads are actually quite delicious. Their mild taste has been likened to that of asparagus or spinach, and cooked correctly their texture is crunchy, with a wee bit of leafy chewiness.  If your kids like their green vegetables then they should like fiddleheads.

Storing, preparing & cooking fiddleheads

Fiddleheads should be stored in the fridge and only stay fresh for a few days (I like to buy them the same day as I cook them). They are easy to prepare and cook.

Preparing fiddleheads:

1.      Fill your sink or a bowl with fresh, cold water

2.     Remove any brown outer scales with your hand or by using a cloth

3.     Trim or snap off the ends of the stems

4.     Rinse them again in cold water

Cooking fiddleheads:

Fiddleheads can be steamed, sautéed, stir-fried or (my favourite) barbecued.

How to BBQ fiddleheads

Simply put the washed and trimmed fiddleheads in a bowl and mix with a desired amount of olive oil (not too much, just a tbsp. or two depending how many fiddleheads you have), freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt and pepper.

Stir until the fiddleheads are fully covered with the oily sauce then place them in tinfoil and fold until just a small portion of the fiddleheads can be seen (to let the steam out).  

Place on the BBQ at about 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the fiddleheads are bright green and soft in texture (a fork will easily pierce them). Be careful not to overcook them or they will become mushy.

Fiddleheads facts

Fiddleheads are high in omega 3 fatty acids, fibre, vitamins A and C as well as potassium, iron, manganese and Vitamin B Complex. They are also a great antioxidant food.

Fiddleheads are grown mainly in the east coast of Canada from ostrich ferns, so although there are several different varieties of ferns, including some grown in the woods or even in your garden they should not be consumed. Only expert harvesters can safely identify edible fiddleheads, so don’t just pick any old fern head and cook it up or you risk getting very ill! 

The fiddlehead season is very short – usually a month maximum (around April and May) and unlike some fruits and vegetables that gets imported you generally won’t see fiddleheads in stores if they are not in season. They grow quickly and must be picked the day they sprout – before they turn into full out ferns!

Fiddleheads are a delicious seasonal treat and I like to think of them as the kick off to local produce season! So, have are you a fiddlehead loving family like we are? I’d love to know your recipe! And if you haven't tried them yet - NOW is your chance!

Worth a Visit: Truffle Treasures

It's our weekly "Worth a Visit" series! Have an idea you'd like to submit? The only requirements are that it must be in the Ottawa region and kid-friendly! Email Misty at kidsinthecapital@gmail.com

I discovered Truffle Treasures when we first moved to Ottawa. In their old location along Richmond Road (still there, just a different building!) I was excited to find local chocolates handmade and oh-so-divine. Customers can choose from many different flavours of truffles, as well as bark, gelato and products made especially for the holidays (Valentine's Day is coming up!)

What I discovered a couple of years ago, and what keeps me going back there, is their AH-MA-ZING hot chocolate. This is hot chocolate like I've never tasted before - forget the chemical/watery stuff you can find at arenas all around town. This hot chocolate tastes like pure chocolate melted down, and then whipped with super creamy milk.

If you're looking for a special Valentine's dates with your little ones, consider a hot chocolate trip to Truffle Treasures. Just be careful, as this is HOT chocolate, and you will need to remove the lid and let it cool :) Just take a peek at all the various flavours of the drink you can choose from.

Have you been to Truffle Treasures with your kids? What did they like the best?