Broccoli and Butternut Squash Instant Pot Dinner

I threw this meal together one night when I was looking for a brainless dinner. It's quick and easy to make , yet still healthy . It's also very budget friendly, which is always a bonus in my books. It uses some of the cheapest foods around to pack a powerful nutritional punch .

I was surprised at how tasty this meal was despite it's minimal ingredients . It has a great flavour for anytime of the year and is perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep weekends. It is one of the regular meals on my weekly meal prep menu and is always a hit with clients.

I used the instant Pot to make it, simply because its easy to cook the rice and lentils with the veggies all in one go. As a new mom , I am all about time saving! Not to mention cooking everything together brings more flavour without having to add extra salt or fat.

Ingredients :

1 bag frozen broccoli

1 bag frozen butternut squash

3 cups rice

1 cup green lentils

1 TBSP Garlic powder

1 TBSP Parsley

1 TBSP Smoked paprika

1 TSP Sage

1TSP Thyme

1/4 Cup low sodium BBQ Sauce

4 cups of water

You can play around with adding different spices but I found these created a smokey and savoury flavour. They really bring out the best flavours in the broccoli and butternut squash . It's amazing how adding such a small amount can bring so much flavour to a dish!

Preparing this meal is so so simple! I am sure even a husband or kiddos could handle making it . If you don't have an Instant Pot you could do it on the stove but it will take a bit longer.

Instructions

1. Measure out the rice, lentils , water and spices. Dump them all in the pot and mix well

2. Add the bag of frozen broccoli and butternut squash

3. Place the lid on the Instant Pot

and cook for 22 minutes on high pressure setting

1. Release the pressure manually when it's finished cooking. From start to finish this recipe should only take about 30 min

2. Serve with extra BBQ sauce and mixed greens

I love this recipe because the veggies breakdown while cooking to create a creamy flavourful consistency. It's a great way to hide veggies for your kids....or yourself . It is also extremely satisfying and will keep you full for at least a few hours.

This is my new go to quick meal when I can't be bothered to prepare something complicated. It is the ultimate fast food but also budget friendly. I think it's so important to find recipes that are practical because most of us are either crunched for time or cash. We live in a new world and our food choices should reflect this. We need meals that are plant based, quick , easy and budget friendly. Oh and leftovers...lots and lots of leftovers :)