I’m SO looking forward to March. It’s going to be the month between the insanity of the Variety Show in February and the month of too many fun things going on in April. Besides, who doesn’t love a little St. Patrick’s Day, as well!?
February was a hard month for a lot of people in a lot of ways and even though this winter hasn’t been terrible in terms of weather, I feel like everyone in my life is so over winter. This is the time of year in Michigan that has seconds pass by in what feels like hours.
With March upon us, bringing about the 2-year mark of the pandemic, it seems like life events are ramping up and it’s feeling a bit more like life pre-2020. Entering the kids’ school last week for Variety Show practice, sans mask, felt like I was breaking a rule! And just today, an email from the Superintendent that no masks are no longer required on the school buses.
I mean, when I’m not packing snow pants, hats, and gloves every day and without masks to remember… our morning routine will be significantly less chaotic!
With “real life” resuming, Mark’s job is becoming a bit more demanding – work dinners, early morning (in-person) meetings, etc. It’s all good, but I just hope we ease into it slowly. I love nothing more than quiet evenings of my post-work workout followed by a shower, dinner making, and snuggles on the couch with my kids.
As for dinner time, that’s an experiment that never ends. Sally from Real Mom Nutrition is on the podcast coming up and in her time with us, she said two pieces of advice that I LOVED: 1) make ONE meal for the family and 2) know that not every meal is going to be everyone’s favorite and it’s okay to acknowledge that fact.
That said, rice is a hit in my house, my kids like red meat more than Mark and I, and broccoli is a generally accepted vegetable by the girls and loved by Mark and I. Couple that with the discovery of an Instant Pot version of this classic and I was sold. As it ends up, Beef and Broccoli was a hit among all and this restaurant-quality dupe was on the money! Sooooo good!
Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
This is take-out fake out at its finest! I bulked up the broccoli and used lower sodium ingredients to provide a nutritional edge over the standard!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs chuck roast, thinly sliced against grain
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ cup low-sodium beef broth
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 Tbsp water
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 lbs broccoli florets
Instructions
- Place olive oil in Instant Pot and set to HIGH sauté mode. Once hot, add the meat and arrange in a layer on the bottom.
- After 3-4 minutes, stir meat and cook an additional 3 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.
- Add garlic, broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil; stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Secure lid and seal. Cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together water and cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside.
- After cooking, perform a quick release. Set to HIGH sauté mode once again. Add the cornstarch slurry and stir until smooth.
- Add the broccoli, stir to combine and replace pressure cooker lid and seal. Allow to steam/sauté for 3 minutes.
- Remove lid and gently stir; serve hot.
Notes
Recipe slightly adapted from Corrie Cooks
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 3-4 oz meat and ~1 cup broccoliAmount Per Serving: Calories: 383Total Fat: 20.0gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 855mgCarbohydrates: 21.7gFiber: 2.7gSugar: 13.5gProtein: 24.2g
Wanting more Instant Pot meals that are quick, easy, and best in the IP? Voila!
- Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Insanely Easy Instant Pot Taco Pasta
- Mac and Cheese with Ham and Peas
- Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
- Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Weekly Menu: February 27th – March 4th
- Sunday: Caprese Chicken Pasta Salad
- Monday: Hobo Foil Packets
- Tuesday: Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup
- Wednesday: Variety Show practice til 6:30 — leftovers
- Thursday: Variety Show practice til 6:30 — pick-up Chinese or pizza?
- Friday: Variety Show! Peanut butter and jelly or leftovers, I imagine
Be well,
This was absolutely delicious! Way better than take out! My husband ate three servings, and my four year old asked for more beef! A hit for sure!