Family Roadtrip
Home buying tips
Instant pot recipes
Organizing Tips
FamilyLife
COMFORT FOOD
March 2019
March Contents
19 ADVICE
FEATURES
19 The Family Home Buying Guide
44 Bright Me Happy
25 On the Road with Kids
ORGANIZE
FOOD 71 In An Instant
44 IN EVERY ISSUE 14 Editor's Letter
71 ON THE COVER Photography by Roberto Caruso Food styling by Ashley Denton Prop styling by Catherine Doherty
82 Last Look
31 In the zone: Organized home storage solutions
Family Life ‐ March 2019
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FamilyLife EDITOR IN-CHIEF Pamela Hayford EXECUTIVE EDITOR Suzanne Moutis CREATIVE DIRECTOR Karen Paddon EDITORIAL OPERATIONS & ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER Olga Goncalves Costa TEST KITCHEN FOOD DIRECTOR Soo Kim SENIOR FOOD ASSOCIATE Stina Diös CONTRIBUTING FOOD SPECIALISTS Donna Borooah, Cara Tegler ART DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Lena Diaz ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Sarah Big Canoe CONTRIBUTING ART DIRECTOR Leanne Gilbert PRODUCTION SPECIALIST Genevieve Pizzale EDITORIAL SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR Megan Howard FEATURES EDITOR Mary Levitski COPY EDITORS Debbie Madsen Villamere, Stephanie Zolis EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Marianne Davidson, Sarah Dziedzic HOME & GARDEN HOME & STYLE DIRECTOR Ann Marie Favot DESIGN EDITOR Morgan Lindsay ADVERTISING SALES, TORONTO SENIOR DIRECTOR, MEDIA SOLUTIONS, TRANSACTIONAL Jérôme Leys KEY ACCOUNT DIRECTORS, NATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES David Garby, Andrea McBride, Akta Sharma ADVERTISING COORDINATION TEAM LEADER Maddie Belanger ADVERTISING COORDINATION MANAGER Janice Clarke NATIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVES Cathy Ellis, Gary Forshaw, Joanne Landry, Delainie Salvatore, Vanessa Watson DIGITAL NATIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVES Paul Cummins, Gwen O’Toole, Tony Vigario, Joanna Woodman SALES ASSOCIATE Patricia Mixemong MARKETING & CREATIVE SOLUTIONS BRAND MANAGER Mieka Jansen SENIOR STRATEGIST Stephanie Mediati STRATEGIST Jeremie Marcoux PROJECT MANAGERS Janine Short, Kathryn Walsh ART DIRECTOR Suzanne Lacorte
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Editor's Letter
March Madness It’s March! I look forward to this month’s arrival every year. In my mind, it signals that hope (read that as warmer temps and longer days) is on the horizon. We’ve made it through the depths of winter, and spring is just around the corner! Yes, yes, I do remember that it snowed through April last year, but that just means we’re due for an early spring this year! At the start of this school year, my older suggested we plan ahead and meal prep lunches for the upcoming week. I thought it was a terrific idea because packing school lunches in the morning is not one of my favorite chores. She scoured Pinterest and found some tasty recipes, and now on Sundays, she and I work to prep lunches for the upcoming week. My younger wanted to be included, so now we often prepare two recipes. Sometimes we prep together and sometimes we tag team, but either way, I LOVE having a week’s worth of lunches ready to go by Sunday evening. Kids enjoy cooking and often can do more than you think in the kitchen. Happy March! Happy spring break! Happy St. Pat’s!
Pamela Hayford Editor In-Chief
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Advice
The Family Home Buying Guide
By MELISSA BELLACH
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Advice As winter fades into spring, many families begin to consider buying a new home. Spring is the most popular time of year to both buy and sell a home, and a spring sale often means moving during the summer, when most children are out of school. According to the National Association of Realtors, from the mid1980s until 2008, most American families remained in a home for about six years. Since 2008, that number has increased to an average of nine years. While the housing crisis left many families feeling financially insecure and afraid to risk selling or buying a home, the rise in wages and improvements in the economy of the last decade have created a market where many houses are for sale and lots of families ready to buy. So, if you are ready to take the step and purchase a home, where should you start? Here are a few tips to help make your home-buying experience a smooth one!
Establish your priorities. Some families are looking for a forever home. Others are looking for a starter house or an older home to rehabilitate. “We knew we wanted a fixer-upper. We love DIY and were excited to take on the challenge. But not everyone wants to spend their weekends on home projects!” says Stacey Keller, Kansas City, MO, mom. Communicate with your partner and get on the same page about what you want in a house. This will help you narrow down the area where you want to live and the type of home you want to buy, as well as guide your budgeting.
Set your budget. As with any large purchase, set a budget and to stick to it. Once you know what you are looking for in a home, you will better understand what you will need to spend to get what you want. “We had to set the budget right up front. Once we started looking at houses, it helped us to weed out the ones that were out of our price range, and it kept us from wasting time on houses that were way below our range,” says Debbie Brown, Olathe mom.
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Do your research. Researching on your own will help save you time and ensure you get what you want. “We wanted to understand the neighborhood, the schools, the buying and selling trends in the area. We wanted to know everything,” says Rachel Thornton, Shawnee mom. So many things can impact the value of your home longterm. This includes the local school system, the age of the neighborhood and the amenities in the community. Spend time driving around the areas where you are considering purchasing a home. This will help you get a feel for the entire area, and you can decide whether it is a good fit for your family.
Look at the big picture. When putting a house on the market, sellers will stage the home to look its best. They often put on fresh coats of paint and have the house professionally cleaned. Although these touches are nice and help to show the home in its best light, other things are important to consider for the long-term. Walls can be repainted, knobs and pulls can be replaced and carpet can be cleaned or removed. When considering buying a home, you’ll benefit by looking carefully at whether or not the layout, location and functionality of the house work for your family. “It was hard not to get distracted by pretty lighting fixtures and gorgeous carpet. But in the end, we needed a house that fit our family’s lifestyle. We can always update the light fixtures,” says Barb Reynolds, Raytown mom.
Decide when to compromise (and when not to). We all know the difference between want and need, and that difference is never more important than when you are buying a house. “I really wanted a huge walk-in pantry, but I knew we needed a big yard for the kids. I compromised on the pantry for the house with a great backyard. And really, I’m happy about it every day. We have so much fun in that yard,” says Grace Wilkins, Overland Park mom. Your home-buying experience will be much smoother if you create your want and need lists ahead of time. Do you want a whirlpool bathtub? Hardwood floors? A finished basement? Great, put those on the list. But what can you not live without? Four bedrooms? A fenced yard? Identifying your dealbreakers in advance will save you time and stress.
Advice
Home Buying 101 What are the most common mistakes buyers make when purchasing a house? “Not budgeting closing costs and other fees! Hire a good professional inspector and don’t be afraid to ask any questions. Remember, your dream home is also an investment,” says Choo Lee, realtor with SBD Housing Solutions. There are lots of different kinds of loans. Shopping around for your mortgage loan is important. Some loans can require 20 percent down, for example, while others require as little as 3 percent. Shopping around can help you get the best deal and help you find the right loan for you.
You are typically required to pay mortgage insurance until you have 20 percent equity in your home. However, your mortgage company is not going to stop charging you for mortgage insurance automatically when you reach that 20 percent equity mark. You will need to talk to them when you’ve reached the right point.
The asking price on a home is negotiable. When you make an offer, you can make one well below the asking price if you choose. In a good housing market, the seller will not be as willing to negotiate on the price as in a down market.
You should always have a home inspection. You have the right to have a home inspected after you’ve negotiated a contract with the seller. You should have the home inspection done and have your contract reflect that you can request repairs or back out of the deal based on the inspection results.
Sellers pay the realtor fee. When you’re a buyer, you don’t pay a fee to the realtor.
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Advice
On the Road with Kids By LAUREN GREENLEE
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Advice This past year, my husband and I had the pleasure of taking our children on a two-week cross-country trip. When I told inquiring friends and family of our plans to spend a week of the expedition at Walt Disney World, they quickly smiled (many offering stories from their own times at the Happiest Place on Earth). But reviews were nothing short of mixed when I informed them that we would spend the remaining week—three days before Disney and four days after—road tripping and hitting pitstop-worthy destinations along the way. “Why would you elect to drive 17 hours when you could fly there in a mere three hours?” some wanted to know. “You’re braver than I am!” others quipped.
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Reach Out to Seasoned Travelers. It’s not beneath me to admit I’m a long-distance traveling newbie. So before we set out for our big adventure, I got all the advice I could from friends who were seasoned pros at traveling with kids. My friend Sarah, a mom of five with extended family in northern Michigan, is no stranger to long car trips, and she was happy to share things that worked well for her family (as well as things that didn’t). It’s because of her I learned tips about snack rationing and how to have media work for you, not against you, in the car (see below!).
“Bless your sweet hearts,” still more commiserated (which, if you don’t speak Southern, this translates roughly to, “Are you out of your mind?!”).
Do Your Research but Be Flexible
It’s true. Driving thirty-two hours in a minivan with three young children might seem like the ultimate test in patience, but our reasons for making the trek far outweighed the disadvantages. For starters, my husband had earned a sabbatical from work that granted him three weeks of paid time off. In no other circumstance could we say we had time on our hands, but in our given situation, we really did. Instead of just trying to get to our destination as quickly as possible, our priorities shifted. A well-known joke quips about needing a vacation to recover from your vacation, and the whole notion of rushing and cramming “all the things” into our days didn’t strike us as desirable. (Plus, we knew we’d do our fair share of rushing about at Disney. Why make that the hallmark of the entire trip?). No, it made sense to slow down, take in the scenery and view the drive as a bonus vacation of sorts. Second, making the drive into a celebrated road trip afforded our family the opportunity to see areas of the country that otherwise were foreign to us. Call us conservative, call us wimps. But in 10 years of parenting, my husband and I hadn’t taken our kids on a vacation beyond a six-hour drive (even most of those trips were repeat visits to favorite destinations like Branson or St. Louis). This change in scenery meant our kids would take in more than just farmland on either side of the highway. For the first time in their lives, they would view mountain ranges by way of meandering roads cut through the Smokies, find themselves dwarfed by the towering pines that flank the interstates of Georgia and sink their toes deep into Florida’s ocean-wet sand. For kids that had memorized their states and capitals the year prior, this was a field trip like no other, making places on the map come to life. And you know what we found out through it all? We had sold ourselves short. Our kids really were champion road trippers!
In preparation for our trip, I began researching landmarks, historical sites, and award-winning restaurants that would be along the way. I had mapped out a very detailed itinerary for our drive but what I couldn’t foresee was that my husband would sustain a back injury that left him unable to drive the first several days of our trip. As you can imagine, many of our plans changed, but it didn’t mean that we didn’t have a great time. When planning trips, a number of things are simply outside your control: weather, car reliability, sickness and traffic (among many others). Just remember that sometimes the most memorable highlights of a trip can happen by accident.
March 2019 - Family Life
Come Armed with Boredom Busters Perhaps the most dreaded refrain parents expect to hear on long car trips is, “Are we there yet?” Obviously, if kids don’t feel like they have anything to do, getting to an intended destination is all they can think about. One of the ways we curtailed the requests was by offering new activities, games and snacks in regular increments throughout our days. With something new to look forward to at every hour, everyone remained on their toes, and the focus was less on the final destination and more on what new thing was coming around the bend.
Advice
Ration Out the Special Treats Before we hit the road, I built a collection of special new items to take with us, ranging from art supplies to small toys to audiobooks. But the only way for this collection to have any long-term appeal was if it remained fresh and new. So, instead of giving each child a goody bag at the start of the trip, I held onto the bags and let them pick one new treat at the top of the hour. As recommended by my friend Sarah, we reserved snacks and drinks until the hour before we planned designated stops to avoid unnecessary bathroom breaks (snacks were all prepackaged items that could be thrown from the pilot’s seat to the back without any mess, and drinks all had straws). Perhaps the most coveted treat of all was movie time—nothing compared to it. For this reason, we always reserved it for the last leg of each day’s journey, because if we offered it sooner, requests for more movies would become the new “Are we there yet?”
Quick & Easy Car Games I Spy Memory Game (Choose a place like a picnic, store or zoo and list an item that would belong there that starts with the letter A. The next player says the previous listing and continues with the next letter in the alphabet.) 20 Questions Name That Tune License Plate Bingo
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Organize
In the zone: Organized home storage solutions One family turns 200 square feet into an organized home filled with oodles of storage solutions. By EMMA REDDINGTON
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Organize With the arrival of their second daughter, Penelope, now 20 months, Aaron Woodley, a filmmaker, and Jennifer Evans, a stylist, knew that the house they had been living in with their six-year-old, Amelia, was too small. But rather than leaving the Toronto neighbourhood they loved, they decided to add a twolevel extension to the back of the house. Their wish list for the addition was extensive: a powder room, a family room with lots of storage for toys, an office and a mud room on the main floor, and a guest bedroom with an ensuite for the upstairs. During the five-month-long renovation, Evans began to doubt that they’d be able to get everything they wanted into such a small footprint. “We toyed with putting the family room in the basement, but being able to watch and interact with the kids on the same floor, especially since they’re still so young, made so much more sense.” To make it work, Evans looked to her own childhood home, which featured a sunken living room with lots of built-ins and views of the garden, for inspiration. By forgoing a traditional couch and coffee table set-up, the possibilities for the space opened up. A narrow-but-tall closet with sliding doors and a pint-sized powder room were added to one wall, while a built-in desk with a shelf for toy storage was added to an adjacent wall. To provide a soft place to sit, they added a custom bench with lots of colourful cushions. Inspired by Amelia’s kindergarten classroom, Evans divided the space into “zones,” and placed everything within the girls’ reach. The room now features a hangout zone, an art zone, a toy zone and an entry zone. “I love being able to eavesdrop on my daughters’ imaginary play or watch their paintings come to life while I’m busy doing other things,” she says. “It’s just like I remember growing up.” Tip: Maximize storage space with a built-in bench. By leaving the bottom of the custom corner-seating area open, an assortment of baskets, storage boxes and caddies filled with toys can be stowed underneath. If you don’t have space beneath your seating area, consider placing baskets under a coffee table or tucked into a corner.
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Get the look: white frames, $10 each, number art, $5, and square basket, $9, ikea.ca; beige basket, $95, pimlicogallery.com; “every day” art, $280, kolkid.ca
Organize
The toy zone
Get the look: red storage case, $30, homesense.ca; senegalese storage basket, $98 US, serenaandlily.com; wall organizer, $350, available in store, neatspace.ca; savannah lidded baskets, $29 to $59, potterybarn.ca
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“Our children are at the stage where they have a ton of toys, but we know it won’t last forever,” says Evans. Realizing that down the road they would need a homework space, they designed this area as a small office with a built-in desk. In the meantime, it provides lots of handy storage for toys, with an assortment of baskets, boxes and vintage wood crates keeping them organized. An extra built-in shelf takes advantage of space that would otherwise be unusable.
Featured toys: wood elephant, $260, and puzzle stacker, $35, ellaandelliot.com; wood blocks, $45, and dolly pram, $130, kolkid.ca
Organize
DIY Hanging paper roll Betydlig wall bracket, $2, ikea.ca wood dowel, $4, rona.ca Mala drawing roll, $6, ikea.ca 1. Measure the length of the roll of paper, then add 3 inches on each side to figure out where to hang your wall brackets. Determine what height you want the roll of paper to be and measure up from the floor. Screw the brackets in securely. 2. Cut your dowel to the required length and give the ends a quick sanding to remove any roughness. It should measure at least 3 inches longer per side than the wall bracket. 3. Thread the dowel through the paper roll and mount it onto the wall bracket. Pull the paper down and you’re ready to go!
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The art zone Amelia loves to make art, so Evans created a dedicated area for her. By attaching a roll of drawing paper and a storage unit for art supplies directly to the wall, Evans freed up valuable floor space while still keeping everything within arm’s reach. With its mix of framed children’s drawings and professional work, the art zone fits in seamlessly with the salon-style gallery wall.
Organize
Get the look: Basket, $6, bouclair.com; double wall hooks, $10 each, eq3.com; wire wall unit, $135, potterybarnkids.ca; basket, $27, ikea.ca
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The entry zone Add some closed storage Let’s face it, not everything should be in plain view. No one wants to look at piles of shoes or sports equipment. Outfitted with hooks and easy storage systems, this narrow closet (it measures just 12 inches deep) holds everything from the baby’s stroller (hidden behind the left door) to skateboards and winter coats. Sliding doors take up less room than swinging doors and keep this space clutter-free once the panels are closed.
"The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life." -Steve Jobs Family Life ‐ March 2019
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Bright
ME
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HAPPY
Plants Fill This Inspiring and Bright Brooklyn Live/Work Space By ELAINE MUSIWA
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Artist and photographer Laura Serventi grew up in Argentina, spent some time studying photography in Italy, and in 2007 moved to New York, where she’s been since. The open loft-like space she shares with her fashion photographer partner, Filippo Del Vita, is flooded with natural light, and is both a live-space and work-space. Since the birth of their child, they’ve had to also tackle the challenges of making room for three people in one big open space. You can see in her work that she loves and is inspired by nature, something that also shows through in her home’s decor. A big plant corner takes up a sizable portion of the loft, and bright colors punctuate the kitchen and living areas. You can tell the creative couple is also inspired by the space’s industrial architecture; the rough building materials, big windows, and tall ceilings are complemented by the furniture and accessories they’ve gathered from local and international sources. You can tell this is an energetic space that’s constantly changing… with three people living in the home and two people working in it, furnishings are light, movable, and adaptable, the loft ready to transform into whatever its inhabitants need. Find more of Laura’s work on Etsy.
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Food
Family-friendly meals Making dinner on a weeknight doesn't have to be stressful. Simply toss in your ingredients and let the Instant Pot do the rest. Photography by ROBERTO CARUSO
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In an Instant Instant Pot pulled pork
How do make a whole family happy? Give your kid’s favourite comfort meal a vitamin and protein boost with healthy meals using Instant Pot Photography by ROBERTO CARUSO
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Instant Pot barley minestrone soup
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Instant Pot pulled pork
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Instant Pot pumpkin risotto
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Instant Pot beef stroganoff with egg noodles
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Food
Instant Pot pulled pork PREP TIME:25 MINS TOTAL TIME:1 HOUR 55 MINS 2 tbsp smoked paprika 2 tbsp ground cumin 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 large pork shoulder, (about 1.75 kg) 3 tbsp canola oil, divided 1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 1 carrot, chopped (about 1/2 cup) 1 celery stalk, chopped (about 1/3 cup) 5 clove garlic, minced 3 tbsp tomato paste 2 bay leaves BBQ Sauce 2 tbsp cornstarch 3/4 cup ketchup 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp Dijon mustard 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1. Press Sauté button, on Normal. Combine paprika, cumin, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Cut pork into 4 pieces, then coat all sides with spice mixture. Reserve remaining spice mixture. Add 2 tbsp oil to the Instant Pot. Cook 2 pieces of pork, browning meat on all sides, about 2 min per side, then return to bowl. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to pot and repeat with remaining pork. 2. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic to the Instant Pot; cook until softened, about 3 min. Stir in tomato paste and any leftover spice mixture and cook, 1 min. Stir in 1/4 cup water, then scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Add bay leaves, pork and any juices.
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3. Put the lid on the Instant Pot. Close the pressure-release valve. Press Manual Pressure Cook button, on High, and set for 45 min (will take about 10 min to come to pressure). When cooking finishes, let stand, untouched, for 15 min (to allow some steam to release naturally), then open the pressure-release valve to depressurize, about 1 min. 4. Remove pork to a plate. Strain liquid into a measuring cup, discarding solids. Let fat separate, about 5 min, then spoon fat off the top and discard. Return liquid to the Instant Pot. Press Sauté button, on Normal, and bring sauce to a simmer. Stir cornstarch with 2 tbsp water in a small bowl, then add to the Instant Pot and cook until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 min. Add ketchup, vinegar, Dijon and sugar; cook until sugar is dissolved and sauce is thickened, about 2 min. Meanwhile, break pork into small chunks or shred with forks. Add pork to sauce and stir to coat. 5. Serve in sandwiches, tacos or grain bowls.
Pulled Pork Sandwiches Whisk 1/4 cup mayo, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey and pinch salt in a large bowl. Add 4 cups store- bought coleslaw mix and toss to coat. Lightly toast 4 burger buns, then fill each with 1/2 cup warmed pulled pork and creamy slaw.
Pulled Pork Tacos Shred 2 cups iceberg lettuce, and chop 2 tomatoes and 2 green onions. Warm 8 small tortillas, then fill each with 1/4 cup warmed pulled pork, lettuce, tomatoes, green onions and sour cream. Serve with lime wedges.
Pulled Pork Grain Bowl Cook 3/4 cup of your favourite grain (brown rice, quinoa, farro, etc.), following package directions. Whisk 3 tbsp each canola oil and lemon juice, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tsp sriracha (optional) and 1/4 tsp salt. Shred 1 cup cheddar cheese, halve 1 pint cherry tomatoes and slice 1 avocado. Divide grains, tomatoes, avocado, cheese and 2 cups arugula among 4 bowls, then top each with 1/2 cup warmed pulled pork. Drizzle with dressing.
Instant Pot barley minestrone soup PREP TIME:10 MINS TOTAL TIME:55 MINS 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 796-mL can diced tomatoes 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed 2 tsp Italian seasoning 2 bay leaves 1 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 900-mL carton no-salt-added vegetable broth 1 540-mL can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed 8 cups torn kale 1/3 cup store-bought basil pesto 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan olive oil, optional
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Food 1. Combine celery, carrots, onion, tomatoes, barley, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, salt, pepper and broth in the Instant Pot. 2. Put the lid on the Instant Pot. Close the pressure-release valve. Press Manual Pressure Cook button, on High, and set for 20 min (will take about 20 min to come to pressure). When cooking finishes, open the pressure-release valve to depressurize, 2 to 3 min. 3. Open lid and stir in 2 cups hot water, black beans and kale. Let sit, uncovered, until kale is slightly wilted, about 3 min. 4. Ladle soup into bowls and stir spoonful of pesto into each bowl. Sprinkle with Parmesan, and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.
Instant Pot butter chicken PREP TIME:15 MINS TOTAL TIME:55 MINS 3 tbsp butter 1 large onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp grated ginger 3 tbsp tomato paste 2 tsp garam masala, divided 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp salt 680-mL bottle passata 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut in bite-sized pieces 1/2 cup 35% cream 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, optional
PURE LEAF®. OUR THING IS TEA Pure Leaf tea masters spend years perfecting tea. And the one thing that stands the test of time? Using real tea leaves to dry, blend, and brew for a deliciously smooth taste. pureleaf.com
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1. Press Sauté button, on Normal. Melt butter in the Instant Pot, then add onion, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 4 min. 2. Add tomato paste, 1 tsp garam masala, coriander, cumin and salt. Cook until fragrant and tomato paste starts to sizzle, about 1 min. Add passata, then scrape up any browned bits on bottom of pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened slightly, about 5 min. Press Cancel button, then stir in chicken. 3. Put the lid on the Instant Pot. Close the pressure-release valve. Press Manual Pressure Cook button, on High, and set for 10 min (will take about 9 min to come to pressure). When cooking finishes, open the pressure-release valve to depressurize, 2 to 3 min. 4. Open lid, then press Sauté button, on Normal. Cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens, about 5 min. Stir in remaining 1 tsp garam masala and cream. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve over cooked basmati rice or with naan.
Instant Pot pumpkin risotto PREP TIME:10 MINS TOTAL TIME:40 MINS 5 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 2 clove garlic, minced 1 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh sage, plus more for garnish 1 cup arborio rice 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin purée 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/2 cup crumbled feta, divided
Food 1. Press Sauté button, on Normal. Add bacon to the Instant Pot and cook, stirring often, until crispy, 4 to 6 min. Add onion, garlic and sage; cook until softened, about 3 min. 2. Stir in rice and cook until coated, about 1 min. Pour in broth, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot, then stir in pumpkin, salt and pepper. 3. Put the lid on the Instant Pot. Close the pressure-release valve. Press Manual Pressure Cook button, on High, and set for 8 min (will take about 10 min to come to pressure). When cooking finishes, open the pressure-release valve to depressurize, about 2 min. 4. Press Cancel button, open lid and press Sauté button again. Simmer, stirring often, until rice is just tender, 4 to 5 min. Stir in half of the feta. Divide risotto among bowls. Top with remaining feta and garnish with sage.
Instant Pot beef stroganoff with egg noodles PREP TIME:5 MINS TOTAL TIME:45 MINS 2 tbsp butter 1 onion, thinly sliced 227-g package sliced cremini mushrooms 1 tbsp all-purpose flour 2 cups beef broth 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1/2 tsp salt, divided 1/2 tsp pepper 4 cups wide egg noodles 400 g sirloin tip steak, thinly sliced 1/2 cup sour cream 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
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1. Press Sauté button, on Normal. Melt butter in the Instant Pot, then add onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until softened and liquid evaporates, about 10 min. 2. Stir in flour and cook 1 min. Gradually pour in broth, stirring constantly, then bring to a simmer and cook until thickened slightly, about 2 min. Add Dijon, Worcestershire, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper; stir well to combine. Press Cancel button. Stir in egg noodles until covered in liquid. Arrange steak on top and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp salt. 3. Put the lid on the Instant Pot. Close the pressure-release valve. Press Manual Pressure Cook button, on High, and set for 3 min (will take about 7 min to come to pressure). 4. When cooking finishes, let stand, untouched, for 10 min (to allow steam to release naturally), then open the pressure-release valve to depressurize. Open lid, add sour cream and stir well to combine. Top with dill.
Last Look
Financing
How a real estate agent is different from a Realtor Both types of home sellers are licensed to represent you when you buy or sell a home. The difference is that Realtors belong to a national association (realtor.ca) that requires them to follow a strictly enforced code of ethics. Working with a Realtor also means you have an organization to complain to if you aren’t happy with the service, or feel your home seller isn’t acting professionally or in your best interests – any complaints will be arbitrated until a satisfactory solution is found. If you aren’t sure whether the seller you’re considering is a Realtor, ask for proof of membership in the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). And for more information, log on to howrealtorshelp.ca.
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