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The looming fear and uncertainty in the world right now is resulting in lots of time at home and tons of family baking and cooking. If you're on Instagram, then you're watching those baking sessions happen in our kitchen weekdays at 11am PT, chaos and all! I know it’s not great to eat your feelings, but I don’t see anything wrong with eating to make yourself feel good. Comfort food is called what it is for a reason, and I am a full supporter of making use of it when we need it most!

Food is also something that I've found brings people together. Whether we're gathered in the kitchen baking together, cleaning together, snacking together, or gathered around a table. Or virtually by cooking from my books, together – apart! Most of my favorite moments involve the preparation and enjoyment of food.

I posted on Instagram to ask which of my favorite comfort food recipes in Eat What You Love you guys wanted most, and this Gluten Free Chicken N Dumplings Soup Recipe was the clear winner. If you have not made this recipe, then I think the rising climate of uncertainty is a worthy cause to brave the recipe. It looks long, but it is very achievable when broken down by steps.

I chose to use an entire chicken for this recipe because it is more flavorful from the various cuts of meat (and it's cost-effective!). However, if you are not comfortable with cutting a whole chicken yourself, you can ask your butcher to cut a whole chicken into 8 pieces or buy 8 pieces of bone-in skin-on chicken. The dark meat definitely is best for flavor here. I brown the pieces beforehand which is what adds a deep deliciously rich flavor. I also use homemade Bone Broth for this recipe, but you're welcome to use homemade or store-bought. I recommend using bone broth found in the fridge/freezer section instead of a shelf-stable option. I do this because it should be thick and gelatinous, and that won't happen self-stable (while the recipe will still work with it).

I hope this recipe brings some warmth to your home and comfort to your hearts!

Shop My Kitchen

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I have loved hearing from so many that received Eat What You Love for Christmas. I wish that I could be in your kitchen with you testing out the recipes and seeing your responses to the flavors! Since I can't, I encourage you to grab some friends or family to pull into the kitchen with you and begin making some of my favorite recipes from Eat What You Love!

Coincidently, I've also heard many of you received the beloved Instant Pot for Christmas. I love using mine primarily because it pulls a nutritious substantial meal together quickly, even when I'm prepping super last minute! I wanted to write a blog about my favorite Instant Pot recipes to make this time of year.

Shop My Kitchen!

It's stacked and loaded with 7 of my most comforting recipes. All complete with links or tips for my favorite additions, freezer tips, or special modifications I like to do! Enjoy, and leave a comment telling me which recipe you are most excited about making. See below for the recipes!

Also – if you own a copy of Eat What You Love– did you know I have an entire bonus chapter that's dedicated to the Instant Pot??

Download it here!

Queso

I can pretty much guarantee that this paleo version of your classic nacho cheese sauce will exceed your expectations. Especially if you add in the optional taco meat! Find the recipe here on my blog or in the Instant Pot bonus chapter above, which has a special addition to make it taste like Chili’s skillet queso! My kids love eating this with broccoli, but if you're looking for something my indulgent then I love using Taro or Siete chips to make a plate of nachos!

If you have incredible self- control and end up with some leftover, it freezes well! Simply defrost and reheat over the stove to enjoy later! It will look a little curdled at first but just keep whisking as it bubbles and it will smooth out.

Red Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Creamy soups are one of my favorite meals, especially when I'm in need of something comforting. (And easy!) This Red Curry Butternut Squash soup was newly released on the blog in 2019, and has already become a hit! I absolutely love the flavor of the Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste that I used in this recipe. It has a tiny kick but it’s toned down by the hearty butternut squash and rich coconut cream. And it takes just about 10 minutes to cook!

One of my favorite things to do with this soup is saving a few tablespoons of coconut cream to garnish. It contrasts the spice almost like a sour cream would, giving a delicious (and pretty) final touch!

Sesame Orange Chicken

This is likely my most popular recipe of all time. It was a total hit when the original version came out in Against All Grain and was touted for the shocking similarity to Sticky Orange Chicken Take-Out that we all know and love. When I became well-acquainted with the Instant Pot, it was one of the first recipes I knew I would convert.

I love freezing this meal for later enjoyment too. Often I will double the recipe and put half of it, uncooked, in the freezer in a resealable bag or glass container. Just defrost it enough to get it out of the container, then plop it in the IP and set the timer for 10 minutes longer than called for since it’s frozen!

Mexican Chicken Chowder

Did you know this Mexican Chicken Chowder was actually the inspiration behind my Paleo Queso?! It's true, I happened to have some Taro chips nearby so I dipped a few in the leftover soup after I had eaten all of the chicken and chunks of veggies out of it. It reminded me a little of nacho cheese sauce and it was like the heavens opened up. After a few changes, I came up with what is now my queso recipe. ALL that being said, this soup is divine. My favorite addition to it is a dollop of Guacamole and Sour Cream!

The original recipe is in Against All Grain, but I created an Instant Pot method so that it could be even more convenient! It is very freezer friendly too, whether in one batch or several.

Healing Chicken Soup

I’m often asked what I eat when I’m not feeling well. The answer is lots and lots of chicken soup…even for breakfast! The homemade chicken bone broth that is the foundation of this soup is calming for the gut and replenishes minerals and nutrients. I love using my Instant Pot for this soup because it comes together so quickly—especially if I’m not feeling well enough to cook anything elaborate! The secret addition to this recipe is the lemon juice and zest. It makes all the difference in the world to the flavor profile and contributes to the countless health benefits of this soup.

This recipe freezes very well. I love freezing single batch servings of it in pint jars or leftover ghee jars. It's perfect to reheat over the stovetop when someone in the family or I am not feeling well!

Eat What You Love Chili

I recently converted my all-time favorite Chili recipe from Eat What You Love to use the Instant Pot! This makes the process faster, and it also gives you the freedom to run errands or do things around the house- unlike the original stovetop version. Unless you've made this recipe, you probably couldn't guess my secret addition to this one- 1oz 100% cacao bar! It adds depth & slight creaminess to the chili that’s unmatched.

As for my favorite side, the cornbread topping from the book is to die for. If you'd rather skip it, then enjoy this chili with some plantain chips and avocado over top.

Apple Pie Applesauce

This Apple Pie Applesauce is one of my most versatile recipes. I have used it as baby food, an after-school snack, dessert, and a topping for my favorite Pork Tenderloin (Meals Made Simple)! I cooked the apples with a little ghee and my favorite spices so it has all of the goodness of pie filling, without ANY added sweeteners- which also makes this Whole30 compliant. In the Instant Pot, this applesauce is cooked in 15 minutes! As a dessert, you must serve this with a drizzle of coconut milk– which just adds even more to the velvety texture and flavor that the ghee gives!

The applesauce will keep in the refrigerator for about 10 days, or you can freeze it for 6 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

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The banana bread recipe in my first cookbook, Against All Grain, is a major fan favorite, but I constantly get requests for a nut-free version. For those of you who have tree-nut allergies, this one’s for you! My family loves the flavor of this loaf so much that I typically don’t add anything to the mix, but some dark chocolate chips or walnuts would be delicious additions.

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Like many kids these days, Asher is currently attending a nut-free elementary school, so my previous bread recipes are no longer useful for his packed lunches. This nut-free sandwich bread is one of only three recipes in this book that utilize yeast, an ingredient you don’t see very often in the AAG kitchen (see page 9). It’s not essential, but oh my word, does it deliver an authentic, bready taste.

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I created this roll especially for everyone who is egg-free (see Tidbits below for a nut-free substitution). If eggs and nuts are not a problem, I use the dough recipe from the sticky buns (page 88) with this filling and frosting.

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Beef tacos are my go-to meal when I’m running short on time or forget to plan dinner. I always keep a jar of my Taco Seasoning
(page 244) in the pantry and a few pounds of grass-fed ground beef in the freezer so I can throw this meal together anytime and get dinner on the table in 30 minutes.

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My family loves to pile this crust high with fresh toppings on Friday nights. I often make individual-size crusts so we can each personalize our own!

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A layer cake is a labor of love, but the end result is always worth the effort. A birthday comes only once a year, and everyone deserves a decadent delight on his or her special day. This four-tiered confection is layered with a vanilla frosting and encased in a dark chocolate buttercream frosting.

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This crustless quiche is so packed with goodies that you will not even miss the time-consuming and overly filling pastry on the bottom. The Hollandaise Sauce is simple to make while the quiche bakes and adds an incredibly rich, velvety topping.

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Dairy-free yogurts are readily available at most grocery stores, but they often contain unwelcome additives. Using a dehydrator or yogurt machine is a simple way to make coconut milk yogurt at home with ease and totally control what goes into it. We love ours with fresh berries and granola (page 58). You can use this as a base for anything that calls for yogurt, whether frozen yogurt or savory dips.

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This dairy-free rendition of a French vanilla ice cream, made with an egg-yolk custard and fresh vanilla beans, has an unbeatable sumptuous flavor and velvety consistency.

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I was never fond of lemon meringue pie growing up, but as it is a quintessential American dessert, I knew I had to include it in my first cookbook. I made sure to test it on all of my lemon-loving family and friends and even ordered a slice of conventional lemon meringue pie at a restaurant for the sake of research—oh, what I won’t do for my readers! The survey results: This recipe is as good as, if not better than, the original and even I devoured it! Enjoy!

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I was flipping through my third cookbook, Celebrations, last week preparing for Father's Day and I came across this recipe. Naturally, it stopped me in my tracks, and I had an instant craving for it! My Celebrations book is great for holidays, but it's also great for seasonal favorites! This cobbler is in the Father's Day chapter, but it's perfect for any summer night!

Did you know that Peach Cobbler was the overwhelming choice when I polled all of my readers about which summer dessert they would want to see most in Celebrations?? Obviously, it's not just me that feels nostalgic about this dessert and summertime.

When I came up with this recipe, I thought about traditional peach cobbler, and that classic buttery taste came to mind. The ingredients are essentially flour, butter, and sugar. Since none of those are regulars in our household, I had to come up with something that could mimic the buttery consistency. The first alternative I could think of is cashew. The creaminess of cashews makes for a perfect base! Just like the original, it gives you the perfect balance of crispy and soft baked topping. Then the hint of lemon pulls all of the flavors together so well with a decadent finish. This recipe is entirely satisfying, and I don't even miss the real thing!

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To make this soup extra flavorful and economical, I cut a whole chicken into pieces and brown the pieces in the pot in which I make the soup; the browned skin adds a rich flavor. Then I simmer the chicken in a homemade broth until it’s tender, so the flavor and nutrients from the bones aren’t lost. The resulting broth is thick and nutritious, and the herb-flecked dumplings add a lovely richness to the dish. If you’re like me, and butchering a chicken isn’t in your repertoire, just ask your butcher to cut a whole chicken into 8 pieces, making sure to save the backbone and wingtips for making the broth.