Quick & Clean InstaPot Stew/Soup

1. Find my broth and protein - I typically use roughly 1 quart. If I have beef broth on hand, I'll whip out some stew meat or a soup bone. If I have chicken or pork broth on hand, I'll pull out a ham shank, ham steak, and chop them up into little cubes. Throw them in bones and all. 
2. Decide on Veggies - Depending on the day, how I'm feeling and what I can actually find, my veggie selection can vary greatly. 
   • Looking for a Latin inspired fare? Grab some corn, black beans, and chopped onion. 
   • Feeling like you need something hearty? Crushed tomatoes, corn, chopped onions and green beans it is! 
   • Looking for something light? White beans, chopped onion and corn will do the trick! 
   • How about something traditional? Diced tomatoes, onions, and carrots come in handy.
3. Decide on spice - The spices you choose will vary depending on your protein of choice, and what broth you have on hand. We typically make our own broth that is rich in flavor already. Use your taste buds to guide you. To keep it simple, just add salt and pepper (Pro-tip: Ham shanks and steaks are salty already, so wait to add salt until you're ready to eat). To add an ethnic swing, check out different spice blends like enchilada seasoning, or cilantro and lime for Mexican flair, or hearty Italian spices for a tomato based stew. Want it to be thicker? Whisk in 1 Tbsp of flour into your broth before adding everything into the pot. 
4. Chuck everything into the Instapot - Things will cook down, so if your meat and veggies are not completely submerged, don't fret. 
   • If meat is thawed - Cook on the "Soups & Stews" setting. **Reccommended
   • If meat is frozen - Cook on the "Soups & Stews" setting, but add 7-10 minutes. 

At this point, I usually make a game of seeing how much other stuff I can get done on the home front before the blessed InstaPot beep telling us it's time for dinner.