The Very Best Pressure Cooker BBQ “Baked” Beans

One of the challenges we face as busy parents is putting whole, healthy, and inexpensive meals on the table – especially while trying to navigate through the chaos of the week. Kids have sports and after-school activities, work, holiday planning, not to mention the daily household tasks we need to get done. It’s craziness. If I don’t plan ahead, we end up eating out and that is financially draining. We just can’t afford to eat out more than once, maybe twice a month. Managing a family can seem overwhelming at times, but with a little planning, it’s possible and very empowering.

For my family our main concerns are these four things:

Whole Foods– Everyone in my family is active, from running to soccer. We all need food that fuels our body. I am always on the hunt for whole, healthy options. We are not vegans, but try to eat at least three vegan or vegetarian options per week. We need the healthy carbs to keep us performing our best, plus, it’s better for the environment. One problem: my kids love meat. It’s not always easy to find vegan meals that they will gobble down. We are working on it, and they are getting much better about trying new things. HERE is a list of the best whole foods for athletes.

Price– For this family, we like to spend our money on bigger things, like our children’s education and athletics. In order to make that happen, we have to scrimp and save on the little things like our food budget. I actually find this challenging in a fun and exciting way. Read about that HERE.

Convenience– We are busy after-school almost every day of the week, so making something that is quick and easy is essential. If it’s overly complicated, I get overwhelmed and we end up going out. Make it easy (including clean up), and I will cook every night of the week. That’s what lead me to purchase this Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.

Crowd Pleasing– There is nothing more defeating than putting in all the effort to make a meal and no one eats it. I can’t tell you how many times a year this happens, and it sucks. Don’t let this discourage rom continuing to try, though. For every time you make a loser, you are one step closer to a winner. Once you find what they like it helps when evaluating new recipes, and you can always serve it again.

My family loves BBQ, but generally speaking, these main dish recipes are full of meat. We can’t afford to eat a fancy cut of meat all of the time, so the challenge is how to satisfy their taste buds on a budget, using whole foods, and keep it full of healthy carbs?

While at the Dollar Tree last week, their huge selection of dried beans caught my eye. I have never been a fan of dried beans because they seem like a hassle, but they were actually really easy to prepare with the Instant Pot. One thing that has always bothered me about dried beans is the texture. I do not care for al denté beans. I like them very soft and well cooked. I feel like when cooked like this, they absorb the flavors better and the texture is more appealing.

This recipe was a crowd pleaser for my family. It costs less than $5.00 to make and feeds my family of five. It even yielded leftovers, so we had lunches for the next day or two. It is full of healthy carbs for peak performance and it was very easy to make. It met all of my criteria!