Everyone Should be Making Music Together

music

How many children’s songs do you know? Did you know that Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Baa Baa Black Sheep and ABC are the same tune, written by Mozart? What songs do you remember from childhood? If you have children, do you sing to them or expose them to music?

Most adults can typically name only four or five children’s songs that they know well and admit that not only were they not exposed to music in childhood but that there is little of it in their home today.  I believe that human beings are naturally musical but that musicality needs to be nurtured.

One of the simplest ways to cultivate the love of music in a child is to sing to them at home or play a tune when the child is an infant. Research has shown that even in utero a baby can hear and respond to music. A newborn baby, at least my newborn babies, sleep well with calming classical compositions in the background or the gentle voice of his or her mother, father or siblings.

After a short time, many babies graduate to music classes. Children’s music classes are popular throughout North America. It has actually become quite a business. I have been taking my kids to these classes for over ten years. Some are better than others and all are a great way to get a new mother out of the house and give her a great activity with her baby.

Whether the music class is a short session with a bunch of well-known children’s songs or a more in-depth course in music, singing and voice training, I feel everyone should try to expose their child to at least one session. The City of Toronto Public Library offers free (that’s right FREE) drop-in 30-minute “Move-and-Groove” classes for children aged 0-6. My one-year-old goes to that one all the time.

All three of my kids have benefitted most from a great program called “Making Music Together.” I won’t go into its history but you can read about it HERE. As the website states, the program is about “songs, chants, movement & instruments in a relaxed, fun, interactive environment.” Because of this program my children have all expressed their musicality in their own special way.

Walking into a Music Together class is quite an experience, though that may be the case for most baby and children’s music classes. The caregivers and children sit around in a circle and over a 45-minute period sing, dance and play instruments. Note that I say caregivers AND children. Each week, as I sit around this circle with my baby I chuckle to myself as I watch grown men and women, many with Masters degrees, MD’s or other professional designations, bark like dogs, tap little wooden sticks on their heads and skip around the room.

We spend years growing up, working hard to become mature adults, then at our children’s music class all pressures of adulthood are released. We can sing and dance and be free. It’s not just the children who benefit from music but the adults too. Lately I sing all day, all be it songs entitled Wiggle, See the Pony Galloping and Shake those ‘Simmons Down. Music energizes me and makes me feel good. I know it does the same for my children. Try singing one day, even to yourself. It’s worth it.

Do we really want our Children to Dream of being a Pirate and a Princess?

pirate

When I think of a pirate a very clear picture comes to my mind. He is a tall strapping man with dark evil eyes. He is mean and ruthless and will kill anyone who gets in his way. The pirate is a murderer and thief and wreaks havoc on the world.

When I think of a princess I have in mind another clear picture. I think about a fairy tale. Most definitely she is beautiful with long flowing hair and wears a gown made of the finest fabric. She is loyal to her father, the King, and upholds the duties that are bestowed upon a young woman born into nobility. She does what is expected of her and knows she will one day marry into another noble family and look down at her poor subjects who did not have the good fortune to be born into royalty.

Our modern society has romanticised the world of the pirate and the princess, and it is something I just don’t understand.

The pirate in particular has become a much-loved cartoon character and Halloween costume for children. We, as adults, find it so cute when our kids put on the pirate hat, eye patch and hook and say things like “Ahoy Matie” or “Walk the Plank.” Pirates were not cute – they violently plundered ships and shoreline communities, killing people along the way. There are even some pirates today, sailing off the coast of places like Eastern Africa. I am quite sure no one wants their kids to look up to these people.

Princesses are in quite a different category as, for the most part, they do not steal and murder. But, the fairy tale princess is not one I would like my daughters to model themselves after. I see the princess as a second-class citizen, who though intelligent, is often passed over in favour of the male heir. I know what you are thinking – in recent years we have seen the coming of age of the feminist princess like Elsa and Ana in Frozen, or Merida in Brave. They are the exception, and I cringe when someone calls my daughter a princess.

That said, I am not going to stop my children from dressing up as pirates and princesses and reading about them in bedtime stories. I will admit that my kids have dressed up in versions of pirates and princesses over the years. I let them take their own spin on it, like my daughter’s werewolf princess costume for Halloween a couple of years ago. It was definitely unique.

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My daughter’s own creation

Maybe I am just a crank and should let it go. Could it be that our modern society believes that with time our perceptions of everything changes? The 17th and 18th century pirate was a villain then but is seen as a bold and formidable character today. The fairy tale princess obeyed her family’s wishes and was mostly a pretty thing whose only dream was to marry a handsome prince. Today people believe that same princesses could have ruled the kingdom and changed the world.

What do you think? Are there other historical characters or stories that have been romanticised? Leave me a comment here, post to Facebook or Tweet me @AliciaRichler.

Celebration of Sport and Culture at the North American Indigenous Games

Indigenous

I love a wide variety of sports, and in particular I look forward to hunkering down on the couch every four years to watch all kinds of events during both the Winter and Summer Olympics. In between there are many other international competitions which feature elite athletes, and I will admit that for the most part I barely notice them. I was intrigued a few days ago when I heard about the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG).

This competition kicks off this weekend, with opening ceremonies on July 16. And it’s happening in the Greater Toronto Area! I have done my best to read about this event, its athletes and its cultural significance to the Indigenous people of North America, and I will share a few details I have learned with you here.

The NAIG showcases the extraordinary talent of over 5,000 young Indigenous athletes from across North America. They will be competing in 14 different sports, including athletics, baseball, swimming and wrestling, among others. The athletes will compete at venues located around the Greater Toronto Area, the Region of Hamilton and Six Nations of the Grand River over a period of eight days.

But it’s not just about the sports and the competition. Like the Maccabiah Games I wrote about last week, this event is also about the celebration of Indigenous culture across North America. The competitors at the NAIG range from age 13 to 19, and participating teams come from all 13 Canadian provinces and territories as well as 13 regions from across the United States.

I am intrigued by the Cultural Village that is being hosted at York University and McMaster University, that the website states will “feature a variety of Indigenous artisans, interactive booths, elders, vendors, and Indigenous artists and performers, with nightly entertainment.”

While the spirit of competition is great and provides the opportunity for thousands of youth to push their physical limits, I feel that the best part of this event is the opportunity for Indigenous Peoples to showcase and share their unique cultural heritage.  I applaud the North American Indigenous Games Council for putting this event together for over 25 years, and I look forward to following the Games over the coming week as we all celebrate great athleticism and Indigenous culture.

If you really have to Smoke can you show a little bit of Courtesy Please?

smoke

I think smoking is disgusting. There is no simple or sugar-coated way to say it. I find it vulgar and utterly repulsive. I know that nicotine is addictive and many smokers would quit if they could. If they need to smoke of course I can’t stop them. But when they smoke in public places could they show more courtesy to those around them?

I recognize that many municipalities have attempted to mitigate the problem of smoking in public places by creating all kinds of legislation over the years. I remember back to the days when I was a kid when smokers had free reign, and then the government stepped in. First there were smoking areas in restaurants and my favourite, the smoking rows at the back of the airplane. If smoking was allowed in rows 28-30 and I was in row 27, was I really separated from the stench of smoke behind me?

Slowly, over time, big “no smoking” signs appeared inside malls, restaurants, movie theatres and on airplanes. Smokers were forced outside to do their dirty act. Then came the “no smoking within 9 meters of any entrance” signs, that are always ignored. For the last couple of years, at least in Toronto, there are also bylaws outlawing smoking in certain outdoor areas like playgrounds and restaurant and bar patios. I believe that is usually observed.

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This kind of sign can be seen all over the city and yet rarely is it enforced

So, smoking has been delegated to the streets of the city, where I cannot escape it. I find it unpleasant to walk behind a smoker, as I seem to inhale more of the fumes than the person holding the cigarette. I often feel helpless when I wait at a traffic light at a busy intersection, waiting to cross with my stroller, and beside me is a smoker, dangling a cigarette.

What a sight it is when I see what looks like a good looking well put together person, on the move down the street, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth? Does he think he looks cool? I think not.

And why do smokers think it is okay, when finished a cigarette, to drop it on the ground, snuff it out with their feet and walk away? The sidewalk is not a trash bin, but somehow many smokers treat it as such.

Are smokers aware how bad they smell? A few weeks ago, while on the subway, a person sat down beside me. Though she was not smoking (something banned on public transit many years ago), she was clearly a heavy smoker. She reeked. It wasn’t just her breath but the scent of cigarette smoke emanated from her body. Lucky for me I had to get off at the next stop. The odour was nauseating.

No one In my close family or circle of friends is a smoker (though some did smoke in the past). I grew up in a smoke-free home and am glad I am raising my children in a society that is doing its best to keep the air clean. For those who do smoke I just ask you to please be courteous of those of us who don’t. And for those who smoke and are trying to quit I wish you luck and hope you succeed. You will be better off.

I Planned to Salsa on St. Clair but Ate Italian Instead

salsa

Today I am writing another installment of “Being a Tourist in my own City.” Summer in the city, especially on the weekend, can often be warm, muggy and oppressive. It’s easy to laze around the house or pull up a chair in the backyard and do a lot of nothing. Instead of that, this weekend we decided to take advantage of an annual event in our neighbourhood, and on Saturday night, with only one child at home (the baby), we stepped outside and walked over to Salsa on St. Clair.

I remember stopping by this event a few years ago, as it wound down on a Sunday night. We had only checked out the perimeter and I recall that it was busy. This year, at 7:00 pm on a beautiful Saturday evening, we decided to try it again. I had checked out the event’s website and expected to find loud lively music, some dancing on the closed off street and a mix of Latin American and South American food.

We found all of that, and I also found dense crowds and long lines. I should have known better. After weeks (or was it months?) of rain in Toronto and so many washed out weekends, people were desperate to get outside and party on such a gorgeous evening. As we approached the Eastern edge of the event, I could hear the music, I could see the crowd and I could smell the sumptuous food.

No doubt the event delivered on its promises – there were blocks of music and dancing and a huge variety of food for sale. But it was impossible to move, never mind dance, and I did not have the patience to wait in snaking lines just for a taste of a tomatillo, plantain or churros. I don’t doubt the food was delicious, and the music was so vibrant that I could feel myself wanting to dance, but I (or my husband or my parents who joined us) did not have the patience nor the stamina to stay, so we kept walking.

It was slow moving, but we crossed the Salsa, from one end to the other and passed people of all ages enjoying the event. There were families with babies and young children, teenagers and 20-somethings out for a night on the town and even an older crowd enjoying the scene. We just kept on walking.

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I just had to include a photo of this place on our walk as it’s an interesting establishment, with interesting signs.
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Have they made themselves clear?

If you keep walking along St. Clair West in Toronto you arrive in one of the many “Little Italy” neighbourhoods of our great city. With our stomachs rumbling we checked out a few places and eventually decided upon a modest but sweet looking place that had a quiet patio and space to accommodate us and the stroller.  Big Slice Restaurant came through with a tasty meal and friendly service. On our walk home, as a bonus, we stopped a for a treat at Punto Gelato, where everyone (including the baby, of course), enjoyed a couple of scoops of this Italian treat. I highly recommend the Caramelo flavour by the way!

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Nessa gave the food at Big Slice a thumbs up (or rather her whole hand)
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Outside Punto Gelato. Yum.

To get home we chose to dive back into the Salsa again to see how it looked at night.  The music was lively and there was some great dancing. The crowd had thinned somewhat, though I didn’t see too many young families or the older crowd from a couple hours before. We definitely brought the average age up while we walked through!

I am fortunate that I live in a city that has such a vibrant mix of cultures that are celebrated throughout the year. Whether it is a street festival or a parade, and whether the event is small and quiet or crowded and lively, I love them all. My family and I participate in our own special way, and I look forward to the next time I can be a tourist in my own city.

Will Violence Accomplish Anything at the G20 Summit?

violence

I support the right for people to speak out in favour of what they believe in or against anything they believe is wrong in society. Freedom of speech is part of the foundation of the modern democracy, and I feel fortunate to live in a country where my voice can be heard. If a group wants to come together to speak out against the government, a corporation or even a cultural organization, let them do it. I may personally disagree with many of the protests I see in the city where I live, but I support each group’s right to have its voice heard. However, when an individual or group espouses violence then they do not have my support at all.

The annual G20 Summit of world leaders is happening now in Hamburg, Germany. This group was created back in 1999 with the aim of creating world financial stability.  There has been an annual meeting in various places around the word since 2011, which have attracted not only world leaders but also thousands of protestors.

It is quite normal for a world leader to be trailed by a large group of people which includes his or aides, a throng of media and a band of protestors. Every politician has supporters and detractors. When an elected official has a large number of detractors, as is the case with a number of world leaders right now, the number of protestors can grow exponentially.

I am not a political or financial expert and I don’t know if anything ever has or will be accomplished at large gatherings like the G20 Summit. When a bunch of people come together like this, most with big egos and big mouths, are they really doing anything besides shaking hands and making new friends (or enemies)? Does the average citizen of the world feel better about his or her financial situation because the world leaders are huddled together behind the walls of a fortress as they discuss the global economy?

Many people think not, and speaking out against the G20 Summit, the global economy or the people leading that summit is fine by me. But when a protest group creates an organization called “Welcome to Hell” and clearly states that it will “reserve for themselves the option of militant resistance” my support is gone.

This group, and others like it, have a valid concern that millions of people across the globe are living in unthinkable conditions, dealing with hunger, war and the ongoing challenges of climate change. Their voices deserve to be heard, and I wish world leaders would listen. However, when these groups make it clear they wish to be combative, that they are anarchists and anti-capitalists, and they support violence, I cannot back them at all.

While I have no evidence to corroborate this, I believe that many of the so-called protestors at the G20 Summit in Hamburg are there just to stir up trouble. They either do not know or do not care about the millions of people who actually live with hunger and war and who need a voice.  These protestors want anarchy, they support violence and the destruction of our society.

Media are reporting from Hamburg that these violent protest groups are setting fires to the streets, destroying property and attacking police with various objects from bottles and iron rods to smoke bombs and fire crackers. Violence is what they seek, not a better world for us to live in.

Fair minded people have to speak louder than the violent protestors and let the world and the world leaders know that we can bring about real change. Real change can happen with our voices, our pens and our hands (as we type on our computers) and not with weapons.

The 20th Maccabiah – Let the Games Begin

Maccabiah

I am not a great athlete, but if I were I believe my dream would have been to compete at the Maccabiah Games. Many of you reading this post will know exactly what I am talking about and many of you are thinking to yourself, um, what is she talking about?

Maccabiah, known sometimes as the “Jewish Olympics,” is the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition. It takes place every four years in Israel, going all the way back to 1932. Self-described as a competition that emphasizes the “centrality of the State of Israel in the life of the Jewish people,” it is the largest event undertaken by the Maccabi World Union.

This year’s Maccabiah games are happening NOW in Israel, from July 4-18. The 2017 edition is the biggest one ever, with about 10,000 athletes participating from over 80 countries. Athletes, coaches, volunteers and fans are not just there for the competition but also to create new relationships and find common ground in their love of Israel and the Jewish People.

I only attended one Maccabiah Games, back in 2005, with a group of Canadian journalists. The opening ceremonies were vibrant and memorable, and our group saved our biggest cheers for the Canadian delegation. The stadium was packed with thousands of supporters and the energy was electric.  I am sure that twelve years later the feeling is the same.

Maccabiah
The one picture I took in 2005 at the opening ceremonies

The actual Maccabiah Games are structured like any other international multi-sport competition, with venues around the country, over a period of two weeks.  There is everything from track and field and gymnastics to softball and even ice hockey.  There are four competitive groups. The Junior section is for athletes aged 15-18; the Masters is divided into various age categories for older competitors; the Open division is for all ages with different sports following their own governing rules; finally, there are the Paralympics.

The athletes compete by delegation, so if I participated I would be part of the Canadian team. This is the 18th Maccabiah for Canada, who first participated in the 1950 Games.

The Canadian Junior team arrived in Israel last week and spent the first few days touring the country and getting to know the land and its people. The rest of the Canadian delegation arrived a few days later, and they are all now together in Israel competing.

The Canadian squad quickly got in the win column playing ice hockey, and the athletes are working hard in other sports this week, including tennis, baseball, soccer and golf. Follow Maccabi Canada HERE or check out results HERE for all delegations and all sports.

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Canadian men’s open soccer team (photo thanks to Maccabi Canada)
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Men’s softball team photo (thanks to Dan Berlin back row on the left)

The opening ceremonies are happening right now at the Jerusalem Teddy Stadium, as I write this, and I am about to click HERE to watch the event live.

Maccabiah
Canadian Men’s Softball team at the opening ceremonies (photo thanks to Dan Berlin)

I wish the best of luck to all athletes participating in the 20th Maccabiah Games, and of course, go Team Canada!

Today is my Birthday and I am 41 Years Old but I Don’t Feel a Day over 39

birthday

I usually reserve Wednesday for a sports post, but since today is my birthday I decided to write about myself instead. I will do a Sports Thursday post this week, as the 20th annual Maccabi Games open in Israel.

So, as the title of today’s post reads: today I am 41 years old but I don’t feel a day over 39. Last year was a big birthday for me as I entered a new decade. In my twenties, I was still considered a kid in many ways, in my thirties I was a full-grown adult but still considered a young adult. When I turned forty last summer I recognized that I had entered a new phase of life as a more mature (sometimes even respected!) adult.

Many of my older friends told me that reaching 40 was a big milestone. They told me it was a time of life when my career and my family would bloom, on the one hand, but also a time that I would start to wake up with some aches in places in my body I didn’t even know existed.

Number 40 definitely was a year of great change for me, with a new baby and the start of my journey on my new career path. I enjoy watching my children grow up and I am both excited and terrified to see what is next for my career. But do I feel different? Do I feel older? Did 40 bring with it new aches or a sense of greater maturity?

No, not really. In that sense, I really don’t feel a day over 39. I feel young, and while I am definitely a bit sleep deprived lately (thanks Nessa), I have more energy than ever and am excited every morning to see what the day will bring.

My birthday began early this morning with celebrations led by my 7-year-old, who plans her calendar around birthdays. While I slept, Julia loaded my bed with kazoos, balloons, a new stuffed animal for me (for her) and a box of my favourite chocolate from Rocky Mountain Chocolate. I arrived downstairs to a beautiful breakfast cooked by my husband, David, and Julia. They made giant buttermilk pancakes and the BEST scrambled eggs (a recipe we learned from Gordon Ramsay that I highly recommend you try).

Julia and David are now off for the day, and while it wasn’t their intention, their final gift to me was a filthy kitchen with a sink full of dishes. Sigh. They meant well. My day continues with Nessa’s music class, a nice afternoon walk and dinner with the whole family and some friends at a great restaurant.

So far 41 isn’t bad. I eagerly look forward to what the year will bring and the adventures I will take. This blog is one of those adventures, and I love to write every day. Thank you everyone for your feedback and your support. And since I have already received many messages by phone, email and social media, thank you to everyone for the kind birthday greetings.

Can We Focus on what Unifies us as Canadians please?

unifies

Today Canada is 150 years and 4 days old. The weekend of celebrations is over and the future is ahead for our country. I spent much of the long weekend reading newspaper articles, watching the news and checking up on blogs, monitoring and thinking about the news coverage of the country’s big birthday.  I believe that most Canadians feel proud and happy to be Canadian, and for the most part I believe the celebrations, from coast to coast and everywhere in between, were light, friendly and patriotic. But at the same time, I felt there was a negative undertone in the coverage, one which focused on our differences as Canadians and the cruel nature of what Canada represents as a colonial power. I appreciate the honest and frank words of a few journalists who pointed this out and spoke out in favour of something different: unity. These individuals focused on what unifies us as Canadians, and I thank them for that.

I want to state very clearly that I am sympathetic to and support the plight of the Indigenous people of Canada. Their ancestors were treated savagely for hundreds of years and today it is no secret that many of them live below the poverty line. Many young Indigenous people do not have the same opportunities as other Canadians, and rightly so they see their future as bleak. We all need to remember that, learn from our errors and hope there is a brighter future for this important part of Canada’s population.

I also feel privileged to live in a free country where people can speak their minds – as individuals or in groups. The press is free to print criticisms of the government and all faiths can observe their religion how they choose. I do not take this for granted, and I know that millions of people across the globe do not have such freedom.

With that in mind, on Canada’s birthday, I felt frustrated and even angry as I read page after page about our differences as Canadians and the shame we should all feel to celebrate the birth and growth of Canada. Why?

The esteemed writer, Rex Murphy, wrote about this issue so eloquently in his column this weekend, entitled, “Celebrating ‘diversity’ will only divide us, but celebrating Canada’s unity keeps us strong.” I do believe that recognizing and accepting our differences make a community strong, but I also believe that finding what we all have in common, unifies us and makes us strongest. But that’s not all.

As Canada celebrated her 150th anniversary as an independent nation, we have to remember that the land and its people go much further back. No doubt the Indigenous people of Canada truly are the First Nations of this land. Their ancestors settled here thousands of years before various European nations “discovered” the Americas. The cruelty that was beset upon them was horrific.

And while many people, over the last hundreds of years, immigrated to Canada to find opportunity and wealth, many other people fled to Canada as a refuge, to escape cruelty as well that was beset upon them and was no doubt also horrific.

My ancestors fled to Canada from Europe over 100 years ago, most of them travelling in steerage across the ocean to escape pogroms in their villages. Whether it was a pogrom in 19th century Russia, other kinds religious persecution in 17th or 18th century France or racial genocide in the 20th century all over the world, I believe that something that unifies us is that we are all immigrants to this land, we are all free here and what we have in common is that we are all Canadians.

Let us celebrate diversity and let us honour the first people who settled this land, but let us focus on what we have in common, which will unify our country for another 150 years and beyond.

When I Cook with my Instant Pot All the Food is Scrumptious

Instant Pot

My mother and sister are always on the hunt for the latest kitchen toys. Ice cream maker, spiralizer, sous vide, bread maker. The list goes on and on. These are all good toys and they have their use in the kitchen. For the most part I also believe my mother and sister use them. They both are great cooks and often feed big crowds. I do enjoy the odd toy in my kitchen (I can’t live without my espresso maker!), but I was a skeptic when my sister first told me about the Instant Pot.

When she bought this contraption, she talked about a pressure cooker that was easy and safe and that could cook up delicious food in minutes. I did not believe her. How could you dump ingredients into a machine, press on and minutes later have fully cooked food that was also tasty? No way. Not possible and I wasn’t interested.

If you know my sister you know that she is a rather determined person. She did not give up on me. Every time the Instant Pot went on sale on Amazon I got a friendly text or email. It was unrelenting. She told me this machine was life-changing, that it would become the centrepiece of my kitchen. No way I said, I had enough kitchen toys.

Then on Black Friday last year the Instant Pot was on sale for a price that was almost too good to be true, so I relented and purchased it. A few days later it arrived at my house, I opened the box and gave it a once-over.

I surfed the web in the days before my Instant Pot arrived to find a few recipes to try on this new toy and was ready with a fridge stocked with ingredients. In my first week, I decided to experiment with a Mongolian beef dish, General Tsao chicken and a couple of soups.

Oh my gosh my sister was right. Yes, I will very publicly admit it here – my sister was right. The Instant Pot was easy to use and every dish was sensational. The beef was full of flavour and melted in the mouth. The chicken had just enough kick and was tender and juicy. Every soup had a deep flavour after only 10, 20 or 30 minutes in the pot.

My Instant Pot is definitely now one of my best friends in the kitchen. I have tried dozens of recipes since it joined the family back in December. Soup is my favourite thing to make, but I have also made roast chicken, chicken wings, pasta dishes, rices and last night made the best ratatouille I have ever tasted.

Instant Pot
It cooks chicken wings
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One of my favourite soups was minestrone

My daughter has had a bit of thing for ratatouille since she saw the famous movie by the same name and has been begging me to make it. So, last night I thinly sliced up 2 baby eggplants, 2 zucchinis, I chopped 3 peppers, one onion and four garlic cloves.

I turned on my Instant Pot to sauté (yes you can first sauté in the pot before you switch to high pressure), heated up some olive oil, then threw in the garlic and onions to create a strong flavour base. Then came the peppers, followed by the eggplant and zucchini. Then in went a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes and some pepper and salt. I carefully mixed it all together, closed the lid and set the machine to manual high pressure for 5 minutes.

The Instant Pot did its thing. It rose to high pressure, cooked the food for 5 minutes, then I let the pressure naturally release for a few more minutes. In the meantime, I cooked a pot of quinoa (which one can also make in the Instant Pot if you wish) and in less than 30 minutes (includes time to chop veggies and cook the food) I had a fabulous dinner.

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This is how the ratatouille looked last night after I saluted it but before high pressure.
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My ratatouille in he bowl, on a bed of quinoa. Yum.

After 7 months, I am still a novice with the Instant Pot. I have not ventured out into foods such as yoghurt or cheesecake (though I did make perfect molten chocolate cakes in there). I hope to go there soon. This toy is a good investment, whether you are a gourmet cook or scared of the kitchen.

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The molten cakes when I took the lid off
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I cooled them for a couple of minutes
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And enjoyed mine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a cappuccino from my espresso maker

I am always looking for new recipes and new foods to try in my Instant Pot. Leave me a comment here, post on Facebook or Tweet me @AliciaRichler with some ideas that I can try. I will let you know how it goes.