Stone Soup

Stone soup. 

I've been contemplating lately whether or not to buy an Instant Pot. I've heard many good things about them including their ease of use. 

To be honest though, the two main reasons I haven't gotten one is lack of space, and wondering if I'd really use it or not? When you have a small kitchen, space is a priority, and you find yourself only hanging on to the things you really use. Although, the Instant Pot allows for quick cooking,  now that I'm retired I have nothing but time. The need for quick cooking really isn't that critical for me.  

I have found that my crockpot seems to work pretty well,
and I do already have a place to store it. The other day I found an Instant Pot recipe for 15 Bean Soup that could easily be made the slow cooker way. When I saw the package of 15 beans at the grocery store I was immediately intrigued. Besides looking like a kindergarten art project dream, it fit perfectly with my plant-based eating plan. 

I thought I could easily throw the beans in the crockpot, and be along my merry way in no time. The beans could cook all day, and when I returned later that day dinner would be ready.  

Now apparently when they say slow cooker they really mean it. Along with the amount of time needed to cook the beans, the recipe required quite a bit of prep time. As I found myself chopping, onions, carrots, celery, bell peppers and jalapeños I couldn't help, but be reminded of one of my favorite stories that I used to read to the kids when I taught kindergarten.

Back in the day when kindergarten was really fun, and we were allowed to cook and serve food without a health permit we used to make Stone Soup. Each child would bring an ingredient from home, and I would provide a stone. As you may remember the main character of the story was hungry and no one would feed him. He cleverly convinced the villagers to help him prepare soup made from a stone. Of course they are all tricked into adding vegetables and even a bit of beef to the pot.  Who would have thought you could make soup from a stone?

Now although my soup is missing a stone, I'm pretty sure it's going to be good. As far as the Instant Pot goes, I think I'll continue using what I already have, and not add another appliance (cough, cough breadmaker) to my already somewhat limited storage space.