Recipe: INSTANT POT TERIYAKI CHICKEN

December 2, 2025December 23, 2025 bgibson135

This was simple but turned out really good. I would definitely do this several times again.

Ingredients

1–2 chicken breasts
Onion
Bell pepper
Zucchini
1–2 tbsp oil
½ cup water or broth
⅓–½ cup teriyaki sauce
Garlic powder
Spicy Chili Crisp
S&P
Optional:
- 1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water
- Carrots
- Okra
- Add frozen peas

Cook Time

Whole breasts: 7–8 min on High + 10 min natural release
Diced breasts: 4–5 min on High + 5 min natural release

Steps

Lightly brown chicken on both sides.
Sauté onion and bell pepper in oil.
Add zucchini on top.
Pour in ½ cup water or broth.
Add 2–3 tbsp teriyaki sauce (optional at this stage).
Pressure cook using times above.
Natural release for the listed time.
Add remaining teriyaki sauce and simmer 1–2 minutes on Sauté.
Optional: stir in cornstarch slurry to thicken.

Notes

Keep zucchini thick so it doesn’t get mushy.
Add final teriyaki sauce after pressure cooking for best flavor.

I had some already cooked rice and I put that in a bowl and then added some Spicy Chili Crisp.

I fixed this again today and it was good again. I did not taste the okra, and think that maybe carrots might be a better option. This just makes a good soupy broth. Very satisfying. I don’t use much cooked rice. *I have recently fixed a black & wild rice combo in my IP Mini and have fallen in love with it. I like the flavor and each rice kernel is a shiny black color, like an onyx.

Having said I don’t use much cooked rice, here is a small batch recipe for a mix of Black & Wild Rice.

🌾 Wild Rice – Nutritional Facts

Wild rice is high in fiber, protein, and minerals like magnesium and zinc, and it contains strong antioxidant levels. It has a low to low-moderate glycemic index (GI 45–53), and usually falls on the lower end, making it one of the best rice options for stable blood sugar.

🌑 Black Rice – Nutritional Facts

Black rice, also known as “Forbidden Rice,” is rich in anthocyanins, the dark-purple antioxidants also found in blueberries, which support heart health and reduce inflammation. It has a low to moderate glycemic index (GI 42–55) depending on the variety, making it a significantly better choice for glucose control than white or brown rice.

黑米 (Mandarin Chinese) | 흑미 Korean

Pronunciation (Mandarin): hēi mǐ
Translation: Black Rice

黑 (hēi) = black
米 (mǐ) = rice / grain

So this sticker simply means “black rice.”

TOP PRODUCING COUNTRIES FOR BLACK RICE

China
India
Thailand
Indonesia
Philippines
Vietnam

⭐ SMALL-BATCH WILD RICE + BLACK RICE (3 servings of ~⅓ cup cooked)

Yield: ~1 cup cooked rice

🟫 Ingredients

2 tablespoons wild rice
4 tablespoons (¼ cup) black rice
(This ratio cooks evenly: black rice softens a little faster but still works well.)
½ cup water
Pinch of salt (optional)
½ teaspoon oil (optional — keeps foam down in the Mini)

Total dry rice = 6 tablespoons = ⅜ cup.
When cooked, this will expand to ~1 cup, which divides into three ⅓-cup servings.

🍲 Instant Pot Mini Instructions

Rinse the wild rice + black rice under cold water.
Add the rice to the Instant Pot Mini.
Add ½ cup water, salt, and oil.
Close lid, seal the valve.
Pressure Cook:
20 minutes (High Pressure)
This is the sweet spot where the wild rice softens and black rice doesn’t get mushy.
Natural Release for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest.
Fluff with a fork.
You should have around 1 cup cooked grains.

✔️ Texture Notes

This gives a chewy grain—ideal for wild rice blends.
If you want it softer, increase to 22 minutes.
If you want it firmer, drop to 18 minutes.

🥗 Blood-sugar tip

Eat this with:

chicken + veggies
broccoli
or something high-fiber or high-fat

All of these help slow the glucose rise.

Item	Calories	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)	Protein (g)	Sodium (mg)	Sugar (g)
Chicken breast, cooked, skinless (4 oz)	200	0	6	34	400	0
Zucchini (1 cup)	20	4	0	1	9	0
Red bell pepper (1/5 piece)	16	3	0	0	0	2
Onion (1/2 cup, chopped)	32	7	0	1	3	3
Carrots (1 medium)	25	6	0	1	42	3
Teriyaki sauce (1 tbsp)	14	2	0	1	613	2
Soy sauce, low sodium (2 tbsp)	16	2	0	3	1,022	0
Olive oil (1 tsp)	40	0	5	0	0	0
Aldi Sweet Garden Peas, frozen (1/4 cup)	26	5	0	2	4	2
Laoganma Spicy Chili Crisp (1 tbsp)	105	2	11	1	140	1
Total	494	31	22	44	2,233	13

Sis – Carrie Sanders Morton Kellum

December 1, 2025December 16, 2025 bgibson135

Small copies of “Pinkie,” “Boy Blue,” and “Young Girl Reading” were on the living room wall of my Aunt Sis. I think Pinkie & Boy Blue were beside each other and I don’t recall where Young Girl Reading was located. Since I’ve been “playing” with AI for a few months now, I realized that it can generate images from your imagination. If you have an idea and can express it in words, the AI (and ChatGPT & Gemini handle image generation differently) and generate an image “heading toward” what you you’ve described. And, you can suggest changes, but not things like, “make her bosom fuller.” So it came to me, what not have Pinkie and Boy Blue reading. That way we would have a matched set of all three reading. And, if Pinkie and Boy Blue aren’t reading, why should we force “the Young Girl” to have to read endlessly? I think the AI did a wonderful job and perhaps if you didn’t know better you might think we are seeing them in their lives *Having written that last sentence I’ve now thought, “why not progress them through their lives. Perhaps as newly weds, or with their first child in arms, or even as elderly readers.

Meals: Things That Might Go With #1

November 30, 2025December 1, 2025 bgibson135

The first item I fixed in my new Instant Pot (actually my first and only Instant Pot) was black eyed peas with some seasoning meat. They turned out wonderfully. After a day in the fridge, and reheating, with a little chopped sweet onion, they were great!

Just yesterday, it had turned cold, and I had been up to Raleigh. I visited the State Farmers Market, Whole Foods & Wegmans before leaving town. On the way back home, I wanted some turnip & turnip greens with a little pork flavoring, and “the Red Neck BBQ Lab” off of I 40 did not have any (and really didn’t have a fixed time when they might — I was told to just check their Facebook page for updates).

I also stopped at Lee’s Fresh Market and bought three items: thick cut pork chops, frozen shrimp (heads & tails off, & peeled) and some chicken breasts. When I came through Erwin, North Carolina, I stopped at the IGA and bought a bunch of fresh turnips, with the greens still attached. By “a bunch” I didn’t mean a lot, but they come in a bunch, like a bunch of carrots.

I’ve already made “one mess” of turnips & greens and they turned out great. They were so good, and it took so little time (only 6 minutes under Pressure Cook) in the Instant Pot that I won’t have to go out to get them, ever again (until I can’t cook for myself at some point in the future).

So, this page is a result of me thinking, I would like to have some black eyed peas and some turnips & turnip greens as a meal, “What should I have with these two items.” And I asked my ‘AI of Choice’ Chat GPT and here is what it suggested (knowing a little about my likes & dislikes). And I think the suggestions were so good that I made this page so that I could remember them.

1. Roasted Sweet Potatoes (top pick)
    Natural sweetness balances the savory sides.
    Diabetic-friendly when roasted plain.
    Cube and roast 30–40 minutes at 400°F, or cook halved in the Instant Pot for 12 minutes.

2. Cornbread (classic Carolina/Southern pairing)
    Matches both greens and peas perfectly.
    Adds comforting texture and slight sweetness.
    Low-carb versions are possible if needed.

3. Cabbage (steamed, sautéed, or Instant Pot)
    Mild, buttery, and doesn’t overpower other flavors.
    Takes only 3 minutes in the Instant Pot.
    Completes the plate without adding heaviness.

4. Oven-Roasted Okra (or air-fried)
    Light, Southern, and easy.
    Roast at 425°F for 15–20 minutes with salt, pepper, and oil.
    Crispy outside and creamy inside.

5. Stewed Tomatoes
    Bright and light, balances heavier sides.
    Simple: tomatoes, onion, pepper, and a pinch of sweetener.
    Adds color and acidity to the plate.

6. Chilled Cucumber & Onion Salad
    Cool, crisp contrast to the hot sides.
    Sliced cucumbers + sweet onion + apple cider vinegar + salt.
    Refreshing and palate-cleansing.

NOTE: I love cornbread, especially the sweet “Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix” that I’ve made into a jalapeno & onion version, or even a sweet version with fruit. But, I know I can’t eat this without my blood sugar spiking. But if it didn’t, yeah, I would have cornbread with these foods. [end]

🥇 1. Roasted Sweet Potatoes (top pick)

This is the perfect complement.

Why it works:

Natural sweetness balances the savory peas and greens
Soft texture pairs with the beans
No vinegar needed
Extremely diabetic-friendly when roasted plain
Works hot or cold

Just cube them, toss with a little olive oil + salt, roast 30–40 minutes at 400°F.

Instant Pot version also works (cut in half, 12 minutes).

🥈 2. Cornbread (classic Carolina/Southern pairing)

If you want a classic soul-food plate:

Turnips & greens
Black-eyed peas
Cornbread

The cornbread adds a comforting, slightly sweet or slightly savory element depending on your recipe.

If you’re watching carbs, you can make a thin skillet-style no-sugar cornbread or even a cornbread made with almond flour + a little cornmeal.

🥉 3. Cabbage (steamed, sautéed, or Instant Pot)

Mild, buttery cabbage is a great third side because:

It doesn’t fight the flavors
It rounds out the “vegetable trio”
It’s extremely low carb
Takes 3 minutes in the Instant Pot
Works with a splash of vinegar or not

This makes the plate feel complete without overwhelming anything.

⭐ 4. Oven-roasted okra (or air-fried)

If you want something lighter but still Southern:

425°F for 15–20 min
Salt, pepper, olive oil
Crispy on the outside, creamy inside

You told me before you fry okra without breading — this is the same vibe but easier and lighter.

Will It Crisp Like the Picture?
Yes — as long as you:

Use the air-fry basket, not the solid pan
Cut the okra lengthwise for better airflow
Spread into one layer — no stacking
Use high heat (425–450°F on your model)

Your Black+Decker toaster oven’s air-fry mode uses strong convection, which is perfect for crisp okra with no flour at all.

Simple Air-Fried Okra (No Flour, Diabetic-Friendly Seasoning)

Ingredients

Fresh okra, sliced lengthwise
1–2 teaspoons oil (just enough to lightly coat—thin is key)
Salt & black pepper
Optional diabetic-friendly spices:
- Turmeric (great color + anti-inflammatory)
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Smoked paprika
- A tiny pinch of cayenne
- Fenugreek powder (very small amount—pairs well with okra)

All of these add flavor without carbs, flour, or sugar.

Instructions for Your Toaster Oven

Preheat on Air Fry at 425°F for 3–4 minutes.
Toss okra with a small amount of oil and the spices you like.
Spread into a single layer on the mesh air-fry tray.
Air fry 12–16 minutes, flipping or shaking halfway.
Remove when the edges look crisp and browned.

(Your toaster oven heats close to the food, so start checking around 10–12 minutes.)

Tips for Extra Crispiness

Don’t overcrowd the tray — crispness comes from airflow.
Use very little oil — too much softens okra.
Slice lengthwise — more exposed surface = more crisp.
If using frozen okra, cook straight from frozen, no thawing.

⭐ 5. Stewed tomatoes (simple, bright, cuts richness)

This adds:

Color
Acidity
A lighter contrast
Old-school Southern flavor

Only tomatoes, a little onion, pepper, and a pinch of sweetener if needed.

⭐ 6. A simple chilled cucumber & onion salad

This is a refreshing counterpoint to the hot, heavy sides.
Just:

Sliced cukes
Sliced sweet onion
ACV
Water
Pinch of salt

It brightens the plate.

🏆 The Most Balanced Plate (For You)

Considering your tastes, diabetes control, and what you’ve enjoyed lately, the best trio would be:

Turnips & Greens + Black-Eyed Peas + Roasted Sweet Potatoes

That plate is:

Balanced
Filling
Low sugar
High fiber
Flavorful
Southern as it gets

🍲 Instant Pot Lamb Stew (Basic Recipe)

November 30, 2025December 1, 2025 bgibson135

🍲 INSTANT POT LAMB STEW (BASIC RECIPE)
Servings: 4
Cook time: About 1 hour total

🥘 Ingredients

1 to 1½ lbs lamb, cut into 1–1½ inch chunks
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced (optional)
1–2 small turnips, cubed
1 cup diced tomatoes (optional)
3 cups beef or lamb broth
1 tsp salt (to taste)
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf

Optional: Worcestershire, smoked paprika, splash of red wine, garden peas.

✅ When to Add Garden Peas

Frozen peas: Add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking (or right after you turn the Instant Pot to KEEP WARM). They stay bright green and sweet.
Fresh peas: Same thing — add them at the end so they don’t get mushy or turn gray.

Why They Work

Their sweetness balances the richness of lamb.
They add color and a nice pop of texture.
They’re a classic ingredient in many British/Irish lamb stews.

If Cooking in the Instant Pot

Do not pressure-cook peas — they’ll disintegrate.
Stir them in after releasing pressure.

🔥 Best Browning Method (Stovetop → Instant Pot)

Heat a cast iron or stainless skillet over medium-high with a little oil.
Brown lamb in batches (don’t crowd the pan).
Transfer browned lamb to the Instant Pot.
Deglaze skillet with broth or wine and scrape up the brown bits.
Pour this flavorful liquid into the Instant Pot.

🔧 Instant Pot Instructions

Press Sauté. Add onion and celery; cook 3 minutes.
Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.
Stir in carrots and turnips.
Add a splash of broth/wine to deglaze the Instant Pot.
Return lamb to the pot. Add remaining broth, tomatoes, thyme, pepper, bay leaf, and optional ingredients.
Close lid. Pressure Cook for 25 minutes.
Natural Release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
Remove bay leaf, taste, and adjust seasoning.
Optional: To thicken, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with cold water and stir in; simmer on Sauté until thickened.

💡 Diabetic-Friendly Adjustments

Use turnips instead of potatoes
Add extra celery/onion to bulk it up
Skip cornstarch thickener
Use lean lamb or skim fat after cooking

Hard-Boiled Eggs — Instant Pot (Simple Method)

Add 1 cup of water to the pot.
Place eggs on a trivet or egg rack (they can touch each other).
Close lid → set Pressure Cook (or Manual) to 5 minutes.
When the 5 minutes end, let it naturally release for 5 minutes.
After that, do a quick release of the remaining pressure.
Immediately move eggs to ice water for 5 minutes.

That’s it — consistently easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs.

If you want softer or firmer yolks, I can give you the timing adjustments (4-4-4, 6-6-6, etc.).

🥣🥬 TURNIPS WITH GREENS — BASIC SOUTHERN STYLE

November 29, 2025November 30, 2025 bgibson135

🥣🥬 TURNIPS WITH GREENS — BASIC SOUTHERN STYLE

Ingredients (2–3 servings)
• 2 medium turnips, peeled & cut into chunks
• Greens from the turnips, washed well and chopped
• ½ medium onion (use more — you love onion)
• 1–2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1–2 tbsp olive oil or a little bacon fat (optional)
• 1½ cups water or broth
• Salt & pepper

Optional:
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Small piece of ham hock, diced bacon, or 1 tsp unsalted butter

Instant Pot (3-Qt) Instructions

Press Sauté. Add oil, onion, and garlic. Cook 2–3 minutes.
Add turnip chunks and stir.
🥬 Add chopped greens.
Add 1 cup water or broth.
Season with salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
Cancel Sauté. Close lid → Pressure Cook 6 minutes.
Natural Release 5 minutes, then Quick Release.

They come out soft, flavorful, and perfect for diabetic-friendly meals.

Note (11/29/25)
They cooked fast and were very flavorful.
I added more salt and a bit of unsalted butter — these were a success!
I should fix a mess of black-eyed peas to go with these. [end]

Diabetic Notes
• Very low carb
• Turnips are far friendlier than potatoes
• Greens add fiber with almost no carbs
• Olive oil keeps calories down
• A little bacon fat adds huge flavor

AI: Colorizations

November 26, 2025January 3, 2026 bgibson135

This feels like something from the Twilight Zone.

Not only can an AI take a black & white, pen & ink drawing and colorize it, but it can also go in the opposite direction, and take a full color photo and make a good looking pen & ink drawing. It can generate an image from your imagination. For instance, “the Young Girl Reading,” is a classic piece of art. I asked an AI to create an image of her “not reading, and standing looking at the audience.” I think this is an excellent rendition of “the Young Girl Not Reading.” And how about political fantasy. Build the Wall, tall & wide & electrified. Well, my thought was that you could never build it high enough that Santa and his reindeer could not fly over it. And note that Santa is using both English and Spanish to direct his reindeer.

And what about the thought that as Santa and his reindeer were flying over Venezuela, they were mistakenly taken to be drug runners and shot down. And of course the “double tap” order was devastating to the two survivors holding on to the sleigh, to the last.

And above are examples of how an AI can convert a full color image into a nice pen & ink drawing. I knew it was possible when I saw the old Southern plantation home. The bowl of olives were distinctive. I was actually walking past a poster at the library and took a picture of it. The AI easily digitized the baby polar bear, the baby penguin and the snowman. And then later I was looking through a cookbook, and realized I could take a picture of a bowl or a stack of pans and have the AI removed the background. I could have even asked it to change the colors of each pot.

And just now I had some fun with a quote from the movie, Tombstone, with Kurt Russell and “the late” Val Kilmer. “I’m your huckleberry.” Now, I’ve been told that huckleberry is another name for a blueberry, so…

For years my favorite Birthday Cake was blueberry pie. I haven’t had either in quite a while, but know I could go to Walmart today and probably buy one of those small one serving blueberry pies for less than $2. Although I haven’t checked their price in a couple of years.

New Glasses

November 25, 2025December 17, 2025 bgibson135

I ordered a new pair of eyeglasses from LensCrafters this afternoon at Cross Creek Mall in Fayetteville. They cost about $465 for the pair.

The glasses I had been wearing had prescription lenses from a couple of exams ago, but both pair of glasses that had been made with a newer prescription just drove me nuts when I put them on. Fortunately the new glasses have worked pretty well.

I have noted that on certain digital signage I am getting a 3D effect. I asked ChatGPT if this might be caused by the glasses and it said, “No.” However, I’m going to find a sign where I can sit and change glasses. I think it is the glasses. 3D effect? Yeah, like when an image is colorized and sort of out of focus. When you wear the right kind of glasses it creates a 3D effect. But my glasses don’t distort as severely as shown in the photo below, but just a red/green outline around the digital lettering.

Flax–Mexican-Hot Chocolate Drink

November 25, 2025November 25, 2025 bgibson135

Bill’s Flax–Mexican-Hot Chocolate Drink (accurate version)

Flax flour
Water
Ceylon cinnamon
Instant coffee
Sugar-free chocolate syrup
Monkfruit sweetener (tried liquid Stevia first)
Cayenne pepper (confirmed by the spicy “pepper warm” feeling)
Turmeric (most likely — you were thinking about it for absorption and flavor)
Avocado oil (turmeric has oil soluble elements)
Ground black pepper (enhances Turmeric benefits greatly)

I was looking for a way to improve the flavors of drinking a flax flour & water mixture. This thickens well, but the flavor isn’t there. But adding the coffee & chocolate flavorings did work. And hopefully I can slip the turmeric boost in without affecting the other flavors negatively.

Meal: 🥩Thick Cut Pork Chop, 🫘Black Eyed Peas & 🥬Mayo Coleslaw

November 25, 2025November 25, 2025 bgibson135

I pulled out a frozen Thick Cut Pork Chop that came from Lee’s Fresh Market a few weeks ago. This is my first attempt at thawing meat quickly using my new Instant Pot, and then finishing it under Broil in the oven. *I’ve got a generous “helping” of the seasoned black eyed peas that was my first attempt in my Instant Pot a few days ago. They cooked perfectly and now that they’ve had a couple of day’s in the fridge, are awesomely flavored. And I had a small amount of shredded green cabbage that I plan to make a Duke’s Mayo coleslaw, with some sweet onion, and sweetened with some Monkfruit sweetener. Just bought the Monkfruit sweetener at the Apple Crate Naturals Store yesterday and haven’t sweetened anything with it yet. It does taste sweet to the tongue. *And, I’m going to try the Cajun Rub suggested by my AI of Choice (ChatGPT), on my pork chop.