Sometime in October, I tend to get slammed with real life. All good stuff, but you know - a meet on the opposite end of the city, work to do, a toddler who is suddenly into everything, doctors appointments, and a very important World Series baseball game to get home in time to watch. Phew. Tonight's dinner needed to be hearty for the post-meet runner and I knew that I wanted to create a beef stew recipe that I could make quickly in the Instant Pot®.

Today is such a gorgeous fall day. The sky is bright blue and the leaves are beginning to peak.  I decided to take my 2 year old on a walk to the park.  We played for awhile and then continued walking away from home, because it was absolutely gorgeous and I love to be outside.  After awhile, I realized we were about 40 minutes from home and both my daughter and I were suddenly STARVING.  I did not have any snacks, so I decided to distract her with fallen leaves and neighborhood Halloween decorations. Meanwhile, I fantasized about any number of things I could make for lunch. Since I was so hungry, I knew I could be tempted by some bad choices, so I needed something healthy and substantial to combat the junk food cravings. A ​goddess bowl (or glory bowl, or Buddha bowl) ​sounded perfect.  Quinoa, assorted veggies, dressing and toppings would be just the thing. All I needed was to make some quinoa and preferably in my Instant Pot​®.

I have been in denial about the change in seasons (as I always am), but as I take my morning walk, I have noticed the beautiful trees are changing to vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges. Fall is officially here. The days are getting shorter, the weather is cooler, and despite being sad that summer is over, I am in the mood for cozy sweaters, boots, and Fall foods. This week, I picked up a ​butternut squash ​at the market, but I did not have a plan in mind. My favorite way to prepare squash is to roast it in the oven, however, steamed squash in the  Instant Pot®  is great for mashing and using in soup. I have plans to use this in a risotto that I will hopefully share with you soon.

I have been trying to find a fall-themed dessert that I could make in the Instant Pot®. I came up with several ideas, but I really wanted to be able to make a simple pumpkin pie. I love this recipe for its simplicity and deliciousness. I call this recipe "weeknight pumpkin pie." While it is certainly tasty enough for Thanksgiving, you are limited by the size of the Instant Pot®​. I used my7 in. spring form pan, which makes a dessert that serves 6-8 people.  If you host a small Thanksgiving, then this is the perfect dessert.  Otherwise, you can make it for an easy, but special weeknight dessert.