Cooking brown rice doesn’t have to be a daunting, time-consuming task. Making it in the Instant Pot takes one-third of the time and it is completely hands off. You simply add all the ingredients and let the pressure cooker do the work.

I like to cook a large batch of brown rice at a time. Each batch gets split up for several meals and can be stored in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to three months. To freeze rice, let it cool completely after cooking. Then spread it in a thin layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a baking liner and freeze. Once frozen, you can transfer the rice to a freezer bag. Freezing in a thin layer prevents it from freezing in a solid block.

Cooking your rice in advance can save you major time when you’re ready to cook dinner. You can reheat refrigerated or frozen rice in a non-stick skillet or use the rice to bulk up your meals.

My favorite thing to do with cooked rice is make skillet meals by adding a protein, some vegetables and some seasonings to kick it up. Take two cups of cooked rice, add one cup of salsa and one drained and rinsed can of black beans. Sauté it so the flavors can come together and top with cooked taco meat for a delicious Taco Bowl.