Coco Morante: Solve Problems for Yourself and Others
In this interview, author Coco Morante discusses the inspiration for her latest cookbook, the biggest challenge of writing meal prep and more.
Coco Morante is a recipe developer; the author of The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook, The Ultimate Air Fryer Oven Cookbook, and The Instant Kitchen Cookbook; and the creator of the Lefty Spoon blog. Her recipes are featured in outlets such as People, Epicurious, TASTE, Simply Recipes, and The Kitchn. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two daughters.
In this interview, Coco discusses the inspiration for her latest cookbook, the biggest challenge of translating meal prep to a book, and more.
Name: Coco Morante
Literary agent: Alison Fargis at Stonesong
Book title: The Instant Kitchen Meal Prep Cookbook: Plan and Cook Ahead for Fast, Family-Friendly Meals Using Your Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer
Publisher: Harvest (HarperCollins)
Release date: December 30, 2025
Genre/category: Cookbook
Previous titles: The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook, The Ultimate Air Fryer Oven Cookbook, The Instant Kitchen Cookbook, The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook, The Essential Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook, The Essential Diabetes Instant Pot Cookbook, The Ultimate Instant Pot Healthy Cookbook
Elevator pitch for the book: This 10-week meal prep guide shows busy families how to use their pressure cooker and air fryer together to get dinners on the table faster with less stress and more flavor.
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What prompted you to write this book?
Despite being a professional cookbook author and recipe developer, I found myself running out of steam each afternoon when I had to figure out what to feed my family for dinner. Then when I talked to some of my friends, I realized that we were all in the same boat! Taking advantage of two strategies (planning ahead with meal prep, and cooking faster with the air fryer and pressure cooker) seemed like a no brainer for my next project.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
About two and a half years from concept to publication. The core idea of the book stayed the same. As I tested recipes on my family and got feedback from my crosstester, I learned what worked best on busy weeknights versus what sounded good on paper. I ended up simplifying some of the dinner plans, including just what was necessary to make the meals both efficient to make and delicious to eat.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I think the biggest challenge was translating the idea of meal prep into something that can provide enough variety throughout the week, while not creating an overwhelming amount of time spent in the kitchen. Nobody wants to pull containers of broccoli, rice, and chicken out of the fridge every night. When I think of meal prep, it’s more about prepping as many components ahead as makes sense, then putting them together quickly at dinnertime.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Writing this book made me realize how meal planning could help me delegate some labor and mental load to another member of the household, my husband. With shopping lists already in place, he could get the kids out on a grocery run on Saturday while I had a chance to reset the kitchen and have a little quiet time at home. He also had the chance to scan the menu plans and add on any extras he needed. As a Type 1 diabetic, he’s always subbing in low-carb options for rice, bread, and pasta, and it has been so nice for both of us to not be thinking about that at the last minute.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope they feel less stressed about dinner. Meal prep doesn't have to mean eating the same thing five days in a row. With some planning and a few hours of prep on the weekend, you can have a lot more breathing room on weekday afternoons in the lead up to dinner time.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Write the book you wish existed! If you're solving a problem for yourself, chances are you're solving it for thousands of other people too.
