Monday, January 16, 2012

Solar Stirfry

For our stirfry today I am going to let my wife cut up our favorite vegetables while I start cooking the stirfry noodles. I start with a wok and about a quart of water. Once the water is boiling I add the noodles and cook them for about 5 minutes. Soon as they are done I pour them into a strainer to drain off the water and leave them in the stainer till later. Then I add a small amount of cooking oil, water and our favorite stirfry sauce into the wok. Then I add our chopped up veggies, Today we have purple cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and seitan.

I place the wok back onto the solar burner and instantly you can here the vegetables sizzling in the heat produce by the sun and concentrated by the parabola. This means you have to keep the vegetables moving so that they do not scorch or burn. Once the vegetables are hot I pour the noodles back into the wok to join the them in our savory stirfry sauce. Tasting samples is a good way to determine whether or not you have the right amount of sauce for your pallet. Cooking is an art and not always dependent on precise measurements. Flavor, texture, and appearance are all important things to consider when preparing your favorite dishes. In stirfrys the the vegetables should be hot but still slightly crisp with the noodles al dente.

The Parabolic Solar Burner is the perfect cooking appliance for stirfrys because of the high heat they produce.

So the next time you are in the mood for a light and healthy meal try a quick and easy to make Solar Stirfry.

Other ideas for vegetables, seeds, and nuts that can be added to stirfrys
Bokchoy, Mushrooms, onions, garlic, greens of all kinds, carrots, sprouts, napa cabbage squash, arugula, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pine nuts, slivered almonds and many others. Just remember to be adventurous and creative in your cooking. You will be surprised at the amazing dishes you will come up with.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Solar Up Side Down Breakfast Cake




Solar Up Side Down Breakfast Cake

1 ¼ cup fresh berries, Black or Raspberries work equally well.
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon raw sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of water

Oil a 24 oz Pyrex bowl then place the fresh berries in the bottom, sprinkle a little of the sugar over them. Then mix the remaining sugar and all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the vanilla and water. Mix to a nice pancake batter consistency. Pour the batter over your fresh berries and place into a preheated solar oven for 45 minutes or until batter is cooked through. Test with a tooth pic if you are not sure. That's all there is to it.

This vegan recipe is a great way to start the day. Add a little herbal tea and your on your way.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Solar Sour Dough Biscuits


Solar Sour Dough Biscuits

This recipe was developed from an old Dutch Oven Sour Dough Biscuit recipe.

1 cup of whole wheat flour
1 cup of all purpose flour
2 cups of sour dough starter
¼ cup of cooking oil
1 teaspoon of salt
3 table spoons of raw sugar.
1 table spoon of baking powder. (optional in case you want to cut proofing time in half.)

Place flour, salt, sugar, in to a mixing bowl and mix. Next add the oil and cut in till you have pea sized lumps. Next add the sour dough starter and gently mix till dough is even consistency. Take golf ball sized pieces of dough and round them into balls and place them into an oiled pan. Cover and let proof for one hour. One half hour if you added baking powder. Then place into your pre-heated solar oven and bake for one hour. Serve hot with dinner. Great with soups, stews, beans or even by themselves.

I have even used this recipe to make a delicious old west style peach cobbler. Just place a bed of dough in the bottom of a round pan and pour in two 16 ounce cans of peaches with their juice. Add a little cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Place the remaining dough over the top and bake in the solar oven for an hour and fifteen minutes or until signs of a crispy crust and boiling fruit. Great served with a little almond milk poured over it in a bowl.  

Solar No Knead Sour Dough Bread


Solar No Knead Sour Dough Bread

This recipe was developed from a sour dough recipe designed for home ovens. It now creates a beautiful delicious sour dough bread in you Solar Oven.






1 cup of whole wheat flour
2.5 cups of all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons of salt
1 ½ table spoons of raw sugar
¼ cup of whole wheat sour dough starter
¼ cup of white flour sour dough starter.
1 ¼ cup of filtered water.

Place all your dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, stir together.
Stir the sour dough starters into the water and then mix the water into the dry ingredients.
Place the mixing bowl into a plastic bag and close tightly. Place in a warm area to proof for 6 hours.
Once the dough has proofed place the dough on to a floured surface and flour your hands as dough should be very wet and sticky. Gently with your fingers spread the dough out into a circle about ¾ of an inch thick. Fold it over in thirds. Then fold it again in half. Let sit under a towel for about 15 minutes. Mean while spray oil into a mixing bowl and cover with wheat bran. Dump out the excess bran. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl during the final proofing. Once the dough has sat for the 15 minutes flour your hands and gently shape into a ball and place into the bowl. Once again cover with a plastic bag and let proof for one hour. This is a good time to start warming your solar oven. Once the hour is up gently turn the mixing bowl over and guide the dough into a round oiled bread pan. Bake for one and a half hours. The breads core temp should reach 200 degrees. Let cool for a couple of hours and you have fresh sour dough bread.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Dennis's Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

3 ¼ cups of whole wheat flour

3 teaspoons of salt

8 teaspoons of baking powder

½ cup of dairy free chocolate chips

1 cup of chopped pecans

30 ounce can of pumpkin pie mix

½ cup of molasses

¾ cup of water

Place dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix, then add all the moist ingredients and mix together.

Bake at 350 to 375 for 30 minutes in a oiled muffin tin. Makes a dozen large muffins.

Great breakfast treat.

Here is a Solar Oven version of this recipe for those who like to cook with the sun.




Sunday, March 6, 2011

Please Boycott these Corporations

There is a devastating destruction of our natural environment by greedy corporations who's only goal is to gain profits off of food products that are harming all of humanity and the other species we share this planet with. I ask that we all vote with our forks and refuse to eat or purchase any products produced by these corporations and their use of factory farms. (CAFO) If you are in question as to what damage these farms produce then I suggest you watch this documentary.

A River of Waste

Our greatest power to stop these corporations is in our ability to boycott their products. Also contact them and let them know why they will no longer be selling or profiting off you and your friends.


Major Corporations to Boycott

Monsanto
Tyson Foods
Kraft Foods
Smithfield
Hormel Foods
Pilgrims Pride
Con Agra Foods
Matutum
and many others. I suggest boycotting any product that uses animal foods in their ingredients.