Start early, the seeds roast all day for this recipe.

Ingredients

1.5 cups sesame seeds
2 T oil (grapeseed or olive oil)
pinch of salt

Directions

Set your Solavore Sport out in the sun to preheat.

Pour sesame seeds into a roasting pan or sheet pan that fits in the oven. Place the pan in the oven and let the seeds roast many hours, through the peak of the midday sun.

Place roasted seeds and salt in a food processor and process for about 30 seconds. Slowly add oil and process until it forms a smooth paste.

Store tahini in a glass container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for about one month.

Your homemade tahini is perfect for use in our Roasted Beet Hummus and Moroccan Spiced Roasted Carrot Hummus recipes.

We're so excited for this recipe. Yes because it's so delicous but also because it was submited by a Solavore customer and friend Roger Stanton.

Take it away Roger...

When cooking BBQ ribs, there are two main objectives;

1. Maintain a steady temperature over time.
2. Keep the ribs moist.

The Solavore Solar Oven is perfect for both makes an amazing solar BBQ cooker.

Just look at these Ribs!

Fall off the bone delicious! 

Most recipes call for cooking the food item in the Sport cooking pots, but they are not needed here. Find a flat, dark colored pan that fits in the bottom of the oven to catch the juices as the ribs cook.

The small baking pans that come with countertop ovens are just about the right size. Optionally, you can use an upright rib rack. Whether you lay the rib rack flat down in the pan, or you use a rib rack, make sure the ribs don’t drip outside the underlying pan. That will make cleanup more difficult.

Preparing the Ribs

Preparing ribs for the Solavore oven is no different than how you would prepare ribs for a gas grill or smoker. Follow your favorite recipe. Optional steps might include:

• removing the membrane from the bone side of the rib rack
• brining
• marinating (excellent option here)
• applying dry rub (excellent recipe here)

Let the sun shine!

You'll need to generate around 225 to 250 degrees for at least five(5) hours,  so wait for a clear day.  If the ribs spent the night in the fridge, let them reach room temperature before placing in the oven.  Pre-heat the Sport while the ribs are coming to room temp.  Getting started by 10:00 am is a great idea - morning skies are generally clearer than afternoon.

• Place the pan with the ribs in the oven
• If you have reflectors you can use them at the start, then remove when the temp hits 225 degrees.  (If you don't have reflectors, no worries, you'll just add a bit more time). 
• Watch the thermometer and start the clock when it reaches 225 degrees

Cook time

Method 1 - Cook for 5 hours at 250 degrees. They will be fall-off-the-bone tender and ready to eat with your favorite BBQ sauce.

Method 2 - Cook for 4 hours at 250 degrees. Remove them from the oven, baste them with a good BBQ sauce, and finish them in a gas grill at 350 degrees.

They will take on a rich, caramelized finish. Yum!

We hope you enjoy these Ribs cooked in our Solavore Sport Solar Oven, it's a great solar BBQ cooker. 

Got a sunny day and some really ripe bananas? This recipe is a hit with everyone, especially the kids.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 3⁄4 cup light brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2 medium bananas, mashed (very ripe)
• 1⁄3 cup peanut butter
• 1⁄4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3⁄4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the Solavore Sport by setting it outside pointed toward the sun.

Coat standard loaf pan with cooking spray.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Whisk together mashed bananas, peanut butter, yogurt, egg, and oil. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Scrape batter into loaf pan.

Bake approximately 90 minutes, or until toothpick comes out with few moist crumbs. Ours baked at about 250 degrees without reflectors.

Let the bread cool for at least 25 minutes before slicing.

The egg is seen around the world as a symbol of life and rebirth. Kind of like a Solavore getting to cook outside after a long winter!

With Easter around the corner you should know that cooking hardboiled eggs in your Sport is a synch.

Here is how it's done: 

Place six uncooked eggs into your GraniteWare pot, for around 1 ½ hours. More eggs, more time.

THAT'S IT! 

The number of eggs you need for Easter egg dying makes it a great way to test hard-boiled egg cook time for your region – determining the right amount of time to get the eggs to your favorite consistency.  

The hardest part will be remembering which batch is which when it comes time to crack the shell. (Try color coding your batches to make life easier)

Now get out there and enjoy some hardboiled goodness:) 

Photo Courtesy: Inhabitat

The motives for people participating in the off grid tiny house movement are vast. Some do it as a measure against materialism, some for a little peace and quiet, and some for environmental conservation.

An ideal that encapsulates this movement is being self sustaining--living off the grid.

As you take your first steps toward an off grid tiny house, think back on these tips so you can make the most of your efforts!

1. Examine Your Energy

Many in the modern world have grown accustomed to consistent access to energy. We tend to take it for granted, and breaking the cycle is hard-- but not impossible.  

As fidelity.com puts it, off grid life means you'll need to be energy conscious and willing to make lifestyle changes.

If you're a tech gadget person where your life revolves around electronics, it's going to be extremely hard for you to go completely off the grid.

Go Solar.

A great place to start is with solar power. Solar installations for your off grid tiny house doesn't have to break the bank--especially if you start small.

There are a myriad of small devices that can be powered with solar energy--ranging from wall sockets to outdoor lighting. Not to mention smaller installations that can cost less than 100 dollars.

Here are the seven best small solar panel chargers.

If you do want to take the leap and go full solar there is a large initial buy in.

As one couple found out though the technology can pay itself off in the long run--especially with the help of government tax incentives for going green.

Check out our blog post: Solar Powered Tiny House to explore even more solar options. 

2. Cooking Food In Your Off Grid Tiny House

Of all the off grid tiny house challenges, this one should cause you the least amount of grief. Two words: solar oven.

Hate to be all gimmicky about solar power, but it is by far the most accessible option when it comes to the average Joe using renewable energy.

1. The Solavore Sport solar oven cooks like a crock pot, allows you to pasteurize water from natural sources and gives you everything you need in an oven without making sacrifices.

2. It's made out of durable, recyclable plastic. Animals can't get in. And it's safe for little fingers-they won't get burned. 

3. Bake and cook! You can make a whole array of different recipes without worrying about heating up the kitchen or using any fossil fuel. The only energy you need? The sun. Magic.

4. You won't need to take up any space in the kitchen, the solar oven can hang on on your off grid tiny house.

5. It weighs only nine pounds!

3. Store Your Food Differently

Storing food obviously has specific complications when you’re going off the grid. With the right setup you can store enough energy to keep all your appliances going when the sun is down and the wind stops.

But what if you don’t have such a setup? Here are a couple pointers:

1. Glass containers

When you buy jam at the store or anything that comes in a glass jar, keep it when you’re done, and use that as a food storage container. Mason jars work wonderfully. If you are ready for new tupperware now, buy glass ones, they last a lot longer.

2. Buy in bulk

The more you purchase in bulk, the more packaging you save. Don’t be scared of the bulk section. One thing to be careful of here is not to buy food that you think you’ll waste. Because that just kind of defeats the purpose :)

You may also want to consider keeping more nonperishable food items on hand. For ideas on how to store foods like this check out our Ultimate Guide To Survival Prepping

4. Waste Disposal, Different In Your Off Grid Tiny House

Your off grid tiny house is an environmentally conscientious entity. So the way you dispose of waste should be in line with that.

Even living small can create large amounts of trash.

Start with your food

Not all of your food waste has to be thrown away. Fruit and vegetable scraps, plus food wastes such as coffee grounds, tea bags and eggs shells can be composted.

Compost feeds soil. So if you have a garden then this will be an easy thing to implement. There are lots of resources out there on how to compost, what to put it in your compost pile, etc.

Try to avoid compositing animal products such as bones, fats and cheeses as they can attract animals and odor.

Human Waste

For human waste there are several routes you can go. More high tech options include an incinerating toilet, which uses electric heat to reduce human waste to a clean ash; or a composting toilet which breaks the waste down into a fertilizer.

If these options are out of budget, a latrine system or traditional outhouse work fine as well--but keep in mind both of these limit the mobility of your home.

For further direction on reducing waste, visit our list of the 19 ways you can reduce waste.

A woman fit two years of waste into just one mason jar! It's doable. It starts with mindfulness. 

5. Recycle As Much As Possible

Resources for the off grid tiny house dweller can be scarce. By not purchasing new every time you use something you can save time, money and valuable resources.

Recycling plastics is a good place to start. Do keep in mind though, some plastics are not intended for second use and are best taken to your local recycling center.

If you need pointers on what plastics you can recycle, greenlivingtips.com has you covered.

If you're you're currently living full time in an RV or a tiny house, then you're probably already used to living off the grid some of the time.

So going fully off the grid just takes a little planning but comes with a multitude of benefits.

But with some planning and the with the right set up you can take your off grid tiny house almost anywhere and not have to concern yourself with finding a utility hookup.

Rest easy at night knowing you rely on your own tested and proven systems rather than some random utility company.

You've battled your way through the windy, cold and icy days. You've woken up when it was still dark out, and you arrived home with no sunshine to spare. 

The dark days are over!

Or as Florence likes to say, "the dog days are over." :) 

Sunlight is increasing. You know what that means-- there are more hours to cook with your Solavore Sport solar oven!

Whether you decide to go camping, host your first spring gathering outside of your tiny home, or garden with your kids...grab your people and whip up something delicious in your solar oven. 

Saltute the sun & cheers your friends. 

Check out our sale: purchase a Solavore Sport w/ TR-86 Reflector and get a FREE Stow or Go Carrying Case. A $45 value. The carrying case comes in so handy. Enjoy! The sale runs March 17- March 21 2017. 

Here are a couple of wonderful recipes to make in your Solavore Sport that appropriately welcome spring! Check out our entire recipe collection here. 

Shaved Asparagus and Prosciutto Frittata

Adapted for solar cooking from a version on smittenkitchen.com, we made a few changes for cooking in the Solavore Sport and loved the results. It cooks in about an hour, so why not place it in the oven, go for a walk or hike and come back to brunch waiting for you!

Ingredients

1/2 pound asparagus, cleaned, not trimmed

2 ounces thinly sliced proscuitto (optional)

6 large eggs, scrambled

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

2 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

2 to 4 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled (to taste)

Directions

Set the Solavore Sport out in the sun to preheat.

Prepare the asparagus: No need to snap off the tough ends of your asparagus. Lay a single stalk on its side on a cutting board. Holding onto the tough end, use a vegetable peeler to peel ribbons away from the tough end (and your hand) right through the soft tip. Discard the tough ends once you’re done peeling.

Spray your graniteware pan with cooking spray. Add shaved asparagus and sliced scallions and optional prosciutto to the pan and distribute evenly.  Scramble eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour eggs over the items already in the pan. Add the crumbled goat cheese evenly on top.

Cover your pot and place in the Solavore Sport. This frittata will need to cook for approximately 1 to 1.5 hours, you'll know it's done when the eggs are firm in the center. Serve warm.

Jerk Chicken

Try serving this Caribbean inspired dish with with white or brown rice, a side of your favorite tropical fruit, and a twist of lime.

Ingredients 

4 scallions, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 to 3 fresh Scotch bonnet or 1
habanero chili, stemmed and seeded
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 T. soy sauce
3 T. olive oil
1 ½ t. salt
1 T. packed brown sugar
1 T. fresh thyme leaves
2 t. ground allspice
2 t. black pepper
½ t.  freshly grated nutmeg
½ t. cinnamon

4-5 lbs. chicken thighs, drumsticks, or breasts

Directions 

Combine all marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Marinate chicken pieces in the Jerk marinade over night or up to one full day.

Remove chicken from marinade and place it in your pot. Put the pot in the Sport, aim it towards the sun and let it cook until it’s done, usually 1 ½ to 2 hours. 

It’s as easy as that…..

Blueberry Crumble

This recipe is adapted for solar cooking from Natasha's Kitchen.  It required no changes to ingredients or quantities, just baking time.

INGREDIENTS

2 to 2¼ pounds (about 36 oz) fresh blueberries, rinsed & well-drained

2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 tsp lemon zest (zest of 1 lemon)

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

for crumble topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cup brown sugar, packed

⅛ tsp (generous pinch) of salt

8 Tbsp (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, diced

½ cup quick-cooking oats

1 cup sliced almonds, divided

DIRECTIONS

Place your Solavore Sport in the sun to preheat.

Toss blueberries with 2 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup sugar, 3 Tbsp flour and ½ tsp ground cinnamon and toss with the blueberries just until evenly coated. Pour into a 9 x 13– inch baking dish.

Combine 1 cup flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup brown sugar, and ⅛ tsp of salt. Stir to combine. Add the diced cold butter and use a pastry cutter to mix until the butter is the size of peas.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add ½ cup oatmeal and use your hands to make large crumbles. Add ½ cup of the sliced almonds and mix to combine.

Spread the topping over the fruit and cover evenly, then sprinkle ½ cup of almonds over the top.

Place the pan in the solar oven to bake. Attach the reflector if you have one, the extra heat will really help to get the blueberries to burst and get the juices cooking. The crumble is done when the topping is slightly browned and the blueberry filling is bubbling on the edges. At about 275 degrees, our crumble baked for between 1.5 and 2 hours.

To serve, top with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

We’ve all been there, the brief weekend camping trip where you only pack the essentials and pass on the extras. Instead of delicious meals cooked on your camping stove, maybe you settled for a couple cans of beans warmed up over the fire--not the best camping food in the world but it gets the job done.

The truth is: Camping without proper nutrition is a BAD idea. You never know what can happen out there, or when a nice, easy weekend trip can turn into a survival situation. That’s why you should always be prepared, and while you’re at it you should enjoy the food you’re eating as well.

This list of essentials will help get you on the right track to having the best camping food you’ve ever had, which in turn will yield some top notch experiences in the great outdoors.

Why Camp With A Solar Oven

Aside from the numerous positive environmental impacts, there are just two key terms that encapsulate all of why camping with a solar oven is awesome: Convenient and delicious.

The Solavore Sport offers you the ability to cook a wide range of food options in a safe, easy and convenient manner--removing the hassle of a gas camping stove and the safety hazards associated with a traditional fire.

When you’re out camping, the prime directive is to enjoy yourself, so the best thing to do is have equipment that is as worry free as you are. The Solavore Sport is made out of rugged, recyclable plastic, the oven is essentially gorilla proof (: 

As for the deliciousness aspect, nothing beats nomming on some crock pot style pot roast while you’re looking out over your landscape of choice.

These are the kinds of eats you just can’t get out of traditional camping equipment.

Best High Yield Ingredients: Small Package, Big Nutrition

The best camping food gives you the most nutrition in the smallest package. If you or someone you know is a foodie, you have probably heard the term “superfood” used to describe foods like these.

Sure, garlic and kale top the list as far as superfoods you can use to cook with, or have a salad, but what about nutrient dense ingredients you can actually take with you and enjoy while camping?

Check it out:

Salmon

This and other types of fatty fish contain the highest amounts of Omega-3s. Authoritynutition.com says Omega-3 fatty acids are extremely important for the optimal function of your body. They’re linked to improved wellbeing and a lower risk of many serious diseases.

Although salmon is mainly prized for its beneficial composition of fatty acids, it also packs a massive amount of other nutrients.

Potatoes

Between their nutritional benefits and easy storage, potatoes may just be the best camping food you can get. Authority Nutrition says a single large potato contains lots of Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Copper and Manganese--with plenty of Vitamin C and most of the B Vitamins. This makes the potato a powerful ingredient to add to a stew, or simply eaten by itself after baking in the Sport.

Avocados

Creamy, succulent avocados not only contain the best kind of fat, according to Oprah.com, but also help your body block the absorption of bad fats (cholesterol). They're high in Lutein, which aids eyesight, and in Potassium and Folate. These reduce the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease, and they're low in pesticides. Eat this item straight or add it to an existing recipe for an excellent, nourishing result.

Pomegranates 

This seedy fruit is high in antioxidants. In fact, one pomegranate can have as much as seven times the antioxidants of a serving of green tea. Just like avocados, pomegranates can be enjoyed as an addition to a dish, or completely on their own.

Quinoa

This “super grain” is high in fiber, filled with protein, skinnyms.com says, and it offers a pleasant nutty flavor. It cooks up like rice and is naturally gluten-free. This food is easy to store, and cooks up well in a solar oven!

Best Camping Food Ideas That Require No Refrigeration

A common issue campers run into in trying to enjoy good camping food is what to bring that is good but also doesn’t require refrigeration. At first it can feel very limiting, but with a little research it's obvious some of the best camping food out there isn’t restricted by the confines of a refrigeration unit.

Corn On The Cob

Check out the recipe here

Solar oven corn on the cob requires no water, just place it in the pot and cook! You will need 4-6 ears of fresh corn for this. Break ears of corn in half and place in the Sport cooking pot.

Cover pot and place in the Solavore Sport. Let the corn cook approximately 2 hours. Serve as is, or brush on an herbed butter or flavored oil

Stuffed Poblano Peppes

Check out the recipe here

Ingredients:

• 1 cup corn
• 1 15 oz can black beans, drained
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped red pepper
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 6 poblano peppers

Directions:

Wash the poblano peppers. Cut the stem end off and slice the pepper lengthwise, halfway to the bottom. Remove all seeds. You may want to wear gloves while you work on the peppers to keep them from burning your hands.

Place all remaining ingredients in a bowl, and stir to combine.

Stuff each poblano with filling, and place in a dark pan that has been oiled or sprayed with cooking spray. Place the pan in the Solavore Sport and let them cook in the sun! Cooking time will be approximately one hour and 20 minutes.

Roasted Cauliflower

Check out the recipe here

Roasting vegetables in the solar oven is a great option for a refrigerator free camping food. This roasted cauliflower recipe can stand alone as a dish, or be added to one of these five camping food recipes.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower cut into florets
• 1/2 a large onion cut into large chunks
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 a lemon
• fresh thyme

Directions:

Toss the cauliflower, onion, and olive oil together, then place it all in your Sport graniteware pot. Add kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Place your covered pot in the Solavore Sport. Let cook for about two hours until nicely browned and tender. Once you remove the cauliflower from the oven, sprinkle chopped fresh thyme and the juice of half a lemon on top.

There you go, you have a side dish ready to eat! Or toss it with pasta or quinoa for an entree.

Southwestern Quinoa with Sweet Potato and Black Beans

Check out the recipe here

The base camp population is higher than normal. Some extra pals came along this weekend and you’ve got to whip up some grub for your hungry constituents but time is running short. Quinoa to the rescue--this one pot dish is easy and feeds a crowd.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of black beans, drained (15 oz)
• 1 large sweet potato cut in 1/2 to 3/4 inch dice
• 1 cup uncooked, rinsed quinoa
• 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup water or broth
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 1/2 T taco seasoning
• optional chopped fresh jalapeno
• salt and pepper to taste
• green onions and cilantro for garnish

Directions:

Place all ingredients in your Sport graniteware pot and give it a stir. Place the covered pot in the preheated Solavore Sport and let cook for 2.5 to 3 hours. Once the sweet potatoes are cooked through and the liquid has been been absorbed, it is ready to eat. Garnish with the cilantro and green onions and use salt and pepper if desired.

Moroccan Chickpea Tagine

Check out the recipe here

A tagine is traditionally cooked in a cone shaped earthenware pot over hot charcoal. This version of the moroccan dish translates easily to the solar oven. It is very flavorful and uses an interesting blend of spices. Serve it on a bed of rice or couscous.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup carrot sliced in thin rounds
• 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/4 cup raisins or currants
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• juice of half a lemon

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients except the lemon juice in your graniteware pan, stir well and cover. Place the pot in your Solavore Sport and let it cook for about 3 hours. Remove from the oven and squeeze the lemon juice over the tagine. Stir again and it is ready to serve. If desired, you can top it with a dollop of greek yogurt and some chopped parsley.

Best Camping Food Make Ahead Meals

Foods that keep well are what you need to keep in mind when it comes to the best camping food you can make ahead of time. Foods like pizza and french fries tend to not recook well, while chili, soup and pasta can be even better on the second day.

The key here is to avoid doughy recipes or ones with prepared potatoes because these items tend to lose their texture and consistency in the reheating process.  Here are some recipes to keep in mind with your camping meal prep:

Punjabi Eggplant

Check out the recipe here

Ingredients:

• 2 whole eggplants
• 4-6 fresh tomatoes
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped.
• 1/4 - 1/2 t. chipotle chili pepper, or to taste  (Chipotle adds the smokiness that comes from the traditional method of fire-roasting the eggplant.)
• 1/2 t. garam masala
• 1/2 t. turmeric
• salt

Directions:

Pot 1:  2 eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/2" slices.  Arrange around the bottom of a Sport pot, overlapping so the slices are not sitting flush with the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle generously with Kosher, sea, or other coarse-ground salt.  Repeat layers until all eggplant is used.

Pot 2:  4-6 whole tomatoes, peeled.  After cooking, mash into a pureed consistency

Place both pots into the solar oven for 3-4 hours (or all day.  Overcooking will not harm this dish.)

Saute onion, garlic, chipotle, garam masala and turmeric in olive oil, or include in the tomato mix in the solar oven if you don't want to use your stovetop. On a cutting board, coarsely chop eggplant. stir in tomatoes. Serve warm or at room temperature with brown rice or naan bread.

Lentil Soup

Check out the recipe here

Made with the recipe on the Bob's Red Mill lentil package, we simply reduced the liquid by 25 percent. Set it out in the Solavore Sport for a couple hours and voila!

Ingredients:

• 2T olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced carrot
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 t salt
• 2 1/2 cup lentils
• 15 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 t ground cumin
• 1/2 t ground coriander
• 1/4 t black pepper
• 1/4 t ground cardamom

Directions:

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and salt. Let cook until soft, about 5 minutes. As always, if you wish to do this step in the solar oven, just add the first five ingredients in your graniteware pot and let cook in the preheated Solavore Sport for approximately 30 minutes.

Sort and rinse lentils, then add the onion mixture, lentils, tomatoes, broth and spices to the graniteware pot. Cover and place in the Sport to cook. The soup will be done in approximately 2-3 hours depending on conditions. To test for doneness, make sure your lentils are tender.

Solavore Oven Vegetarian Chili

Check out the recipe here

The totally sweet thing about this recipe is you can add to or take away from this as you please. It’s chili, not rocket science! Make this with the listed ingredients or swap out with some alternate items you have on hand--either way it’s a good dish. This recipe cooked all day and made a high protein, flavorful dinner that everyone enjoys.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jar of roasted red bell peppers, chopped
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1 15 oz can black or pinto beans
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Place all ingredients in your graniteware pot and stir well. Place the covered pot in the preheated Solavore Sport. Let the chili cook all day, do not use reflectors if you have a lot of sun. Slow cooking temperatures between 200 and 250 degrees are ideal for this recipe. Ours cooked from 10:30 to about 5:00.

Serve chili with your favorite toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, green onion and cilantro.

Solavore Turkey Enchiladas

Check out the recipe here

When you’re up to here with turkey leftovers, your Solavore Sport comes to the rescue with an unexpected variation – cheesy, spicy enchiladas that your family will love.  A 7 ½” wide oblong Pyrex baking pan fits perfectly in the bottom of the Solavore Sport – just right for 6” tortillas.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 c. cottage cheese
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. cumin
• 1 small can diced green chiles
• 2 c cooked turkey, shredded or diced
• 2 c cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 can red enchilada sauce
• 8 - 6” tortillas, corn or flour

Directions:

Brown onion and garlic in a sauté pan. In a bowl add to cottage cheese. Stir in salt, cumin, and green chiles.

Heat 1-2 T. oil in sauté pan.  One at a time, lightly brown tortillas, stacking between paper towels.

Wipe out the sauté pan and use it to warm the enchilada sauce. Shred turkey and grate cheese.

Spray desired baking dish with cooking spray, or lightly oil by hand.  A clean dinner plate will be your assembly station.  

For each enchilada, dip the tortilla into the enchilada sauce, coating both sides of the tortilla. Lay flat on dinner plate.

Across the center of the tortilla, spread the turkey, cottage cheese mixture, and grated cheese, approximately 2-3 tablespoons of each.  (Reserve ½ of cheese for the top.)

When the baking pan is full, pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas, and top with any remaining cheddar cheese.

Place in your Solavore Sport.  Covering with a dark cookie sheet (as opposed to aluminum foil) will accelerate the cooking process.  Bake for 2-3 hours at 225º-250º.  

Serve with sour cream and chopped cilantro or scallions

Sriracha and Honey Glazed Brussel Sprouts

Check out the recipe here

This sweet, sour, spicy mix adds a unique and flavorful punch to brussels sprouts. Serve them as a side, add to a salad or use them as a pizza topping. Delicious!

Ingredients:

• 2T honey
• 1T sriracha
• 2T lemon juice
• 1/2 t kosher salt
• 1 lb brussels sprouts

Directions:

Place your Solavore Sport in the sun to preheat.

Trim your Brussels sprouts and cut them in halves or quarters depending on the size.

In a small bowl, whisk together honey, sriracha, lemon juice and salt. Place Brussels sprouts in the pot and pour the glaze over the sprouts. Lightly toss to coat.

Cover the pot and place in the Solavore Sport. Let cook for approximately 3 hours, depending on how well you like them cooked.

Easy Camping Meals For Kids

While camping with kiddos can be a lot of fun, they can also add a certain level of pickiness to your trip--and food is no exception. Kids can be finicky eaters, so let’s get you fixed up with some dishes that work for your whole squad.

Lime Pepper Chicken

For some reason kids love fast-food chicken fingers. Here's a healthy version that cooks up in a
snap in the Solavore Sport. Simple and moist, tenderized by slow cooking in lime juice. Let the
kids use their fingers and dunk in their favorite sauce - you'll have a new go-to favorite.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken breast
• 1 lime
• black pepper

Directions:

Cut chicken into 1 inch strips and place in one Sport pan. Put one teaspoon of pepper over the chicken. Cut the lime in half and squeeze both halves over the chicken. Place the lime halves in the quart pan for added flavor. Place in the sun until it has been at 300 F for 3 hours.

Pulled Pork Sliders

Slide right on into a successful camping trip with these Solavore pork sliders. Slightly sweet and just the right size for little hands!

Ingredients:

Boneless pork loin, 2 to 2 1/2 pounds
Bottled barbecue sauce
Slider buns
Coleslaw
Spice rub: Combine the following Ingredients to make the rub, purchase one, or make up your own.

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin

For a free PDF download of the best camping food for kids, visit solavore.com

Camping Snacks

So you’re well on your way to earning your best camping food merit badge. We’ve covered all your nutritional needs from tip to tail--and even made sure the kids are taken care of! But what about snacks? When you are out on a hike, or not ready for a full meal but you have that tinge of hunger, you need something small and accessible.

Canned Tuna

We totally know what your thinking. Tuna is not exactly the first thing that comes to mind when you want a tasty snack that helps get you through to dinner. Yellowfin tuna packed in oil, on the other hand, is a completely different story.

Trail Mix

This one does kind of speak for itself, but trail mix got its name for a reason. It is an easy, simple way to get some good nutrients on the go. You can build your own trail mix with your favorite ingredients at your local grocery store. Put the mix in a sealed bag, toss it in your ruck and you are ready.

Beef Jerky

Some may think of this item more as a treat than a snack, but keep in mind beef jerky does have nutritional value. This dried meat is very easy to keep on your person and with 116 calories per ounce it packs a big caloric punch in a small package.

Sugar & cinnamon almonds

If you want a "make it yourself" option this is the one. All you need is a large frying pan, water, almonds, cinnamon and sugar. Put sugar and water into the pan, boil until almost all the water evaporates, add almonds and let cook until the sugar sticks to the almonds--remove and let sit for five minutes.

You can do this

Getting the best camping food really isn’t all that hard. The Sport makes this venture a lot easier by being a self contained, powerless cooker all in one.

With a little attention and planning, you can find yourself enjoying the best camping food you’ve ever had, as opposed to the typical ham and beans you’ve been getting by on while you’re out there.

So this time around, when you’re reaching for those sodium bombs disguised as spaghetti-o’s--rethink it. Come back to this guide, and have yourself a camping weekend where the food is just as good as the rest of your experience.

Camping: The ethereal essence of our natural world is such a draw. You pack up everything you need, hit the road for a few days and it’s always just as fulfilling as you expected.

There’s only one thing missing from this beautiful recipe--camping desserts.

Surviving camping with a sweet tooth isn’t easy. Mother nature is a fine hostess but a terrible baker. It’s time to get real and take camping desserts into your own hands.

With a can-do attitude and your Solavore Sport solar oven you can, as they say, have your cake and eat it too.

Baking with the Sport is not unlike other ovens, you are still going to wait for it to preheat, but when it’s time to cook, the sun takes it from there.

You know that fantastic, second day flavor you get after all the ingredients fuse together?

With the Sport’s slow-cooking nature you get this delicious result on the first day with your camping desserts. If you’re one for instant gratification then you’re in the right place.

If this is you, the person who struggles to balance your sweet tooth against a love for the outdoors, check out this compilation of delectable camping desserts so, when the time comes, you know exactly what to make to satisfy that gnarly sweet tooth.

Mango Montana Campsite Banana Bread

If you've ever wanted to be in two places at once, this is the dish that will take you there. Every bite of this moist, fruity treat will leave you with musings ranging from the pine studded mountains of Montana to the warm, sunny fiestas of Latin America. 

Makes two solar oven pots or one large loaf pan.

Ingredients

60 ml or ½ cup butter or coconut oil

60 ml or ½ cup sugar

1 egg

2.5 ml or 1 tsp vanilla extract

1-½ large ripe bananas (or 2 small bananas)

1 ripe mango

250 ml or 2 cups flour

7.5 ml or 1 Tbs baking powder

1-¼ tsp salt

1.25 ml or ½ tsp cinnamon

Directions

In a small bowl: combine flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix well. In second bowl puree (or mash) the bananas and mangos.  In large bowl, cream butter or coconut oil with sugar. Add egg, mix well. Add vanilla, mix well. Add fruit and mix well.

Add 1/3 dry ingredients to wet ingredients, 1/3 at a time. Mix well after each addition.

Divide batter into two parts and pour into greased and floured solar oven pots or covered loaf pan. Spread across entire bottom until batter touches sides. Put lids on pots. Put pots in solar oven and bake for approximately 1.5 hours. Bread is done when dough comes away from sides of pot.  

Bananas Foster

Is your camping trip as sweet as this bananas foster? Probably not...but it could be! Nothing puts a smooth finish on your day quite like the warm, creamy texture of baked bananas coated with a brown sugar marmalade. 

Ingredients

6 ripe bananas, sliced into 1 inch pieces

4 T. butter, melted

1 c. brown sugar, packed

1t. vanilla

¼ c rum

½ t. ground cinnamon

¼ c chopped toasted walnuts

¼ c flaked coconut

vanilla ice cream or pound cake for serving

Directions

Mix together the butter, brown sugar, vanilla,rum and cinnamon. Add the bananas and stir to coat. Place in the Sport and cook until heated through – about 1 to 1 ½ hours.  

Add the walnuts and coconut. Stir the mixture briefly and serve over vanilla ice cream or a slice of pound cake.  It’s really as easy as that!  Enjoy!

Sun-fired Peach Crisp

This traditional peach crisp recipe was adapted for solar cooking from allrecipes.com. It is delicious served warm and topped with whipped cream or ice cream. Just as camping has a great combination of grit and relaxation, tension and release, this dish artfully combines the textures of crunchy and smooth to give your mouth the camping dessert experience its been craving. 

Ingredients

4 cups sliced fresh peaches

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup cold butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup rolled oats

Place Solavore Sport in the sun to preheat.

Arrange peaches evenly in an 8x8-inch baking dish.

Directions

Mix flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl using a pastry cutter until evenly crumbled. Fold oats into flour mixture; sprinkle and press topping into peaches.

Bake this in the preheated oven until topping is lightly browned, approximately 2 hours. Using the reflectors will speed things up and give a nice browning. As always when cooking uncovered camping desserts dishes, the condensation may build up on the lid. Just wipe it down periodically (once an hour) with a soft terry cloth.

'The Great Pumpkin' Cheesecake Cookies

This recipe was adapted for solar baking from one found on www.centercutcook.com. These are unique cookies, very much like eating a bite-sized pumpkin cheesecake. You won't usually find pumpkins in the great outdoors, unless you're adventuring in some wide open fields somewhere, so make sure you bring a little great pumpkin with you with these bite sized delectables. Don't skip the graham cracker crust coating, it really creates a nice crust on the outside of the cookie. And just like cheesecake, these are best eaten chilled or at room temperature.

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (for rolling the cookies)

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)

Directions

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir together cream cheese, butter, and pumpkin until completely smooth. Add in the sugar and vanilla and stir until combined. Add the flour, 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Carefully mix until it is completely mixed and smooth. Scoop into balls and roll in the remaining graham cracker crumbs (with the pumpkin pie spice mixed in if desired). Place on the tray and press on the balls with your hand to flatten them out slightly.

Bake each sheet in the Solavore Sport for 20-25 minutes. These cookies do not brown, but they are done when they have a firm consistency. Let the cookies cool and store them in the refrigerator.

Fallen off the wagon Chocolate Cake

Nothing screams camping desserts quite like devilishly good, "I am treating myself" chocolate cake. Just in time for your "let loose" camping excursion, this cake will have your diet falling off the wagon while you're falling off the grid. As it rises, a crispy crust forms on top, then it falls and the results are delicious. We use the solar oven to melt our chocolate as well as to bake the cake. Adapted for solar cooking from Bon Appetit.

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1” pieces, plus more, room temperature, for pan

¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided, plus more for pan

10 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (61%–72% cacao), coarsely chopped

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 large eggs

2 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Place solar oven in the sun to preheat. Lightly butter a 9 inch springform pan and dust with sugar, tapping out any excess.

Combine chocolate, oil, and ½ cup butter in your graniteware pot. Place covered pot in the Solavore Sport until all ingredients are beginning to melt (about 10 minutes). Remove from the oven and stir slowly until ingredients are combined and chocolate is thoroughly melted.

Separate 4 eggs, placing whites and yolks in separate medium bowls. Add cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, ¼ cup sugar, and remaining 2 eggs to bowl with yolks and whisk until mixture is smooth. Gradually whisk yolk mixture into chocolate mixture, blending well.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until frothy. With mixer running, gradually beat in ½ cup sugar; beat until firm peaks form.

Gently fold egg whites into chocolate mixture in 2 additions, folding just until incorporated between additions. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top and sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar.

Bake in the solar oven until top is starting to crack and cake is pulling away from edge of pan. Ours baked for 1.5 hours. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool completely in pan (cake will collapse in the center and crack further as it cools).

Remove from springform pan and dust with powdered sugar if you choose to. This cake is delicious served with ice cream or whipped cream.

Pecan Snowball Cookies

These classic holiday cookies do great in a solar oven and are welcome any time of the year. We had to include these on our top camping desserts menu. If you're having some post Christmas, dead winter blues this is a great way to give yourself a little pick-me-up.

Winter camping has a list of challenges all its own, check out our post here if you need some refreshers on the essentials. 

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

1 cup powdered sugar (plus more for coating)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1¼ cups finely chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat your Solavore Sport and line a cookie sheet that fits in the oven with parchment or silicone baking mat.

In a large bowl, (or in the bowl of your stand mixer) cream your butter and sugar together. Add the vanilla and salt and mix well. Slowly add the flour, mixing well after each addition. A thick dough will form. Add the chopped pecans and mix well.

Scoop 1 tablespoon of the dough out and roll it into a ball and place it on the cookie sheet. Continue until all the dough has been formed into balls. Place them on the cookie sheet about 1 inch part.

Bake for approximately 1 hour.  Your cookies will not brown, but they will be done as long as you've had oven temps over 225 degrees.

Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes then gently roll them in powdered sugar while still warm. Allow them to cool completely and then coat them in powdered sugar again.

Solar Cooker Applesauce

This is a kid friendly set-it-and-forget-it recipe. When you have the kids out camping they are already out of their element--so you may as well help them ease the tension with something they're used to. Let your apples cook all day and you'll have a fantastic fresh tasting snack or a side dish to serve with pork chops.

Ingredients

6 large apples, any variety (approximately 3 pounds)

2 cinnamon sticks, optional

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Peel the apples with the vegetable peeler, then cut them into quarters and slice out the cores. Roughly chop apples into 1- to 2-inch pieces, depending on how chunky you prefer your applesauce.

Combine all ingredients in your Graniteware pot. Place the covered pot in your preheated Solavore Sport.

You can let this slow cook all day long, 6 hours minimum, without reflectors.

The apples are ready when they can be easily mashed with a fork. Ours became applesauce with just a few gentle stirs.

Solavore Camping Desserts Best Brownies

We are confident in calling these Solavore's BEST brownies. Camping is all about keeping it simple and these brownies fit well within that framework. With just eight ingredients, they go together in a snap and the results are consistently good. You'll need about an hour of sun for these to bake.

Ingredients

1/2 c butter, melted

1 c sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

1/3 c cocoa

1/2 c flour

1/4 t salt

1/4 t baking powder

Directions

Combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl and mix well. Next, mix the dry ingredients in a second larger bowl. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Pour into a greased 9x9 pan.  Sprinkle with pecan slices if desired.  Bake in your preheated solar oven until somewhat firm to the touch.  Approximate cook time is 1 hour. This recipe is very forgiving, so don't worry if you leave it for longer.

Zucchini Bread

Quick breads are great in the solar oven, most recipes just need a longer baking time and come out incredibly moist. If your campsite has a lot of mouths to feed this is a great dish because with the right pans, you can bake two loaves at once and feed the masses. 12 x 4 inch loaf pans from Ikea fit perfectly in the Solavore Sport and bake faster than a traditional loaf pan.

Ingredients

3 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 cups grated zucchini

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

Preheat solar oven by placing in the sun. Grease and flour two loaf pans, making sure you have two loaf pans that will fit in the oven together. See note above.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, as well as nuts, and/or raisins if using. Stir this into the egg mixture. Divide the batter into prepared pans. Place in Solavore Sport and bake loaves for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. Your zucchini bread is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

Pineapple Turn Your Frown Upside Down Cake

This recipe was originally from Inspiredtaste.net. It's just another wonderful example of how you don't need special recipes for baking in the solar oven. The only change we made was cooking in a covered pot and a giving it a longer baking time. The cake comes out incredibly moist and was a huge hit.

Ingredients 

12 tablespoons (170 grams or 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup (100 grams) lightly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons lime or lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

8 ounces (225 grams) fresh pineapple, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges (about 1/4 pineapple)

1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour (we use unbleached Gold Medal all-purpose flour)

1/2 cup (125 grams) sour cream, or plain yogurt

Directions

Place your Solavore Sport in the sun to preheat.

Prepare Topping: Using the back of a spoon, spread 4 tablespoons of the butter over the bottom of your Graniteware pot. Scatter the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over butter. Arrange the pineapple wedges in one even layer over the butter and sugar.

Make Batter: In a large bowl, beat the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter, granulated sugar and lime (or lemon) zest with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat until smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then mix in the baking powder and salt.

Mix in a third of the flour mixture until only a few streaks of flour remain then mix in the remaining flour. Add the egg whites and sour cream (or yogurt) and mix just until smooth.

Spoon cake batter on top of the pineapple then use a spatula to spread into an even layer.

Cover pot and bake in the Sport for approximately 2 hours, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool cake in the pan for 5 minutes then run a knife around the edges and invert it onto a plate to cool. If some pineapple slices stick to the pan, use a spatula to transfer them back on top of the cake and spread a little of the gooey brown sugar sauce over them to cover it up.

Being comfortable is important. Why would you spend all the time and energy to go camping just to miss out on some of the finer things in life?

Nothing finishes off a great, solar powered meal, quite like a sweet, sun baked dessert.

These camping desserts may not have been possible in the days before the Solavore Sport, so make the most of your solar cooker and bake something delicious this weekend.

This is a healthy one pot dish ideal for solar cooking. The curry sauce is simply whipped up in the blender then poured over the veggies before cooking. In a pinch you could always use a jar of pre-made curry. 

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
13 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 14 ounce cans chickpeas, drained
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut in cubes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 red bell pepper roughly chopped
1 1/2 cup de-stemmed and sliced tuscan kale
fresh lemon juice

Directions

To make the sauce, place garlic, ginger, coconut milk, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, honey, crushed red pepper and salt in the blender. Blend until smooth.

Place chickpeas, sweet potato, onion and bell pepper in your Graniteware pot. Pour sauce over the veggies and stir to combine. Cover your pot and place in your pre-heated Solavore Sport.

Let the curry cook for 4 to 6 hours. Ours cooked without reflectors at about 250 degrees for 5 hours. You'll know it's ready when the sweet potato is tender. Add the kale to the cooked curry and stir to combine. The kale will wilt when added to the hot pot. Just before serving, stir 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice into the curry.

Used aboard in Florida and in Puerto Rico

This post is from our sailor friend John Lison!

Whole Grain Bread Ingredients 

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (organic if available)
• 2 ½ cups unbleached white flour (organic if available)
• 2 T. dry instant yeast*
• 2 cups water (give or take a bit)
• Sea salt
• Olive oil (or coconut oil, or your oil of taste)
• And some of the following (depending on your tastes):
• Teriyaki sauce
• Sunfloweror sesame seeds
• Walnuts or almonds, chopped
• Wheat germ
• Honey or brown sugar or molasses
• Flax seeds
• Oatmeal flakes

* The brands “Red Star” and “Mauripan” make dry instant yeast in 450 gram (almost 16 ounce) packages for under 5 bucks and they have lasted in the tropics onboard my sailboat for at least a year without refrigeration…longer with, I presume.

Directions 

I used to let the dough rise once or twice ‘til I studied the instructions closer on dry instant yeast, which state “No Rising Time Needed.” The bread rises as it starts to bake, but I once tried it in a convection oven and it flopped.  Too much heat, too fast.  But in the solar oven it has time to rise before the heat kills the yeast. 

This recipe takes only about 20 minutes prep time if you have all the ingredients out and handy.

I mix the dry ingredients first (including salt), then the water and yeast.  Keep one hand dry and the other for kneading “in the bowl” so there is less clean-up.

Baking time in the solar oven?  Two and a half to four hours depending on the sun’s intensity and whether or not you’re using the reflector. 

I have never burned a loaf by being away too long – just a nicer crust. 

By the way, I have found you need not use water for hard or soft boiled eggs in a solar oven.  Just leave them in the cooking post for maybe one and a half hours.  Gotta experiment and if they are in too long the outside layer may look a bit brown, but they still taste fine.  Oh, and no need to make a pinhole in them as you might in a microwave, as it is a slower and less intense type of heat in a solar oven.

Good luck and cheers from John onboard sailing vessel “Verso!”

Owning a solar powered tiny house, or a home powered by standard utility, comes with many challenges--properly utilizing space, being eco-friendly, not having guests over--the list goes on. Luckily the Solavore Sport, a solar oven, offers a lot of different ways to make your tiny house lifestyle just that much more comfortable--not to mention take you one step closer to having an awesome, off-the-grid solar powered tiny house.

Saving Space

Saying you need to save space in a tiny house is a platitude, but truly it’s important! When you’re working with 200 square feet, or less, there is nothing worse than wasted space, bulky appliances and the ensuing claustrophobia. 

The key here is mobility, because in a tiny house a modular space you can change up from time to time can make all the difference in the world in terms of comfort. 

Here’s where the Solavore Sport solar oven comes in: your standard, run-of-the-mill oven is not exactly mobile, nor is it intended to be as such, but with the Solavore Sport you have the pleasure of being able to “take this fight outside,” as it were. 

A beautiful sunny day, a hankering for fresh air and an oven you can cook outside with are the key ingredients in this recipe for comfortable cooking. 

Energy Can Be Hard To Come By: Don’t Waste It On Cooking

Whether you have a solar powered tiny house or one running off standard utility, being mobile can be very important. 

Having a solar powered tiny house makes a big difference, for those using standard utility for the tiny house, a utility hookup can sometimes be hard to come by--especially if you are the outdoorsy type who is parking your tiny house in a wooded area. 

To quote the Beatles, “when you find yourself in times of trouble, Solavore cooks for free.” OK that’s not how it goes but you get the picture. 

The Solavore Sport solar oven allows you to worry only about the ingredients, and let mother nature take care of the rest.

Bring Aunt Linda and Uncle Jack Back: Guests at the Tiny House

Being in a tiny house is very much about minimalism, you give up things you don’t need and hang on to the items most dear. What many don’t want to give up, however, is the opportunity to have family over for the proverbial breaking of bread. 

Eating together as a family is very important when it comes to maintaining connections and bonding. So...don’t have to give up that important bonding time.  

While you are cooking inside with your traditional oven, you can have additional food cooking outside in your solar oven. 

With the oven’s two 3-quart pots you can feed 8-10 people--which means you will have no problem making all the eats necessary for your numerous hungry visitors.  

Save The Earth One Solar Meal At A Time

Read the tiny house message boards and you’ll see many individuals installing:

•  water catchments systems
• solar panels
• composting installations 

Let’s say you take advantage of all those eco-friendly utilities, why stop there by including a traditional gas stove? Going solar lets you to take one more baby step towards being totally green by cooking naturally, without the fossil fuels. 

This Oven is Pretty Sweet--But How Does it Work?

Light from the sun, we now know, is packed with energy—about 1,000 watts for every square meter. 

Just as a solar powered tiny house takes energy from the sun and converts it to electricity, the Solavore Sport draws on a simple but profound principle, converting this light energy to heat energy.

Everything under the sun (pun intended) is made of atoms.

The Solavore Sport uses this powerful energy to make concentrated heat.

When sunlight strikes a brick wall—or car hood or food in the solar oven—the radiation excites the atoms, causing them to vibrate faster and get hotter. 

The Smaller Details: Other Ways To Go Solar With Your Tiny House 

Going full solar comes with a multitude of benefits. You can take your solar powered tiny house almost anywhere and not have to concern yourself with finding a utility hookup, and you can rest easy at night knowing you are relying on the tested and proven capabilities of mother nature rather than some random utility company. 

Here are a few tips to making your standard utility tiny house into a solar powered tiny house:

1. Solar outdoor lighting: These are inexpensive (around 10 dollars) and can light up your walk path on the exterior of your solar powered tiny house or outdoor picnic table.
2. Solar powered chargers: This is a great way to charge small electronic devices such as cell phones, plug-in flashlights and much more. These items can be either pricey or inexpensive so make sure you do your research and purchase wisely.
3. Solar powered attic fan: While this item would require a little more effort to install, it would bring much to your solar powered tiny house in terms of keeping the interior cool. Heat rises, as you may know, so moving that air around the interior of the tiny house helps keep the hot air from collecting in the upper portion where sleeping quarters are often placed. 
4. Solar powered interior lights: Just like the exterior solar powered lights, these can also be inexpensive and keep your solar powered tiny house well-lit after the sun goes down. 

Solar Cooking Recipes 

Let’s get real--you can cook a lot of food in this thing. Anything you can cook in a standard oven can be prepared in the Solavore Sport. Not only can you cook a lot of food at one time, you can also cook a wide variety of food which makes this the most versatile tool in your tiny house kitchen. In the Sport you can even bake, or pasteurize water for drinking. 

1. Spanish Rice

Once in awhile you find a recipe that works so much better in a solar oven than it ever could on a stovetop. This is one of those recipes, the slow cooked flavor is truly delicious. If you can find canned roasted tomatoes, it adds even deeper flavor. Be sure to get it started early if you're making it in the winter. This side dish needs about four hours to cook. 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups raw white rice, such as jasmine
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups low-sodium broth or stock (chicken or vegetable), or water
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, medium dice
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, medium dice
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Like our solar cooked brown rice recipe, we begin by sautéing the rice in the olive oil on the conventional stovetop until it starts to brown just slightly. If you are cooking solar-only, stir the rice and olive oil in your Graniteware pot and let it cook in a preheated oven for 20 minutes before adding the additional ingredients. 

Place the rice in your Graniteware pot, then add all additional ingredients. Stir everything together and cover. Place in the preheated Solavore Sport and let it cook undisturbed for approximately four hours. 

2. Solavore Save The Day Turkey Enchiladas

When you’re up to here with turkey leftovers, your Solavore Sport comes to the rescue with an unexpected variation--cheesy, spicy enchiladas that your family will love. 

In your solar powered tiny house, you need food that gives you plenty of return in a small package and enchiladas match that description perfectly.

A 7 ½” wide oblong Pyrex baking pan fits perfectly in the bottom of the Solavore Sport--just right for 6” tortillas. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 c. cottage cheese
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. cumin
• 1 small can diced green chiles
• 2 c cooked turkey, shredded or diced
• 2 c cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 can red enchilada sauce
• 8 - 6” tortillas, corn or flour

  THE PREP

  Brown onion and garlic in a sauté pan.  In a bowl add to cottage cheese. Stir in salt, cumin, and green chiles. 

  Heat 1-2 T. oil in sauté pan.  One at a time, lightly brown tortillas, stacking between paper towels.

  Wipe out the sauté pan and use it to warm the enchilada sauce. Shred turkey and grate cheese.

  THE ASSEMBLY

  Spray desired baking dish with cooking spray, or lightly oil by hand.  A clean dinner plate will be your assembly station.  

  For each enchilada, dip the tortilla into the enchilada sauce, coating both sides of the tortilla. Lay flat on dinner plate.

  Across the center of the tortilla, spread the turkey, cottage cheese mixture, and grated cheese, approximately 2-3 tablespoons of each.  (Reserve ½ of cheese for the top.)

  When the baking pan is full, pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas, and top with any remaining cheddar cheese.

  Place in your Solavore Sport.  Covering with a dark cookie sheet (as opposed to aluminum foil) will accelerate the cooking process.  Bake for 2-3 hours at 225º-250º.  

  Serve with sour cream and chopped cilantro or scallions.

3. Mole Mushroom Taco Filling

INGREDIENTS

• 2 dried ancho chili peppers
• water to cover chili peppers
• 1½ pound mushrooms, chopped (about 4 cups)
• ½ cup chili cooking water (see instructions)
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
• ¼ cup blanched almonds
• 1.5 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the ancho chilies:

Toast the chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat. You don't want to overcook or burn them, just to dry them out a bit and cook until they become fragrant.

Let cool, then remove the seeds, stem and ribs and discard. Place the flesh of the pepper in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes to reconstitute.

Use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully remove the reconstituted peppers and put them in your blender with all of the sauce ingredients except for the salt. Blend until smooth, taste, add salt and taste again.

Add the mushrooms and the sauce to your graniteware pot. Stir well, cover and place in your Solavore Sport. Let this solar oven recipe slow cook in your solar oven (no reflectors needed) for 3-4 hours. 

Serve in a warm tortilla and top with lettuce, queso fresco, avocado, sour cream, etc.

4. Mandarin Orange & Olive Oil Cake

This recipe was adapted for solar baking from one found on The Splendid Table.  We were curious about solar baking with olive oil, and are very happy with the result. In addition to the health benefits (no saturated fat compared to butter) the subtle herbal flavor of the olive oil is just right to balance the citrus in this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• Light olive oil and flour for prepping the pan
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup orange juice, ideally freshly squeezed 
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 2/3 cup light olive oil
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• How many oranges will you need? We used about ten small mandarins. If you are using large oranges, juicing 2 or 3 you should be enough to get  2⁄3 cup of juice. Grate enough of the zest from 1 or 2 oranges to make 2 teaspoons.

DIRECTIONS

Prepare your Graniteware pan by lightly coating it with olive oil and dusting with flour. Preheat your Solavore Sport by placing it in the sun. 

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Crack the eggs into the bowl and stir to break the yolks, then add the orange juice, zest, and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined, 60 to 70 strokes.

Turn the batter into the prepared pan, and cover with the lid. Place the pan in the Solavore Sport. Bake until the cake is done in the middle, approximately 3 hours.

5. Zucchini Bread

Quick breads are great in the solar oven, most recipes just need a longer baking time and come out incredibly moist. With the right pans, you can bake two loaves at once. 12 x 4 inch loaf pans from Ikea fit perfectly in the Solavore Sport and bake faster than a traditional loaf pan. 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1 cup raisins (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat solar oven by placing in the sun. Grease and flour two loaf pans, making sure you have two loaf pans that will fit in the oven together. See note above.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, as well as nuts, and/or raisins if using. Stir this into the egg mixture. Divide the batter into prepared pans.

Place in Solavore Sport and bake loaves for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. The bread is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

Being part of the tiny house movement has many challenges as well as many benefits. With a solar powered tiny house you could find yourself off the grid, thinking more on the simpler things in life and paying less for the energy you get. Going solar is best done one step at a time, and the Solavore Sport is a great first step in the right direction. You are sustained by your food after all--so why not make the food you eat sustainable too?

Click here to learn more about why going solar is so important and get some great first hand experience details about the Solavore Sport from Marissa Mommaerts, a real life tiny house owner.

We also love Tiny House Giant Journey's blog. Check out Jenna and her tiny adventures! Below you see her Tiny Home, and she's cooking with the Solavore Sport! 

This recipe was adapted for solar baking from one found on The Splendid Table.  We were curious about solar baking with olive oil, and are very happy with the result. In addition to the health benefits (no saturated fat compared to butter) the subtle herbal flavor of the olive oil is just right to balance the citrus in this recipe.

Ingredients

• Light olive oil and flour for prepping the pan
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup orange juice, ideally freshly squeezed 
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 2/3 cup light olive oil
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

How many oranges will you need? We used about ten small mandarins. If you are using large oranges, juicing 2 or 3 you should be enough to get  2⁄3 cup of juice. Grate enough of the zest from 1 or 2 oranges to make 2 teaspoons.

Directions

Prepare your Graniteware pan by lightly coating it with olive oil and dusting with flour. Preheat your Solavore Sport by placing it in the sun. 

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Crack the eggs into the bowl and stir to break the yolks, then add the orange juice, zest, and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined, 60 to 70 strokes.

Turn the batter into the prepared pan, and cover with the lid. Place the pan in the Solavore Sport. Bake until the cake is done in the middle, approximately 3 hours.

Glamping: glamorous camping.

Life is all about the balance right? We want to be outdoors, it’s crucial for us to get out and experience nature. However, when it comes to sleeping, we don’t necessarily want to rough it each time and go traditional camping. And hey, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! So instead of going camping- we go glamping. We get to hike all day, swim, explore, adventure and come back to a- dare we say- “cute” place to hang out for the evening. 

A comfy place with pillows and blankets, a home cooked meal made from the sun’s energy, lights, maybe even a bed...all the while still enjoying the great outdoors and harnessing the sun’s energy.

You can pay to go glamping, which can totally be worth it, or you can go diy glamping. Below we have tips and ideas for your glamping experience. 

Anywhere you can traditionally camp, you can glamp in some form or another. Because we are big advocates on solar energy, our diy glamping tips are solely reliant on the sun! No outlets needed for this glamping experience. 

Accommodation

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You have lots of options as far as what type of shelter you choose to stay in, make or purchase. 

If you are ready to diy, then we suggest building an a-frame tent. All you need is drop cloth and some wood and you can easily build a safe and cozy structure. 

If you are making an a-frame tent we suggest having a thick piece of wood that holds up the sides and goes through the middle of the tent so that way you can hang different items on it!

You can also stay in a yurt, pergola, caravan, teepee or tree house if you don’t want to go the diy route. You can spruce up anything to give it a glamping feel. 

Bedroom Decor

You can do so much with diy glamping. The trick is to be practical, glamours and comfy all at the same time. 

Bring fun things such as a type writer or journal, gather some pinecones and make a cool table display that you will actually use too!

You can bring a mirror to place in your tent, side tables and whatever other decorations you want. Get creative and have fun.

Glamping is all about comfort. So bring on the pillows, blankets, cushions and air mattresses for your “bedroom.” 

For ease and comfort we recommend using an air mattress. You can place fluffy blankets and pillows onto your bed for maximum comfort. Duvets work great as blankets. 

If you have the room to lug it with you, use a real mattress, or bring lots of cushions to place on the ground. 

Another option is to blow up a child’s pool and fill it will blankets and pillows. 

Use toppers and different bed linens on your bed. 

It really just depends on how far you are going and how much room you have in your car for bedding. 

Think comfort :) 

You can find lots of campsites around the country that will allow you to pull your car up really close to the site so that way you don’t have to walk very far.

Lighting

You have to have fun lights when you go glamping. Because we are big solar energy advocates, we recommend getting solar powered string lights. You can get these from stores such as Target or World Market. Make sure that if you are hanging lights in your tent that you charge them during the day...so that way they actually light up when it gets dark. 

You can hang lights from the wood beam that you use to make your a-frame tent or string them in trees around the campsite, or your backyard if that’s where you are diy glamping. 

Lanterns and candles are other options for your diy glamping experience. You can place lanterns or candles on tree stumps, on tables and side tables.

Food & Drink

An awesome thing about glamping? You don’t have to eat packaged food or beans out of a can. 

You can enjoy a home cooked meal, no matter where you are at using a solar oven. The Solavore Sport is our solar oven of choice- since we are Solavores :), which are people who cook by the sun! 

The Solavore Sport is only 9 pounds so even if you have a slight trek to your camp spot you can easily bring the Solavore Sport along- it has a carrying case, which makes it even easier. If you’re in your backyard, the Solavore solar oven gives you an excuse to not have to go inside and turn a regular oven on. 

You can bake or slow cook food in the solar oven. Anything you can place in a regular oven, including meat, you can cook in the Solavore Sport. It comes  with two graniteware pots but you can use any pots or pans, and even stack them on top of each other. 

The best part? The only energy you are using comes from the sun. 

The Solavore Sport is really durable, and essentially gorilla proof :) so you can literally set it and forget it. Neither animals or children will knock it over. The housing is made from rugged recycled nylon plastic for weatherability and durability. No BPA's. The outside doesn’t get hot, so no little hands will get burned. 

The pots, however, do get hot! One would hope so :) 

Here are a few recipes that we have created that we think would be perfect for glamping. 

Pulled Pork Sliders

Coconut Tofu Curry

Tailgatin Queso

Orzo Stuffed Peppers

Steel Cut Oatmeal 

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Solavore Best Brownies 

As far as glamping drinks, there are endless options. Make a punch and bring it along. Soda, lemonade, whipping up chai tea, hot chocolate or making a delicious campsite cocktail are all great options! 

For glassware: mason jars are a classic, if those are too heavy or you have little ones, then you can decorate some plastic cups and bring them along. That would be a fun craft to get excited for your diy glamping trip. 

Don’t forget to bring whatever silverware you need. You can save on plastic and just bring your regular silverware, or if your glamping trip has a theme, then you can purchase decorated plastic silverware. 

DIY Glamping Checklist

• tent or some sort of shelter 
• air mattress or cushions 
• bedding 
• soft Blankets 
• pillows- lots of pillows! 
• table/side tables (check to see what your campsite offers) 
• lights - solar powered tea lights, lanterns and candles (make sure your solar lights are charged!)
• tent decor (does your glamping trip have a theme?)
• solar oven - we recommend the Solavore Sport 
• food ingredients/ prep 
• drinks / cups 
• silverware/plates/serveware 
• bug spray 
• comfy, soft clothes 
• toilet paper 
• shampoo/soap 
• towels 
• chairs 

There are endless options for glamping. You can go extreme and extravagant or you can pick and choose to make your traditional camping trip a little bit more glamourous. The most important part is that you get out in nature- enjoy the sun- cook with the sun-  harness the sun’s energy- get comfy- and most importantly enjoy yourself. If you’ve been glamping before and have some diy hacks, please share with us. We’d also love to see your photos via social media. Happy diy glamping! 

We're making plans for Mardi Gras and figured we'd start with a hearty gumbo recipe. This one features sausage meatballs and shrimp; it was perfect after a long day slow cooking in the sun. In February we still need to remember to start cooking early, this gumbo went in the oven by 10:00 am to take advantage of all the sun had to offer.

Ingredients

• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 pound hot Italian ground sausage (not in casing)
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 green sweet pepper, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 pound fresh or frozen medium shrimp (thawed if frozen), peeled and deveined

Directions

Add tomatoes, broth, green pepper, onion, celery, Cajun seasoning, garlic, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to your Graniteware pot. Stir gently to combine. 

Roll sausage in to small (one inch or less) balls with your hand. Place in pot with other ingredients.

Cover pot and place in preheated Solavore Sport. Cook all day, at least 6 hours. Add the shrimp to the pot at the end of cooking, stir in gently and allow to cook for another 20 minutes or until the shrimp is opaque. 

Serve over rice. Remember you can use our recipe to make rice in your second pot while the gumbo is cooking.

You've probably seen recipes lately calling for farro. This ancient grain is gaining popularity for its health benefits and ability to adapt to different recipes. Farro is a great source of protein, fiber, antioxidants and B vitamins. It also provides iron magnesium and zinc. Its somewhat chewy, nutty flavor adds interest to salads and side dishes. 

Since it is a quick cooking grain, farro a great candidate for the solar cooker. Once cooked, it can be drained of cooking water like pasta so you don't have to worry about the perfect water to grain ratio. As always if you start with warm or hot water, you'll reduce your cooking time. 

We used:

1/2 cup farro
3/4 cup hot water
pinch of salt

Place all ingredients in your Graniteware pan, cover, and put it in your preheated Solavore Sport. Without using reflectors, the farro was perfectly cooked in one hour with no remaining water in the pan.

Urban homesteading is about finding a level of self sufficiency even when surrounded by the modern world. It’s about taking a step back, using the land and sun as an energy source, reducing your carbon footprint and perhaps growing/raising your own food- without doing so on acres and acres of land in the country. 

Life is all about the balance, about doing your best to be a good human and living consciously. That looks completely different for each of us, for some of us that means taking a baby step off the grid- and we can do that without leaving behind our city life. If you are curious about urban homesteading this post will give you enough to learn how to “dip your toes” in the Urban Homesteading life- if you are already well on your way to Urban Homesteading then check out Jeanine’s blog from The Urban Homesteader or UrbanHomestead.org. Both of these blogs are excellent resources to turn to, created by seasoned Urban Homesteaders and are a trusty resource for you! 

So what is urban homesteading exactly? 

Urban homesteading is far more than just a trend, it’s a lifestyle choice that has been around for ages- well since the first “cities” came about. As our cities continue to grow, as technology continues to take over and as energy continues to be used, urban homesteading may begin to become more popular-but not just because it’s cool or trendy, but because, in some opinions, having some self reliance is just the right thing to do, not to mention healthy. This could just be a simple veggie garden that you have in your backyard- you don’t have to become full on self sufficient. 

Urban homesteading has a lot of different aspects to it, including, but not limited to the following: 

• Resource reduction: using solar/alternative energy sources, harvesting rainwater, using greywater, line drying clothes, using alternative transportation such as bicycles and buses
• Raising animals, including chickens, goats, rabbits, fish, worms, and/or bees
• Edible landscaping: growing fruit, vegetables, culinary and medicinal plants, converting lawns into gardens
• Self-sufficient living: re-using, repairing, and recycling items; homemade products
• Food preservation including canning, drying, freezing, cheese-making, and fermenting
• Community food-sourcing such as foraging, gleaning, and trading
• Natural building
• Composting

Here are a few definitions of what an urban homestead is: 

1. a suburban or city home in which residents practice self-sufficiency through home food production and storage.

2. the home and garden of a person or family engaging in sustainable small-scale agriculture and related activities designed to reduce environmental impact and increase self-sufficiency.

3. a name describing the home of a person or family living by principals of low-impact, sustainable self-sufficiency through activities such as gardening for food production, cottage industry, extensive recycling, and generally simple living.

An Urban Homesteader Is:

1. a person who practices self-sufficiency through home food production and simple living in a city or suburban environment.

2. a person who transforms a city or suburban property into a home that produces some or all of its residents own food and other basic needs with the goal of reducing environmental impact while increasing self-sufficiency.

3. someone participating in the movement of 21st century eco-pioneers striving to create a better world for themselves and others by exemplifying a self-sufficient, sustainable, ecologically sound return to home-based agriculture, industry, and family life.

How To Begin

1. Start Gardening

This is perhaps the most important step to urban homesteading. Even by producing just  a couple of your own veggies, you are making a big impact. Herbs can be grown in window sills if you are tight on backyard space (or live in an apartment), tomatoes are easy to grow...and there is nothing like eating your own home grown tomatoes. If you don’t have a green thumb, don’t fret, you’ll eventually get it. There are so many resources out there. A good first step is start tracking where the sun hits your back yard and at what times. Then take that info to a local nursery and they can help guide you in the right direction as far as what to plant. Easy peasy :) 

2. Compost

This is huge! Making your own compost is so good for the environment and can even be fun. Banana peels, coffee grounds, egg shells, grass clippings, etc all add to your compost. You’re turning your waste into nutrient rich fertilizer that you can turn around and use for your garden. There are several different ways you can start a compost pile, just choose whatever way is best for you! 

3. Cut Waste

Mmm...a big urban homesteading tip :) as a conscious human, this is probably already on your mind. We made a list of 19 tips to reduce waste that you can start to implement this week. It is possible to get your trash down to a single mason jar for an entire year. Crazy, right? But just remember, even a little bit goes a long way. Here are the 19 waste reducing tips. 

4. Start To Make Your Own Household Products 

If you are a DIY lover then you’ll have fun with this one. Learning how to make your own products is fun and eco friendly. Here are a couple of ideas:

1. Make your own toothpaste.

Baking soda is a natural teeth whitener, so there is no more need to pick out toothpaste that has “whitens your teeth” on the packaging. This recipe already has that covered for ya! Coconut oil is also good for your teeth, and on a side note, is commonly used for oil pulling. 

You only need three ingredients to make your own toothpaste. Keep it in a jar, and walla! 

Here is how you make it:

2 tablespoons organic coconut oil
1 tablespoon baking soda
20 drops organic pure peppermint oil 

Mix all the ingredients in a little jar and use a spoon to put a little bit on your toothbrush, and brush away. 

No dentists have gotten mad at anyone that we know for using this mix! 

2. Stay smelling fresh, opt out of parabens , make your own deodorant. 

Here is a recipe that we like from Mommypotamus, and you can add whatever essential oils you like to it.

Ingredients
3/4 cup arrowroot powder/cornstarch (non-gmo) 
1/4 cup baking soda
4-6 tablespoons melted coconut oil
*optional essential oil of choice 

Directions
1. Combine baking soda and arrowroot powder/cornstarch.
2. Add four tablespoons melted coconut oil and mix with a fork. Continue adding coconut oil until the deodorant reaches your preferred consistency. (Use 10-20 drops off essential oil, if choosing to do so) 
3. Transfer mixture to a jar with a tight fitting lid.

Good essential oils for deodorant: 
lemongrass
thyme
lavender
tea tree
rosemary
geranium
lemon

3. Household cleaner: opt for soap and water.  

Plastic bottles...chemicals...we just don’t need it. When do we truly need surface cleaner? Going on a limb here and saying...never. Soap and water typically does the trick. And if it doesn’t, vinegar will. If you like the smell of cleaners, add some essential oil to your soap and water mixture. Here is a natural cleaner that you can make yourself to have on hand when soap and water won’t cut it.

½ cup water
½ cup distilled white vinegar
20 drops Tea Tree, Lemon or Eucalyptus oil  

5. Repurpose, Reuse

This Urban Homesteading tip goes along the same lines of reducing your waste consumption. It’s just about being mindful of what you throw away and thinking creatively on how to reuse your materials. Here are some tips from Webecoist

“From egg shells to old t-shirts, there are hundreds of additional uses for everyday things that you likely throw into the trash on a regular basis. Turn egg shells, toilet paper rolls or egg cartons into seed starting containers, lay down cardboard boxes in the garden as a weed barrier, use glass bottles and jars as vases or for storage, and turn cereal boxes inside-out to use as shipping boxes. Every time you think you need to replace something that’s broken, ask yourself if it makes sense to fix it instead.” 

6. Collect Rainwater 

Reduce your water bill by collecting some of your own water to use for gardening. Here’s a how to create your own rain barrel and rain garden. 

7. Backyard Chickens 

Here is a pdf from The Urban Homesteader that will walk you through how to raise backyard chickens. 

8.  Reduce Meat Consumption 

Here is what WebEcoist has to say about why you should reduce your meat consumption:

“Reducing your meat consumption is an important way to not only depend on grocery stores less, but also reduce your personal environmental impact. If Americans were to reduce meat consumption by just 20 percent, it would have the same impact as if we all switched from a standard sedan to the ultra-efficient Prius hybrid car. You can do this by reducing portion size or skipping meat one day per week. Check out MeatlessMonday.com for ideas.” 

9. Cut Electricity Use, Go As Solar As Possible

Solar energy is the way to go! The biggest recommendation we have is to start solar cooking using the Solavore Sport. 

Benefits of Solar Cooking

There are many benefits of solar cooking and using sun ovens. Here are Ten Great Reasons to start solar cooking with the Solavore Sport solar oven. 

Fuel-free, planet-friendly: The only fuel ever required is sunshine.
 
Easy: If you can use a crockpot, you can cook with the Solavore Sport.  No burning. Food is tasty and clean up is a breeze.
 
Feed a crowd:  With the Sport’s two 3-qt pots you can feed 8-10 people.  Or use one pot for spicy jerk chicken and the other for savory long grain organic brown rice.  Or bake a two-layer carrot cake from scratch. 
 
Healthy:  Food cooks slowly, no boiling.  No vitamins leached away.  And you’ll notice the taste difference: moist, tender, and intense flavors. CLICK HERE FOR SOLAR COOKING RECIPES
 
Safe: No fire or smoke. It won’t tip over or blow over.  Curious little hands won’t get burned.
 
Portable: At just 9 pounds, take it with you. Dinner’s ready before you get your hiking boots off!
 
Fun: Nobody is stuck in the kitchen.  The Sport - and the sun - do the work- completely free of all energy other than the sun!
 
Be prepared:  The Solavore Sport can pasteurize water and cook dinner in the event of a disaster or emergency.
 
Proven: We’ve used the same design for over 15 years.  It’s the favorite among solar cooking experts around the world.
 
Doing good:  When you buy a Sport you help to put out an indoor cooking fire somewhere in the world.  Save trees, make a family healthy.  Now that could be the most important reason of all to buy a Solavore Sport.

Here is how it works: 

SOLAR ALCHEMY: FROM SUNLIGHT TO COOKING FUEL

Until the last century, sunlight was still largely a mystery.

“Some regard [sunlight] as the same element as fire, but in the state of its greatest purity,” wrote French-Swiss scientist Horace-Bénédict de Saussure in the late 1700s.

LIGHT TO HEAT

De Saussure had a different take. He believed sunlight isn’t hot like fire but somehow passes heat onto other objects.

Light from the sun, we now know, is packed with energy—about 1,000 watts for every square meter. By drawing on a simple but profound principle, solar ovens convert this light energy to heat energy.

All things—bricks, car hoods, food in a solar oven—are made of atoms. The atoms are constantly vibrating and crashing into one another. The higher the temperature of an object, the faster its atoms shake.

Sunlight is electromagnetic radiation. When sunlight strikes a brick wall—or car hood or food in a cooker—the radiation excites the atoms, causing them to vibrate faster and get hotter.

Here are a few beginner tips from our friend Jeannine from The Urban Homesteader. 

1.  GROW YOUR OWN FOOD

You don't need a large plot of land to grow at least some of your own food.  With so many cool new garden products available, don't let a shortage of space stop you! Only have a windowsill?  Try growing herbs from a can from Back To The Roots.  Small balcony?  Go vertical with one of these creative ideas! Have a tiny patch of land? Get your green on by planting a fool-proof seed sheet in a raised bed.

2.  PRESERVE YOUR BOUNTY

What's more 'homesteady' than a mason jar? Preserving your bounty (or produce that's on sale), is a great way to reduce food costs, especially in the winter.  We love Punk Domestics as a DIY food resource with recipes that are out of the ordinary. A little homemade Triple Ginger Pear Chutney will be sure to impress guests at your next dinner party!

3.  MAKE SOMETHING FERMENTED

Fermented foods have made a comeback in recent years, thanks to recent research on their amazing health benefits.  Not only are fermented foods a great source of probiotics which aid digestion, they help keep bad bacteria at bay, which can cause disease.  Try your hand at making yogurt, kombucha, or kimchi with a DIY kit. Or go for this modern fermentation crock which looks so good you won't even mind leaving it on your kitchen counter.

4.  TRY A REPAIR CAFE  

Originating in Holland, Repair Cafes are popping up all over the place.  The concept is simple -- instead of tossing out that broken item bring it to one of Repair Cafe's weekly repair sessions, where experts help fix items that can range from a bike, sewing machine, to a lamp, or a weed eater.  Keep junk out of the landfill -- check out the Repair Cafe's website to find one where you live.

5.  GO SOLAR

Trying out a solar-operated product is now easier than ever.  With so many great products on the market you can choose one that fits your lifestyle, and do good for the environment by reducing energy consumption.  Here's a list of the top 12 solar powered gadgets, which will get you one step closer to living off the grid.

We hope this is enough to get you interested and wanting to learn more about urban homesteading. Whether or not you are ready to jump in and get going on all of these or you might be ready to implement one of these tips- both are equally exciting. Let us know how we can assist you in your journey of taking a baby step off the grid and be sure to utilize the many blogs and resources out there that are at your disposal. 

Here is a healthy, warm breakfast that takes approximately an hour to cook. Add your favorite toppings and you're ready for the day.

Ingredients

1/2 cup steel cut oats
1 1/2 cup water
pinch of salt
1/8 cup currants
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Add all ingredients to your Graniteware pot and stir. Place in preheated Solavore Sport and cook for 60 to 90 minutes.

Makes 2 servings

Avid campers know that the thrill of being outdoors doesn’t end when the snow starts to fall. In fact, some people are just starting to gear up for the year and hit the trails hard. Whether you’re new to camping or a seasoned vet, there are some things you need to know before you head out on your next winter camping trip.

We have extensively researched and compiled the most essential winter camping tips for you. Below you will find:

Top Seven Winter Camping Tips

Top Winter Camping Gear

Winter Camping Clothing

Pre-Trip Planning

Food

Setting Up Camp

Snow Shelters

Back Country Travel

Selecting Routes

1. Be very diligent in your trip planning. Know the conditions and terrain of the area you will be camping in.

2. Make sure you have the proper gear, including the ‘10 Essentials.’ See below.

3. Follow correct protocol in regards to clothing and activity.

4. Be prepared for the unexpected.

5. Ensure your shelter is safe and durable.

6. Avoid avalanche spots and have someone knowledgeable of these dangers.

7. Enjoy yourself.

Winter backpacking requires extra gear, so you most likely want a high-volume backpack. Pack as lightly as you can, but always make sure you're prepared for winter weather and conditions.

Rough guidelines for a 2- to 4-day winter backpacking trip:

• Lightweight: minimum 4,000 cubic inch pack

• Deluxe: approximately 5,000 cubic inch pack or larger.

If you plan on carrying skis or snowshoes, make sure your pack has lash points or is otherwise able to secure these large items.

A sleeping bag helps retain your body heat to keep you warm, and keeping warm is essential to snow camping. Make sure you use a bag that's rated at least 10°F lower than the coldest temperature you expect to encounter. You can always vent the bag if you get too warm.

Cold and winter rated bags are supplied with generous amounts of goose down or synthetic insulation.

Down is the most popular choice due to its superior warmth-to-weight ratio—just make sure to keep it dry (when wet, down loses much of its insulating ability). These bags are also distinguished by their draft tubes behind the zippers, draft collars above the shoulders and hoods to help keep the heat in the bag.

Winter nights are long, so make sure your headlamp and flashlight batteries are new or fully charged before an excursion and always take extras. Lithium batteries perform well in cold weather, but they can overpower some devices like headlamps. Check your product's manual for compatibility. Alkaline batteries are inexpensive and should work in any device, but they drain at a faster rate.

Tip: Cold temperatures decrease battery life. Store your batteries and battery-operated devices inside your sleeping bag to keep them warm.

Snow saw 

This is a necessary tool when making a snow cave or igloo because you'll need to cut through layers of ice and snow. Use by hand or attach it to a ski pole for longer reaches. It is also useful for evaluating slope stability to determine avalanche hazard.

Snow shovel 

Everyone should carry one in the winter backcountry. Shovels can be used for avalanche rescue, leveling a tent site, digging a snow shelter or getting fresh snow to melt for drinking water.

Avalanche transceiver 

This is a required item in avalanche-prone areas for each member of your group. As with any safety device, be sure you know how to use one before heading out. This requires competent instruction and practice.

Probe 

Another mandatory item in avalanche country, a probe is a collapsible pole with depth markings (usually up to 10' long). Sections can be quickly assembled after an avalanche to probe into the snow and help find victims. Some ski poles have a connector option that allows 2 poles to be used as a probe, but taking the baskets off and connecting the poles takes longer than using a probe.

AvaLung 

While optional, this popular device from Black Diamond can help avalanche victims pull air from the snowpack and thus increase the time the victim has to breathe. It is worn like a pack over your clothing. To work, the mouthpiece needs to be in place before the wearer is buried in the snow debris.

Personal locator beacon 

If you are ever in danger in the backcountry, you'll be extremely grateful to have a PLB. Once activated, it sends out a signal to satellites about your position that in turn alerts search-and-rescue teams.

‘Ten Essentials’

• Navigation

• Sun protection

• Insulation (extra clothing)

• Illumination

• First-aid supplies

• Fire

• Repair kit and tools

• Nutrition (extra food)

• Hydration (extra water)

• Emergency shelter

According to WildEarth, there are three layers that are essential to keeping yourself comfortable, warm and safe as you camp.

The base layer is basically your underwear—the layer next to your skin. Synthetic and merino wool fabrics work best (avoid cotton). They wick perspiration away from your skin to outer layers so it can evaporate. They dry quickly so you spend minimal time in wet clothing.  For maximum thermal efficiency, the base layer should feel snug but not constricting. When winter camping, it's common to wear two base layers: a lightweight or mid weight layer, then a thicker heavyweight layer.

A zip T-neck is a versatile choice in cold weather.

The middle layer is your insulating layer. It also moves (wicks) moisture away from your body, but it is primarily designed to help you retain body heat. For camping in the snow, consider expedition-weight fleece or microfleece shirts, pants and jacket and/or a goose down jacket.

The outer layer, or shell, is your waterproof/windproof/breathable layer. Shells made of laminates such as Gore-Tex, eVent offer premium protection. Less expensive alternatives typically use polyurethane-coated fabrics that are equally waterproof but somewhat less breathable. Many are designed with core vents and underarm vents to help you expel excess heat and moisture.

Ideally, you want boots that are insulated and waterproof, however, you could get by with traditional hiking boots.

Be sure to bring hats and gloves, the more the merrier.

Your socks follow the same layering rules as mentioned above: you should have a tight fit sock as your first layer and then a thicker sock on top of it. Make sure that the thicker sock isn’t pushing your foot up against your boots. You shouldn’t feel any loss of circulation in your feet. Wet socks can dry overnight in your sleeping bag.

Aptly prepare yourself for the trip both physically and mentally. Understand the conditions of where you are going while you will be there. Consider the snow level, the quality of the snow, know the trails and whether you will be venturing away from them or not, clarify if you will be hiking, snowshoeing or skiing and the group size and camping experience.

Also, consider the following:

• How many people are in the group?

• Does everyone know the area well enough? If not, provide maps so they do.

• Make sure your group is in full understanding of the conditions they’ll be facing

• Make a plan

• Avoid avalanche areas

• Most importantly: be prepared for the unexpected

Feeding yourself while camping has changed drastically over the past 20 years. It has become much easier to take care of yourself and your group. Dried foods are best to bring along. Avoid fresh foods as they weigh a lot and can hinder your mobility.

If possible, the best decision you can make is to bring along your Solavore Sport Solar Oven so you can eat warm, solar cooked meals. Solar cooking has changed the way we think about cooking while camping, and it changes the game for campers across the globe. It doesn't matter the temperature outside, as long as the sun is out you can use the sun to cook your food. 

Whether it is heating up potatoes, a stew, or even purifying water (don't eat snow), the Solavore Sport is your best friend for all things food on your next trip.

Three tips to successful wintertime cooking with your Solavore Sport. 

1. Use your reflectors. Capture every ray you can. 

2. Get an early start. Don’t wait until after noon to start cooking, start by 10 am for dinner. 

3. Experiment with using the Sport in its winter angle (Solavore Sport logo down). The “floor” measures 8” x 18” in this position, so loaf pans work great, as does my 7 ½” x 11 ½” metal casserole from the discount store; squash can simply sit on the floor of the oven, halved and cleaned.

It is recommended that you eat at least three meals-a-day and take ingredients to bed with you so they can thaw for the next day, similar to what we talked about earlier with drying your socks. Bring plastic utensils instead of metal and the only utensil you should need is a plastic spoon.

Winter Water 

Here are three tips from Princeton's Outdoor Action Guide. 

1) Do not eat snow! It takes an incredible amount of energy to transfer water from one state to another (solid to liquid). You are burning up too many calories to do this which can quickly lead to hypothermia.

2) Water may be obtained by digging a hole in frozen lakes or streams where there is running water beneath the ice. Be careful about falling in. Remember, in most cases water will need to be purified from giardia and other bacteriological contaminants (see below).

3) Snow can be melted on a fire, stove or your solar oven to make water. It should be clean snow, no yellow (urine) or pink (bacterial growth). Because it takes so much energy to convert from one state to another you should have some water in the bottom of your container. Heat this water up and add snow to it slowly so it turns to slush and then water. This is much more efficient. If you dump in straight snow, you will only burn the bottom of your container and not make any water. By volume it takes about 10 quarts of snow to make 1 quart of water. Snow does not need purification.

Here are a few winter camp set up tips from Princeton's Outdoor Action Guide. 

When you first get into camp, leave your snowshoes or skis on and begin to tramp down areas for tents and your kitchen. If possible, let the snow set up for 30 minutes or so, this will minimize postholing once you take snowshoes or skis off. Set up your tents with the doors at 90 degrees to the prevailing winds. Stake the tents out. On a cold night you can build snow walls on the windward side of the tent. Mound the sides of the tent with snow (have someone inside pushing out on the tent to keep it from collapsing. When the snow sets up you will have a hybrid tent-snow shelter which will have better insulation than the tent alone. Dig out a pit in front of your tent for a porch. This makes taking your boots off much easier. Put your foam pads in the tent and unstuff your sleeping bag and place it in the tent so it can "expand" from it's stuffed size.

If the snow is deep, you may want to dig out a pit for your kitchen. Dig a pit at least 6 feet in diameter (for 4-6 people). You can mark out the circle using a ski or a rope. Dig down about 2-3 feet and pile the excavated snow around the perimeter. Pack the snow at the perimeter of the hole with your shovel. This will give you a 4-5 foot deep area, protected from the wind. You can carve out seats and benches, put your skis or snow shoes behind the pile as backrests, carve places for stoves, etc.

General night sequence - after dinner, getting warm water for water bottles, and putting gear away, it's time for bed. This is a general sequence:

1. Get warm before you get into your bag. Do some jumping jacks, etc. so your heat is built up for when you get in your bag.

2. Get any clothing/gear you will need out of your pack as well as full water bottles and tomorrow's lunch.

3. At the tent door, brush off any snow with the wisk broom. Sit down inside the tent entrance and, keeping your boots outside, either have a friend brush them off, or remove them and brush them yourself.

4. Climb into the tent and close the door.

5. Strip off your layers of clothing to what will be appropriate in your sleeping bag. The more layers you wear the better insulated and the warmer you will be (contrary to the myth that says sleep in your underwear). However, too much clothing can compress dead air space in the bag and reduce its effectiveness.

6. Remove any wet/damp layers and replace them with dry ones, particularly socks.

7. Pre-warm your bag with your body (get it nice and toasty).

8. Place damp items in the sleeping bag with you near your trunk. This will help dry them overnight.

9. Place your boots in your sleeping bag stuff sack (turned inside out) and place the stuff sack between your legs. This will keep them from freezing during the night and the stuff sack keeps your legs from getting wet.

10. Put water bottles and food with you in the bag.

11. A hat and polarguard booties are recommended to help keep you warm.

12. Try to sleep with your face out of the bag. This reduces moisture build-up inside the bag (which could be catastrophic for a down bag). A scarf on your neck may be better than using the sleeping bag neck drawcord (which makes some people feel a little claustrophobic and creates a difficult nights sleep).

13. You will probably wake up a number of times during the night. This is normal in cold weather. Your body needs to change position to allow for circulation to compressed tissues and to move around a bit so that muscle movement generates more heat. If you are still cold, eat some protein to "stoke up your furnace." If that doesn't work, wake a tent-mate for some extra warmth.

14. With 10 or more hours in the tent, you are likely to need to urinate in the middle of the night. Go for it! Otherwise you won't get back to sleep, and your body is wasting energy keeping all that extra fluid warm. You will be surprised how quickly you can get out and back in and your body really won't chill that much.

15. It is useful to have a thermos of hot drink in each tent.

Snow Cave

A snow cave can be dug into a hillside. Dig the entrance up so that the door is below the sitting level. Also there are natural snow caves formed by the overhanging branches of trees covered with snow. By digging down you can get into the cave beneath the branches. In both cases you should poke a ventilation hole and keep it clear.

Igloo 

Igloos can be constructed if there is snow of the proper consistency to pack into hard blocks. Keep in mind that building such a shelter takes a great deal of energy and time. Two skilled persons can build a two person igloo in 2-3 hours with proper equipment and good snow.

Building an igloo is a process that requires a certain amount of artistry, but is less of an energy expenditure than a snow mound shelter. In general, rectangular blocks roughly 24" by 18" by 6" are cut and stacked in an ascending spiral.

The rectangular blocks are placed vertically and the bottom is shaped so that only the two bottom corners are supporting the block. Then the block is tilted inward and the vertical edge contacting the adjacent block is cut away until the weight of the block rests only on the upper corner.

The weight of the block is supported by the diagonally opposite corners, while the third corner prevents rotation. Once the first row is laid you shave off the tops of several blocks ( 1/4 - 1/3 of the circumference) to create a ramp and build upward in a spiral. Once the structure is complete, snow is packed into all the open joints.

You have a number of enjoyable options for snow travel. For an overview, see the REI Expert Advice article and video on backcountry travel in winter. Just keep in mind it takes a little more gear than in summer to get there.

ALPINE TOURING (RANDONEÉ) OR TELEMARK SKIING

If you're a skier, these are great ways to go for both the ascent and descent. AT ski bindings let the heel move for going uphill, and they clamp down for downhill skiing. Telemark skiers have their heels free all of the time, which requires a different type of turn when skiing downhill.

AT skis require matching boots that are a combination of a plastic climbing boot and an alpine ski boot. A switch sets the cuff to a soft flex for uphill skiing or climbing, or it can be set for a stiff flex for downhill skiing. Telemark boots and bindings are not compatible with AT gear.

Skiing with a full pack on your back takes some practice—so practice!

Tip: To keep your boots from freezing at night, put them in a stuff sack (turn the stuff sack inside out to keep the inside clean and dry) and then into your sleeping bag. Your toes will thank you in the morning.

SNOWBOARDING

Just as snowboarding is popular on ski-resort slopes, it is also a popular way to see the backcountry. A snowboard's wide base makes it great for descents, but the ascent may still require snowshoes (which means more weight on your back).

Some snowboards are split boards—they are actually two skis that latch together and form a snowboard. These are not as rigid as a traditional snowboard.

SNOWSHOEING

Snowshoes offer the easiest and least expensive way to travel in snow. "If you can walk, you can snowshoe" is a common expression indicating that no special skills or training are required. Snowshoes disperse your weight over a large surface area, thus providing a degree of flotation that reduces the amount you sink into soft snow. You should not, however, expect to literally "float" on the surface of the snow.

Snowshoes provide good traction for climbing, traversing and descending slopes. They also work better than skis in areas of closely spaced trees or in brushy or rocky areas.

RELATED GEAR

Poles: No matter what your means of ascent, you'll want to have a pair of adjustable ski or snowshoe poles. They provide welcome support and balance and can be used for downhill skiing or snowshoeing as well. If you don't want them for parts of your route, just shorten them and strap them on to your pack.

Ice axe: This can help you self-arrest when sliding, serve as an anchor for climbing or hack through ice when setting up camp. Be sure you know how to properly use it before heading out. Seek out competent instruction and practice.

Excess snow or bad weather may hide the trail and/or your destination. Before heading out, make sure everyone in your group has a good map and route description. If using a GPS, program in lots of waypoints. Mountaineers should consider using an altimeter as an extra means of determining their location.

Study your map and plot your compass bearings in advance so you know what terrain to expect. Beware of simply following someone else's tracks, as this person may not know where he or she is going! Plan and follow a safe route. Avoid cornices, snow-covered rivers and lakes, snow bridges, hidden holes next to logs and rocks, tree wells, rockfall and avalanche zones.

You may need to vary your route somewhat to find better snow conditions.

If you get lost:

• Stop and evaluate the situation.

• Stay calm.

• Check map and compass (and GPS, if available).

• Make yourself easy to find—visually and audibly.

• Stay together.

Winter camping is no joke, the snow can be brutally unforgiving. But that won't stop us from getting out there! Just make sure to do a lot of planning, preparing and prepping. With these winter camping tips you should be good to go. If you have been winter camping before and have any additional tips we would love to hear them! Happy camping!