I’m a very simple cook, so instead of recipes, I’ll just post these photos to show you what a lazy cook can do. Then, if you’re skilled in cooking techniques, you’ll know that you can do even better that this.
Since 1988 (25 years!) – that’s how long I’ve been using solar ovens. And one year that I lived off the grid, this was my only way to cook! And it was no problem.
Many times a week, especially in summer, we cook at least one dish, sometimes a few, never heating up the house. We also use it throughout the winter as well.
Take it to the beach or camping, especially during fire seasons.
Solar ovens are easy to use, fun, educational, and terrifically forgiving!
(I once forgot a pot of rice for four hours, and instead of burning it, found it hot and moist, waiting for me as if it were in a steam tray!)
I enjoy keeping my home cool in summer, not standing over a hot stove, not burning food (solar ovens don’t burn food), not filling the house with all cooking odors, getting out in the garden more, being more environmentally responsible, saving money, and knowing I can still cook food and boil water in the event of power outages. And I appreciate the better flavor of solar-cooked food, which so many people recognize.
Last summer at the Farmers Market, I put a raw chicken (from JJ and Teleah’s free-range ranch in the Gila Valley) in the oven by 9 am, and it was brown and tender, ready to eat, by 11 or noon each day! Usually I filled the pot with carrots and potatoes too – beautiful!
Simple boiled carrots and beets – a family favorite – to be served with butter and salt.
Roasted root vegetables are even better! Just toss in a little olive oil before baking.
And roasted squash, and more roasted carrots and potatoes.
(Friends say they can’t stand to cook in the summer, but we love it!)
In the fall, I love squash soup, but it was always such a hassle to cook a large squash: I usually made a mess in the kitchen. Solar cooking took the mess out of it. I just put the whole squash in the oven (with or without a pot)…
let it cook until it collapses into itself, then when it’s cool, pull the flesh from the skin into a pot….
(I could have added the last ingredients and finished it inside, but I cook inside too, especially when ingredients are added at the end.)
Toasting nuts and seeds saves money and is super simple! Because solar heat surrounds the food evenly, the nuts and seeds get perfectly evenly browned – every nut grows evenly brown all around! – slowly, without turning or stirring – exactly the opposite of the tricky problem of stove-top browning.
I have been teaching about solar ovens since 2004, just because I love them. I became a distributor in 2007 to help friends and community get the best price.
Below is the new “All-American” Global Sun Oven.
This new model is seriously improved – 20% larger inside, accepting standard casserole pans, with greater wind-resistance, and thicker glass and better gasket for greater heat retention. (It is named “All American” to distinguish it from Chinese copycat models with toxic interiors.)
Or call me at 575-534-0123, write to me at jean7eisenhower@gmail.com, or use the form below for more information or to purchase directly – or to ask to be notified of the next sale!
Jean Ann Eisenhower 