Month: September 2015

Backpackables with Munk Pack, Chapul and GoChia – Camp Cook Week Day 4

Welcome to Camp Cooking Week! We’ll be cooking outdoors all week long so come back tomorrow for more outdoor cooking tips and tricks.

Backpackables – Camp Cook Week Day 4

Camp cooking is all great to talk about, but when you’re hauling all your food for several days on your back camp cooking takes on a whole new meaning. Backpacking requires lightweight, easy food options. Here are some grab and go foods we tried recently.

Munk Pack Oatmeal Fruit Squeeze
Grain and fruit in a convenient pouch make eating a balanced meal on the go much easier. Moms out there may be familiar with these food pouches for apple sauce and baby food, but these meals in a bag are designed for both kids and adults. So when Munk Pack gave me some to sample, I was excited to try them out, especially because they’re wheat, egg and nut free – perfect for my allergic son.
Munk Pack Oatmeal Fruit Squeezes are larger than an applesauce pack at 4.2 ounces and come in three great flavors – Apple Quinoa Cinnamon, Raspberry Coconut and Blueberry Acai Flax. My favorite was the Blueberry, although Big E wouldn’t let me try to Apple Quinoa Cinnamon. The texture was a bit odd, like applesauce with little lumps in it because of the grains, but it was still tasty.

Traditional protein bars take up an entire aisle at the grocery store yet all seem very similar to me. The energy bars produced by Chapul are very different. Why? Because they’re made out of crickets.
Since crickets need minimal resources to raise, do not emit greenhouse gases and are a complete protein they make sense as a sustainable form of protein in a growing world. People have eaten cricket for thousands of years all over the world. Chapul grinds the insects into cricket flour, not that different in look and texture than whole grain oat flour. From that flour they created four uniquely flavored energy bars.
  1. Aztec – Dark Chocolate, Coffee and Cayenne
  2. Matcha – Matcha Tea, Gogi and Nori
  3. Chaco – Peanut Butter and Chocolate
  4. Thai – Coconut, Ginger and Lime
I was given each flavor to sample and I liked the Chaco bar most, I think because I’m used to granola bars having those flavors. The Thai bar was strong on the ginger flavor, and the Aztec was good, but has a kick of Cayenne and I’m a spicy wimp.
The last grab and go food I got samples to review was a bag of GoChia bites. These food squares are like granola bars’ healthier, stronger cousin. With a mix of quinoa, chia and dark chocolate these superfood bites provide high energy in bite sized pieces. Kinda like my kids.
Chia seeds are promoted as a superfood containing omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber and antioxidants. They’re tiny black seeds that remind me of poppy seeds.
Compared to a traditional chocolate granola bar, GoChia bites are grainier and less sweet. They taste healthy, like something I’d only eat if I had to, kinda boring, a little like cardboard. So imagine my surprise when my kids gobbled the whole bag up before I could take a single picture (this one is from their website). They loved them, asking for more when the bag was empty.
I was shocked and pleased. It’s always hard to find pre-made foods that Big E can eat with his allergies (wheat, eggs, peanuts and treenuts). These GoChia bites are gluten and nut free, super healthy and the tots thought they were delicious.


Backpackables
If you’re planning a backpacking adventure, or even just a trip to your local park, these grab and go options are great for something a little different. They’re energy packed options that are healthy, sustainable and unique. Try some out and let me know what you think.

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Other links you might like:
Dutch Oven Cooking for Beginners – Camp Cook Week Day 1
Primus Firehole 100 Camp Stove Review – Camp Cook Week Day 2
Backyard Bonfire – Camp Cook Week Day 3

More than S’mores – Camp Cook Week Day 3

UPDATED MARCH 2018 Welcome to Camp Cooking Week! Today we’re talking s’mores and all the other foods you can roast over a fire. Savory s’mores anyone?

We’ll be cooking outdoors all week long so come back tomorrow for more outdoor cooking tips and tricks.

Day 3 – Backyard Bonfire 

Cooking over a fire is perhaps the most thought of form of camp cooking. Whether you wrap up food in tinfoil and stick it in the coals or stab it onto a stick and roast it over the flames, food cooked over a fire is delicious.

Rosating marshmallows over a campfire
S’mores are a must have when camping out, but they’re not the only thing to cook over a fire. Last weekend a friend of mine invited me and the tots to a fun family birthday party. Her husband and son have the same birthday so in order to accommodate both kids and adults she planned a backyard bonfire. Fun for all!

More than S’mores

At this birthday party my friends served so much more than s’mores. Typically when I think of s’mores I think of a roasted marshmallow and square of chocolate squished between two graham crackers. But there are so many other tasty foods that can be roasted and sandwiched together!
Try these variations next time you make s’mores for some outdoor cooking deliciousness.
  1. Chocolate grahams
  2. Shortbread cookies
  3. Mint grasshopper cookies
  4. Cookie butter spread
  5. Nutella
  6. Peanut butter
  7. Almond butter
  8. Berries
  9. Ice cream
  10. Flavored marshmallows

Savory s'mores

Savory S’mores

In addition to a table of sweet treats, my friend prepared something I had never heard of before – SAVORY S’MORES. Imagine cheeses wrapped in meat slices, savory crackers and pretzel chips.

I’d never had savory s’mores before, never even thought to have them, but once I saw the spread I knew the idea was fantastic. Wrap a mozzarella ball in a slice of ham and roast it into a tasty ball of goodness. Yum.

Try these ingredients to make delicious savory s’mores

  1. Pretzel chips
  2. Crackers
  3. Bread
  4. Rolls
  5. Tortilla Chips
  6. Cheddar squares
  7. Mozzerella balls
  8. Cheese spreads
  9. Sliced ham
  10. Salami
  11. Roasted Turkey Breast
  12. Deli Meats
  13. Button Mushrooms
  14. Onion
  15. Red, Orange, Green and Yellow Peppers
  16. Marinara Sauce
  17. Barbeque Sauce

Outdoor Cooking Challenge

Now that I’ve tasted of the goodness of savory s’mores, it’s one of my favorite outdoor meals to prepare. In fact I included it as one of my 30 outdoor meals in 30 days I prepared as part of my camp cooking challenge.

If you want to learn some easy camp cooking tips, join my FREE challenge. Not only will you get outdoor inspiration right to your inbox, I’ll also send you my family’s actual 3 day/2 night camping menu, an exclusive video on how to make the perfect camp cookfire and a checkoff list of everything you need in a camp kitchen.

Sign up right here in this box:

What foods have you tried roasting over a fire? Leave a comment, post a photo in the FREE Helping Families Explore Outdoors facebook group or tag me on instagram. Come back tomorrow for more Outdoor Cooking!

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Other links you might like:

Camp Cooking for Beginners – Everything you Need to Know
Dutch Oven Cooking for Beginners – Camp Cook Week Day 1
Primus Firehole 100 Camp Stove Review – Camp Cook Week Day 2

Primus Firehole 100 Camp Stove Review – Camp Cook Week Day 2

UPDATED MARCH 2018

Welcome to Camp Cooking Week! We’ll be cooking outdoors all week long so come back tomorrow for more outdoor cooking tips and tricks. Today I’m reviewing our Primus Firehole 100 camp stove.

Primus Firehole 100 Camp Stove Continue reading “Primus Firehole 100 Camp Stove Review – Camp Cook Week Day 2”

Dutch Oven Cooking for Beginners – Camp Cook Week Day 1

UPDATED APRIL 2018 Dutch Oven cooking can be the most delicious way to prepare food outdoors…if you know these beginner tips.

Welcome to Camp Cooking Week! We’ll be cooking outdoors all week long so come back tomorrow for more outdoor cooking tips and tricks.Dutch oven cooking tips

Dutch Oven Cooking for Beginners

Dutch Oven Cooking makes some tasty outdoor food. I mean real good. Setting a cast iron pot directly in the coals is a great way to get some delicious dinner (or breakfast or lunch) and once you know the basics it’s a fairly straightforward process.

  1. Heat the coals.
  2. Prepare the food and place it in the dutch oven.
  3. Place the coals and let the food cook.
  4. Enjoy!

Heat the Coals

Before we get to the food, we’ve got to talk heat. Dutch ovens are great at staying warm for a long time, but getting them warm takes a while.

We start our charcoal briquettes in a charcoal chimney, a nifty metal tube with space at the bottom for a small fire. This heats the coals quicker – in 15 to 20 minutes – just enough time to get your ingredients together.

Heating coals in a charcoal chimney

Anything you can bake in an oven or cook on a stove top you can make in a Dutch Oven as long as you heat things up right.  But just how many coals do you need when dutch oven cooking?
A quick guide I’ve heard for how many coals you need – take your diameter and multiply by two. One third go on bottom, two thirds on top. The fact that more coals go on the dutch oven lid when baking throws a lot of people.
Psst…I talk all about Dutch Oven cooking and other kinds of outdoor cooking on this episode of the Hungry Squared podcast. Give it a listen!
The most common dutch oven size is a 12 inch diameter. That’s the size we have so we need 24 coals total, 16 on top, 8 on bottom. Here’s a convenient chart from Dutch Oven Mania that gets more precise.

Photo from www.dutchovenmania.com

Let it Cook

You put down some hot coals, put your dutch oven on then add more coals to the top. How long until you can eat that mouthwatering meal? Dutch oven cooking is for the patient.

Most recipes require at least 45 minutes of cooking time, rotating the oven and lid every 10-15 minutes for even heating. Rotating the oven and lid often during cooking prevents burn spots and gives more even heat for your food. Don’t forget to stir too!

Dutch Oven Meal

I like to line up the lid handle with the pot handle when I begin cooking. When a ten minute timer goes off I rotate the lid a quarter turn in one direction and rotate the oven body a quarter turn in the other direction.

You may not want to wait 45 minutes or more for dinner, but there’s a benefit for having your food cooked this way – it stays warm for hours. The cast iron in a Dutch Oven holds its heat well so going back for seconds is never a problem.

Dutch Oven Features

You’ve waited patiently but now your ready to eat! How do you get those coals off without getting ash in your food? Trust me, it’s happened. Dutch Oven Cooking works best if you have the right tools.
The most important gear item you need for dutch oven cooking is of course a dutch oven. It should be cast iron, rust free (although you can clean and reseason it if you need to), have a holder handle on the pot, legs on the bottom and a flat top to hold coals.
Coals on dutch oven
They make Cast Iron Dutch Ovens for regular kitchen use that may not have those features. Those still make tasty meals, but if you’re using the dutch oven outdoors the legs on the bottom, holder handle and flat top lid are essential.

More Dutch Oven Cooking Tools

After the Dutch Oven itself, the most important tool we use is a lid lifter. When the dutch oven gets hot and the lid handle is surrounded by coals it is near impossible to move it without burning yourself. Hence the lid lifter.
We also wear fireproof gloves and use barbeque tongs to help place coals and of course we have a charcoal chimney to help heat the coals. Having the right tools makes dutch oven cooking a burn-free, ash-free process, plus it’s the only way to not burn yourself.
CampMaid Dutch Oven Cooking System
Some of the coolest Dutch Oven gear that I tried out for my 30 Outdoor Meals in 30 Days Challenge was from CampMaid. I really like that all of the items fold down to fit inside the dutch oven for storage.
You can see all the outdoor gear our family uses and loves on our gear page.

Dutch Oven Cooking Pros and Cons

Dutch Oven Cooking is a great way to eat outdoors because the food is so delicious, but it takes a while and those ovens can be heavy.

Pros

  • Baking – not many outdoor cooking options can do this easily.
  • Food stays warm a long time.
  • Delicious food. Really, really good.

Cons

  • Heavy – you’ll be getting a work out.
  • Clean up can be messy especially when camping. A food scraper (we use an old library card or national park pass) or aluminum dutch oven liners or parchment dutch oven liners help.
  • Time. Dutch ovens are the original slow cookers.
Now you’re ready to try for yourself! Sign up for my camp cooking challenge in the box above for even more outdoor cooking tips then try our quick Dutch Oven Potatoes recipe below.
We make these potatoes in our home fire pit several times every summer.

Dutch Oven Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 onion, sliced
1 lb bacon
4-6 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 T butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 c shredded cheese
Cut onion and bacon. Fry in uncovered dutch oven* until onions are translucent and bacon crisp. Remove bacon and grease. Add sliced potatoes, butter, salt and pepper. Stir. Cover and place coals. Cook for 40-50 minutes, rotating frequently until potatoes are tender. Crumble reserved bacon over potatoes, add cheese and serve.
*Sometimes I cook the bacon and onions in a frying pan on my stove if I’m trying to speed things up.

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