Camino de Santiago: A Culinary Journey

Watch video on YouTube here: http://youtu.be/yz9QtmbbEEc
via CHANNEL TITLE

Hot Pocket Cooking: A Failed Attempt

A few months ago I had what I thought was a great idea: what if there was a way to use Hand Warmers to heat food.  I wanted to take a common item found in most ski shops, and re-purpose it to create a mini-oven in my jacket pocket.  My thinking behind this madness was that I could eat a warm quesadilla on a chairlift, thus making my friends jealous of my ingenious creation and allowing for more time spent on the hill and less in the lodge.

Test quesadilla #1

I started to research Hand Warmer cooking.  I wanted to make sure that the Hand Warmers were non-toxic (which they are) and search for any other information on Hand Warmers and food. I found a few videos and gear reviews that suggested using the sticky boot warmers on the outside of a mug to keep liquids warmer longer, or to use hand warmers to warm propane stoves when winter camping.  However, no luck finding any information that would help with my makeshift pocket oven.

Since there was no information on this revolutionary concept, that meant that I had to go out and do some field testing.  On a snowy Tahoe day I opened a package of Hot Hands hand warmers and put the pair in my jacket pocket.  I had discovered online that most cheese melts at 90 degrees fahrenheit, so my goal was to see how many hand warmers it would take to make my pocket 100 degrees (just to be safe).  I started off with two, then went to four.  However, I quickly learned that the porous lining in my pocket was no help for holding in heat.  Duly noted.  I needed a way to trap heat in my pocket, or I had to use a different jacket with thicker pockets.

Placing the quesadilla with hand
warmers on each side into my
jacket pocket.

Before switching jackets I decided to try a direct approach.  I made a quesadilla using brie cheese (I wanted to test a soft cheese that melts easily) and wrapped it in a thin layer of aluminum foil.  I placed a hand warmer on each side of the quesadilla and placed the food and heat back in my pocket.  After 45 minutes I removed the quesadilla and used a thermometer to test how much the cheese had melted.  In the spots where the hand warmer was directly against the quesadilla the cheese warmed to 93 degrees, and did in fact melt.  However, the distribution of heat throughout the quesadilla was uneven, and the part that was not directly against the hand warmer was only 68 degrees.  I definitely don't want a blotchy quesadilla, I'm on the pursuit of gooey, cheesy perfection!  Back to the drawing board....


Be sure to read the next installment of "Hot Pocket Cooking", where I will hopefully find a way to enjoy warm quesadillas while riding a chair lift.  And in the meantime.... check out www.adventuredindingguide.com for outdoor recipes and series episodes!

Homemade ENERGY Goo with Tori Sowul from Spread Stoke

Tori Soul taking a break on the trail to fuel up
with her homemade energy goo.

Tori Sowul is a force of energy!  She is a passionate outdoors woman who spends a great deal of time ripping along Utah's mountain bike trails.  In addition to being a ski and bike enthusiast, Tori is also co-founder of the action inspired website, spreadstoke.com.  

As you can imagine, Tori is a busy woman with a hectic schedule, which is exactly why she shared a recipe for her homemade energy goo.  She often needs a boost of energy when she's out on the trail, and this recipe has just that.  There are both simple and complex carbs for quick and sustained energy, along with a vitamins to support tired muscles.  And, the best part about Tori's Goo is that it can be made at home using common, inexpensive ingredients.  Heres how to make Tori's Goo, and be sure to visit spreadstoke.com to join an awesome community of outdoor enthusiasts!

Makes 15 servings:

3 tbsp Honey

3/4 tsp Black Molasses

1 tbsp Peanut Butter

1 cup Cooked Quinoa

1 pinch Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Coffee

Mixing up a batch of Tori's homemade energy goo.

Instructions

1. Combine ingredients. Mix everything together.
2. Put 2 tbsp. goo into individual serving plastic bags. *Make sure you use a reliable container to hold the goo, otherwise you will have a big sticky mess to deal with.
3. Consume goo on the trail for simple backcountry energy. Store goo in refrigerator when waiting to be used, to ensure food safety.

For more trail friendly recipes visit: http://www.adventurediningguide.com/recipes

Hitting the trail with Trail Maven's 'Chief Maven'

Sasha Cox is a seasoned outdoors woman who knows a thing or two about cooking outside.  When leading groups of women on her Trail Maven excursions Sasha is in charge of teaching her crew the art of cooking in the backcountry.  This is no easy feat, especially since many of her clients are urban women with limited outdoor cooking experience.  Spending time with an expert like Sasha is inspiring because she knows what it takes to make great food with limited supplies.

Although this recipe is Sasha's favorite backpacking meal, we chose to prepare it in a campground.  The location where we filmed this episode was drought stricken with fire bans outside designated camping areas.  Even small propane stoves can ignite a fire, so we chose to be safe and do our cooking on a camp bench.  While watching this episode you might notice bees buzzing around each shot.  The campsite was filled with bees, and there was nothing we could do to avoid them.  This episode is a perfect example of overcoming the challenges of cooking in the outdoors and making a wonderful meal despite the limitations!

Follow the link to Adventure Dining Guide's site for Sasha's Nutty Veggie Couscous recipe:

http://www.adventurediningguide.com/nuttyveggiecouscous/

Trail Mavens Couscous Episode

Watch video on YouTube here: http://youtu.be/jCcboIVIccw

Trail Maven’s CEO and Chief Maven, Sasha Cox, knows what goes into making a great meal in the backcountry. Watch the episode to learn how to prepare her Nutty Veggie Couscous!

5 Way to Cook Using Your Backcountry Snow Shovel

Grab your shovel and get creative with these 5 tips for cooking with your backcountry snow shovel:

#1:  Fire Starter! 

Use your shovel to build a fire when the ground is wet or covered with snow.  First line thin, dry pieces of timber along the base of your shovel and spread a Vaseline soaked cotton ball over the timber.  Next make a pyramid of timber around the base.  Light the cotton ball and let the flame build.  When the flame is steady and you’re ready, slowly pull the shovel from the fire and try not to disturb the structure (think of a magician pulling a table cloth from a set table).  When the shovel is free and clear, add additional timber and larger dry wood pieces to build your fire. 

#2:  Grill Tool!

Speaking of fires and shovels, your backcountry shovel makes a great tool for flipping and grabbing food from your fire pit.  There’s no need to carry extra tools for cooking on a backcountry fire, your shovel does it all.  You can also use the shovel to fan the fire to build the flames.

#3:  Pot Cover! 

Who needs a lid when you have a shovel to throw over your pot! The light “u” shape molds perfectly to any size pot. 

#4:  Cooling tray! 

Use your shovel as a cooling tray to make backcountry treats, like these “Bear Scat Cookies”. You can heat and bind your ingredients with a backcountry stove and then cool your goop directly on your shovel’s non-stick surface to make delicious cookies without an oven.

#5:  Freezer!

Cool leftovers and make dessert with a shovel and snow.  Dig a shallow hole in the snow.  Lay shovel with leftovers on shovel surface in the snow, and cover with aluminum foil.  Cover the shovel with a light layer of snow, and remove when food reaches your desired temperature.  This is especially great for making desserts when you’re staying in a warm hut.  Try ice cream, pumpkin peanut butter bars, or frozen fruit treats!

For more creative backcountry recipes visit www.adventurediningguide.com