How to Be a Straw Box Chef And Make Hearty Winter Meals Without a Stove
The invention of gas and electric stoves forever changed the way we cook our food. We are no longer reliant on open flames for a hearty, nutritious meal, and cooking is now a lot safer. Yet, there are some methods from the past that are timeless. Gas and electric stoves still rely on finicky electricity, which can often go out in bad storms. That’s where homesteaders of the past turned to straw box cooking.
Straw box cooking goes by many names, including fireless cooking, a haybox, or a Norwegian cooker. Farmers didn’t want to leave their stoves on all day just to enjoy a hearty soup at night, and Americans during World War II followed strict rationing guidelines and couldn’t spare excess fuel. As a result, straw box cooking was born. The idea is to take a wooden box and pack it full of straw. This will serve as insulation to “cook” your food. Bring soup, stews, roasts, and other meals to a boil or simmer on the stove, place a lid on the pot, and put it inside the box. Then, simply close the box, and let the straw insulate the pot to cook your food. You can also use coolers, metal containers, or other “boxes” to hold your pot. Straw can be replaced with blankets, towels, or other nonflammable items.
meals in a slow cooker, and when the power does go out, transfer the meal into the straw box. (A camp stove or fireplace can also be good alternatives for reheating your meals if the power is still out!) But here’s a word of caution for interested chefs: Be sure to use a thermometer to check the temperature of your meals before digging in. While the straw box method is great for conservation and nights without power, it doesn’t work as efficiently as the stove or oven. You may need to practice this method a few times to get it right, and if possible, bring your meal back to a boil after it’s cooked in the straw box, just to be safe. It may not be a great invention like electric and gas stoves, but straw box cooking is a helpful tool every homesteader, camper, survivalist, adventurous chef, and outdoor enthusiast needs to know. Enjoy!
This can also be an effective preparation tool for forecasted storms. Simply prepare your
Word Search
BALSAMIC ROASTED VEGETABLE PASTA Winter is still here, which means it’s time to curl up with a bowl of delicious comfort food. This seasonal vegan pasta dish does the trick! Inspired by TheFullHelping.com
Ingredients
Directions
• •
1.
1/2 tbsp grapeseed oil
Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In a large bowl, combine grapeseed oil, root vegetables, and onion. Toss until evenly coated, then spread the mixture across two foil-lined baking sheets. 3. Sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper, then roast them for 35–40 minutes. While vegetables are roasting, cook pasta according to package directions. 4. When vegetables are done, heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallots and garlic for 4–5 minutes. 5. Add the root vegetables and onion, pasta, vegetable broth, and vinegar to the pot and stir until warm. Add the arugula and cook until wilted. 6. Serve with salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast.
2 1/2 lbs mixed vegetables of choice, chopped into 3/4- inch pieces (parsnips, turnips, carrots, butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, etc.)
• • • • • • • • • •
1 red onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
MLK JR PENNSYLVANIA PHIL PRESIDENTS DAY VALENTINE WINTER
AQUARIUS BLACK HISTORY CANDY CUPID GROUNDHOG HEART LINCOLN
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 8 oz uncooked pasta 1/2 cup vegetable broth 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 handfuls arugula
Salt and pepper, to taste Nutritional yeast, to taste
740-452-8484 • 3
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator