Customer Reviews

Solar Cooking

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The author notes "Because I am a vegetarian, all recipies are without meat, fish, or eggs." Many of the recipes call for "Bragg Liquid Aminos", which is a soybean-derived amino acid supplement.

If you aren't a vegetarian, the recipes are of limited value.

There are instructions for constructing your own solar oven, but most of the material is available for free from various Web sites. Overall, I don't feel that the book is worth the price.

While I do agree that Amazon really should have posted this as a vegetarian book (It would have sold better that way), I thought it was a wonderful book that really gives one a good idea on solar cooking.

To the naysayers out there, I say this. Solar ovens vary in temperature (I have seen them anywhere from 250-350 degrees or more). Unless you know the temperature of your oven, you shouldn't be cooking meat anyway... for obvious reasons. It should be common sense that there will be no magic cookbook to teach you how to make rump roast in a solar oven because there isn't a writer on the planet that can determine the temperature of every single solar oven in use in each different hemisphere on the planet.

I have always used my own recipes. My suggestion to those who wish to cook meat in your solar oven is to use a glass lid and keep an easily read thermometer in the meat. You can always paint most of the lid black if that is your preference, but I have used the glass lids with just as much success as the solid black metal lids.

In searching for books on solar cooking, I am interested in recipes for omnivores. I have never purchased tofu or textured protein, and never will. I was very disappointed with this book; Ms. Kofalk stated that even though she isn't a vegan vegetarian herself, she wrote a vegan cookbook so as to not offend. Funny thing is, I am rather offended. This cookbook is of no use to me.

Also, I can't help but feel that Ms. Kofalk is perpetuating an image that only left-leaning, naturalist vegan vegetarians will be interested in solar cooking. It seems that in this age of diminishing resources, more and more meat-eaters will be interested in harnessing the sun's power, too.

Yes, this book is about cooking vegan foods with a solar cooker. It has some nice recipes. I'd find myself offended if I couldn't find a good vegan solar cooking book, most others ARE for ominivores. This one is great, met my expectations...maybe even more so.

The cover of the book says: Ecological, Economical, and Time Saving.
I think for her to choose vegan recipes was right, these recipes can be pretty ecological and economical sound...especially when usuing a solar cooker. And her recipes seem to be time saving (haven't tried them all).The author also said "all the recipes in this book are without any animal products to honor those who choose that way of life." SHe didn't choose these recipes so as not offend people, she probably just realized how hard it is to find easy to do solar cooking vegan recipes.

So yes, while there aren't a whole lot of recipes in this book I still rate this a 5.

This book gives detailed information on making and using a solar oven. It even tells you how to can tomatoes and fruit in a solar oven with success.

This is a neat little book, very informative and even tells you how to build and use the solar oven. I didn't realize it was so easy! I'm happy I bought it!

I wish the Amazon description had stated this was a vegan cookbook, I have found a few things I may cook but not worth the price.

The information in this book can be found on any google search. I like the over all concept of getting a solar oven to reduce energy use or emergency situations where the grid is down. The book is alright but save the money and google or you tube how to make a solar oven. The recipes looked good, but any slow cooker recipe will work.

This book is a quick reference for recipes for solar cooking for beginners,though the author includes only vegetarian dishes...The brief intro to solar cookers and a complete DIY solar box cooker with cardboard boxes is useful for those willing to try making one at home,for just a few dollars and have fun.
The last part of the book has a few articles taken from old magazines.....out dated articles, could be useful.....on the whole, a good short introduction for solar cooking!