Living Overland's Recipes, Reviews, & Techniques

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Cool looking stuff. Where was the show?

Salt Lake City!

 

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Review of Chef'n SleekStor VeggiSteam https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vBlHF-[/b]

Review of Chef'n SleekStor VeggiSteam

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We love to eat fresh vegetables at home and as we travel. Until we discovered the Chef'n Sleekstor VeggiSteam we had often wished we could find a light-weight vegetable steamer that we could easily take with us as we travel.

Specifications
Major Dimension: 8-1/2" Diameter
Weight: 3.75 oz.
Material: Silicone
Intended Use: Home Cooking
Price: $11.99

Our Observations
We were able to use the steamer, on a recent trip, to cook four servings of green beans. We found the VeggiSteam to fit perfectly into our medium sized GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Pot. After we inserted the steamer and filled the pot with the required amount of water, we were able to quickly steam our green beans to perfection. We liked the convenience of the two handles, which made it easy to remove the beans from the pot to prevent overcooking. Cleanup was simple with minimal soap and water thanks to the silicone material; and the steamer stored nicely with our other camping gear.

For our full review, visit our website at livingoverland, or click here.

 

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Review of KAI Magnetic Blade Guard

Review of KAI Magnetic Blade Guard

Keeping your favorite chef knife from being damaged during travel and keeping your fingers safe when reaching into your kitchen drawer or chuck box is essential to being able to prepare a meal on the trail. Chipped or dull blades can make cutting food difficult, requiring additional force, which can lead to injuries. A fail-proof method of protecting your kitchen knives is crucial for the chef on the trail. The KAI Magnetic Blade Guard is designed to protect your knife's blade from damage during transportation.

Specifications:
Material: Silicone and magnetic tape
Dimensions: S - 6"x1.5", M - 8"x1.5", L - 10"x2.5"
MSRP: S - $13.00, M - $19.00, L - $25.00

Our Observations:

We have been using our set of Magnetic Blade Guards to transport our kitchen knives on recent outings and to cooking classes. The design uses a silicone outer shell and hinge in combination with two magnetic strips on the interior. When closed, the blade is held securely in place by these two magnetic strips, one on either side of the blade. The guard, which can be cut to length, wraps fully around the blade and protecting it from damage. Although KAI recommends placing the back of the blade facing the hinge, we felt more comfortable with the the edge facing the hinge; just a little bit of extra insurance against possible damage.

For our full review, visit our website at livingoverland, or click here.

 

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Pastor Tacos

Pastor Tacos

Ingredients
3 Dried Hatch Chilis
2 Dried Ancho Chile
1 cup Pineapple Juice
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
1 Teaspoon each: Cinnamon, Oregano, Black Pepper, Salt
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
5 Garlic Cloves
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
8 Corn Tortillas
1 Bunch Cilantro
1/4 Cup Radishes Sliced
1 Lime Cut into Wedges
1.5# Pork Loin

You can find the entire recipe on our website www.livingoverland.com or by clicking here.

 

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Pastor Tacos

Ingredients
3 Dried Hatch Chilis
2 Dried Ancho Chile
1 cup Pineapple Juice
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
1 Teaspoon each: Cinnamon, Oregano, Black Pepper, Salt
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
5 Garlic Cloves
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
8 Corn Tortillas
1 Bunch Cilantro
1/4 Cup Radishes Sliced
1 Lime Cut into Wedges

You can find the entire recipe on our website www.TheOverlandGourmet.com or by clicking here.

Shoulder, butt, or?

 

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Shoulder, butt, or?

We used loin, but a shoulder or butt roast would work well too.

 

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Easy Asian Spare Ribs

Easy Asian Spare Ribs

Ingredients
5 lbs pork spareribs, cut into pieces containing two to three ribs (babyback or St. Louis cuts will also suffice)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 inch long pieces of ginger, peeled and sliced
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup oyster sauce

You can find the entire recipe on our website www.livingoverland.com or by clicking here.

 

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Review of PopSome by Vacu Vin

Review of PopSome by Vacu Vin

Keeping food organized in the 4Runner is very important to us. We often find ourselves on the road for several hours at a time as we travel from one location to another. When we roll into camp we don't want to be searching around for ingredients when we are getting ready to prepare dinner. Reusable plastic containers are a great way to store ingredients and can save money on extended trips by allowing you to purchase staples in bulk.

Specifications:
Model: Candy/Nut, Rice/Sugar/Coffee Grounds, Spice/Herb
Volume: 2 cups, 2 cups, 2/3 cup
Price: $10/ea, $10/ea, $25/set

Our Observations:

The Vacu Vin's PopSome line of containers offer a unique lid design that allows for quick access to your favorite snack or spice without the need to remove the lid. The container's center cone provides a sealing surface for the lid's center opening. Push the center of the lid down and it seals shut; pull it up and poor out the contents.

For our full review, visit our website at livingoverland, or click here.

 

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We have some exciting news to share with everybody! We are changing our name to Living Overland. We will be transitioning to our new web address, www.livingoverland.com, over the weekend. Thanks to everybody's support over the last 18 months! As always, if you have ideas and topics you would like us to cover, be sure to let us know.

Also, be sure to follow us on facebook, Living Overland, and on twitter!

 

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Sun Oven Chicken Curry

Sun Oven Chicken Curry

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, cut into 3/4" cubes
12 oz Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 cauliflower head, cut into florets
1 15.5 oz can chickpeas, rinsed
1 15.5 oz can low-sodium chicken broth
1 15.5 oz can coconut milk
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp turmeric

You can find the rest of our recipe on our blog, www.LivingOverland.com, or by clicking here.

 

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That chicken curry is looking mighty tasty!

 

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That chicken curry is looking mighty tasty!

Thanks! I made it with the Sun Oven, and then when we got home my wife wanted me to make it again! The nice thing about the Sun Oven recipes is how easy they can be adapted to a slow-cooker and even the other way around!

 

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Turkey and Apple Pita with Cranberry-Pecan Aioli

Turkey and Apple Pita with Cranberry-Pecan Aioli

Ingredients: Aioli
1 cup Mayo
1/3 cup Dijon Mustard
3 tbsp honey
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecans halves
salt
pepper
Makes 16, 2 tbsp, servings

Preparation: Aioli
Preheat oven to 350F. Place pecans on a cookie sheet and toast for 5 min, or until they become aromatic. Remove from the oven and let cool. Coarsely chop cranberries and pecans. Place in a bowl mixing in remaining ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.

For the complete recipe visit our website, Living Overland, or click here.

 

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Review of Sun Oven Part 2

Review of Sun Oven Part 2

The Plan:
We continued our evaluation of the Global Sun Oven on our Four Corners trip so that we might see how well the design lent itself to overland travel. The route and timeline for the trip left only a few hours of daylight at the end of the journey most day's and only two days with a full afternoon in camp. Despite our aggressive travel plans the oven tagged along as we traveled some 2500 miles.

Valley of the Gods

Preparing for Transportation:
The oven's glass door was a concern for us as we would be driving on dirt roads for part of the trip. To reduce vibration and the potential for damage, we covered the supplied enamelware pot with a fleece blanket. We wrapped the reflector assembly with a second blanket to reduce vibration and potential damage.

The Sun Oven was placed next to our cooler, on top of the rear drawers, during transportation. The oven's leveling leg sticks out about 1/2" past the bottom of the oven when in the lowest adjustment. We made sure to insert the leg past this adjustment, allowing the bottom of the leg to sit flush with the bottom of the oven, to ensure the oven stayed in place as we traveled.

You can read the rest of part 2 of our review on our blog, www.LivingOverland.com, or by clicking here.

 

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Jalapeno Black Beans

Jalapeno Black Beans


Ingredients:
1 15oz can black beans
1 medium jalapeno pepper, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Pre-Trip Preparation:
Open and rinse the can of black beans in cold water, placing them in a plastic container. If you are on the trail, as we were when we purchased the fixings for this dish, simply open the can part way, drain the liquid and add water to rinse.

Cooking Instructions:
Dice the jalapeno pepper, onion, and garlic and set aside. In a small saucepan heat vegetable oil on high heat to the point when it begins to shimmer; add diced vegetables. Saute, stirring constantly, for one minute or until the garlic and jalapenos become fragrant. Lower heat to medium and stir in the black beans, cooking while stirring constantly until heated through. Serve with your favorite fajita fixings!

For more recipes be sure to check out the recently updated Menu section of our blog by visiting www.LivingOverland.com

 

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Pasta with Shrimp and Puttanesca Sauce

Pasta with Shrimp and Puttanesca Sauce


Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes with Italian seasonings
1 ½ cups kalamata olives, drained and cut into halves or thirds
¼ cup capers, drained
1 ½ lbs large uncooked shrimp (we use 16-20), deveined and peeled
1 lb penne pasta

Serves 4

Pre-trip preparation:
Drain capers and olives at home; olives can be cut at home as well.

Cooking Instructions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; when boiling season with a tablespoon of salt and cook pasta until al dente, drain.
In a small or medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and stir constantly until aromatic, about one minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook until simmering, about 4-5 more minutes. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Lightly salt and pepper shrimp, set aside. In a large skillet (preferably non-stick) heat remaining tablespoon of oil until over high heat until shimmering; add shrimp. Cook shrimp until pink on each side, making sure not to overcook, about two minutes on each side.

Once sauce is simmering add the olives and capers and continue to simmer another two minutes. Spoon sauce over pasta and place shrimp on top of sauce.

For additional recipes and gear reviews be sure to check out our blog at www.LivingOverland.com

 

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Review of Cutting Boards by Casabella

Review of Cutting Boards by Casabella


As with preparing meals at home, food safety is a critical aspect of a trip's overall success. Sometimes a clean work surface for food prep can be difficult to find when traveling in the back country. Space is valuable when traveling in the 4Runner and often limits the amount of equipment we are able to take with us into the field. For years we traveled around with two small, but heavy, white plastic cutting boards for our meal preparation. We have tried various designs over the years, but nothing seemed to really stand out until we found the line of silicone-backed cutting boards by Casabella.

Features:
Material: Silicone backed plastic
Size: 16"x12-1/4"
Price: $14.99/set of four
Color-coded to prevent contamination; there is a cutting board for fish, meat, chicken, and vegetables.

Our Thoughts:
We have been using the Casabella cutting boards on our trips for about six months now, and the set of four has replaced the two heavy cutting boards we used to carry with us. The silicone backing does a great job of keeping them in place, even during the most vigorous of dicing--they don't slip or slide at all, even when wet. Having four cutting boards allows us the flexibility to prepare multiple dishes at once without cluttering up a single work surface. We found the hole, located at the top of each board, to be great for hanging the unused ones from a screw on the side of a drawer ready for use.

You can read the rest of our review on our blog, www.LivingOverland.com, or by clicking here.

 

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Antipasto Pasta Salad

Antipasto Pasta Salad


Looking for a great meal you can prepare ahead of time and serve the first night on the trail? This Antipasto Pasta Salad is sure to be a hit with everybody in your group.

Ingredients:
8 ounces sliced pepperoni
8 ounces salami
10 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1-12 ounce jar pepperoncini with 2 tablespoons juice reserved, drained, stemmed, and chopped coarse
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
1 pound penne or campanelle pasta
1 pound white mushrooms, quartered
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
12 ounces roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry, and chopped coarse
1 cup chopped fresh basil
Serves 6-8

Cooking Instructions:
In order to remove the excess fat from the pepperoni and salami, place one paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Arrange pepperoni in a single layer on towel, cover with another layer of paper towel , and layer with salami. Cover with one more paper towel then microwave on highest power for one minute. Allow to cool slightly then cut pepperoni and salami into ¼ inch strips. Set meat aside.

Whisk 5 tablespoons vinegar, oil, mayonnaise, pepperoncini juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl.

In a large pot bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Season with 1 tablespoons of salt and add pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain pasta, return to pot, and toss with ½ cup of dressing and remaining vinegar. Spread dressed pasta across rimmed baking sheets and refrigerate until chilled, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring remaining dressing to a simmer in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their juices and are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cool.
Add meat, provolone, roasted red peppers, chopped pepperoncini, basil, and cooled pasta to mushrooms and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.

For additional recipes and gear reviews be sure to check out our blog at www.LivingOverland.com

 

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Yakisoba Bowl

Well it has been a while since I posted a recipe. We just got back from our trip to New Zealand.

Yakisoba Bowl

Ingredients
1 5.6oz Yakisoba Noodle package
1lb grilled chicken breast, cut into 1/4in strips
1/3 head Napa cabbage, cut into 1/2in strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4in strips
1 Tbsp ginger, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 Serrano pepper - diced
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1Tbsp oyster sauce

Cooking Instructions
Heat 1 TBS oil over high heat in a wok. When the oil begins to shimmer, remove the noodles from the package, pull them apart and place in the wok. A little water may need to be added to help separate the noodles. Remove the noodles from the wok and set aside.

Reheat the wok over high heat and add 1 Tbsp stir the garlic, ginger, and Serrano pepper into the wok and sauté until aromatic. Add the Napa cabbage and red bell pepper; stir frying until tender. Note: It is important not to overload the wok with vegetables as this increases the cooking time. If required, break the ingredients into multiple batches.

Move vegetables to one side and add the chicken and noodles to the open side. Cover the chicken and noodles with vegetables and add remaining ingredients. Cook until chicken and noodles are heated through, stir to combine.

For more recipes, visit our blog at www.LivingOverland.com!

 

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Roasted Hatch Chili Soup

Roasted Hatch Chili Soup

Ingredients:
1 ounce unsalted butter
1 ounce all-purpose flour (substitute fine brown rice flour for gluten-free)
1 cup whipping cream
1.5 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced purple onion
1 teaspoons garlic, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, finely diced
1 cup roasted Hatch chilies, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon each salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper
pinch of white pepper
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2lb grilled chicken breast, sliced (Optional)
Serves 4
For the rest of our recipe, visit our blog at www.LivingOverland.com or by clicking here.