[pct-l] cookless on the trail

[linsey]

Dear Jim,  posting replies properly confounds me, but here it goes.  

I tried cookless last year, but carried a mug/caldera cone and did end up wanting and preparing more cooked food.  Being vegetarian and picky about not subsisting on junk, I home dehydrated food for resupply boxes.  Overestimating my hiking pace meant my resupplies were all a bit short and had to be supplemented at stores as I went.  My homemade food worked WAY better than most anything I could buy--my cereal bars far superior to any commercial bars both in taste and energy provided.  The non cooked homemade options that worked well were...
   
homemade cereal bars--these can be eaten plain or crumbled with milk added
(recipe available by request)

cold  rehydrated beans with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, roasted garlic powder,whole grain croutons and salad flakes (beautiful greens from the farmers market dried at low temperature), salt & pepper. Chickpea's took longer to re-hydrate, red, black, navy, pinto beans etc were excellent. While this was an enjoyable afternoon meal, it was less appealing when the evening turned cold.  

Green Shakes:  (protein powder, whole powdered milk or powdered soymilk, spirulina algae powder)  These were inspired by Scott Williamson's menu, and worked great.  I drank them at night as a recovery drink.

The muesli (powdered milk added) that I pulled out a hiker box wasn't something I would have picked out, but I loved having something that easy for first breakfast.

Dried apples and pears are obvious, but I also very much enjoyed my rhubarb leather; good plain, sublime in hot morning cereal if one is cooking. 

Sincerely, Lollygag 
2009 sobo pct hopeful turned 850 mile section hiker, 2010 sobo hopeful