I just put together another batch of bike-packing meals (same concept). We're touring through the desert, so need to carry both food and water for 4 dry camps. We carry only one pot, and we have what sounds like the same kind of stove your friend has.
For breakfasts, because our energy output is so high, and because the temperatures are cold, we've got a nutrient-dense cereal. I lightly toast thick rolled oats and mix them with chopped almonds, walnuts, ground flaxseeds, and a variety of dried fruits. We eat this cold, mixed with a scoop of Vital Scoop and a scoop of high quality whey protein powder. There's no reason this couldn't be cooked up hot.
Like Dixie, we like hard-boiled eggs. They're nutritious and pack very well. I eat them at any time of the day, but mostly for lunches. We also use a lot of canned salmon for lunches, but I agree with Dixie about taking that smelly stuff into bear country, especially grizzly country. We also use hard cheeses and loads of avocadoes at lunch. For "bread options", Mary's Gone Crackers are good. And tough. As are Nut Thins. Nut Thins doesn't have the best list of ingredients, but they're very tasty and have some protein.
Snacks: Turkey Jerky from Trader Joe's is very satisfying. Yeah, it's got some sugar in it, but when I'm working that hard, I just don't care. Lightly toasted or dehydrated almonds with raisins is a great snack, as are healthful bars. I like Nutiva's chocolate flaxseed bars, though I'm not big on sweets, and these are actually too sweet for me sometimes. Chocolate bars in general are good winter snacks. Not so great in warm weather. I also love cucumbers with cheddar cheese as a snack, or for lunch. We use raw cheddar, which really never molds.
Dinners: I just dehydrated some of our heritage turkey from Thanksgiving. Am adding in sun-dried tomatoes, dried porcini mushrooms, freeze-dried green beans (alas, not organic. Yuk), and dried goat's milk for a creamy sauce. I've rinsed and dried some quinoa to cook up with it. We carry garlic granules, salt, pepper, olive oil, and other herbs, so we can add to our dishes.
Frontier Natural Foods makes some great backpacking foods: Organic (yes, organic) powdered eggs; organic white cheddar powdered cheese; freeze-dried pinto and black beans. Freeze-dried vegetables can be purchased from
www.beprepared.com. Not much organic, but it's for short term use. They DO have organic spinach flakes. Freeze-dried is much better than dehydrated for veggies and meats, but I don't use these meats because I don't eat conventionally produced animals. I use powdered goat's milk because it's much better quality than the dried instant cow's milk products that are available.
Other meal ideas: Frontier pinto beans, mixed w/powdered egg (extra protein), sun-dried tomatoes, dehydrated onion flakes, spinach flakes, white cheddar cheese sauce (powdered cheese, powdered goat's milk, olive oil, water, garlic, salt). This dish will also feature polenta.
White basmati rice, red lentils, spinach flakes, onions, chopped cashews, curry seasonings. Can add raisins if you want that chutney effect.
Can of salmon, freeze-dried asparagus, dried lemon peel, olive oil, garlic, over quinoa or white basmati.
One can eat very well even under extraordinary circumstances.
My favorite quotes when we're pushing these ridiculous loads:
"That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger".
"Pain is just weakness leaving the body".
