Several years ago, Julie Mosier went on a solo backpacking trip to the Three Sisters Wilderness, bringing along off-the-shelf backpacking food. As she was looking over Moraine Lake eating her meal, she thought, “This is not good.” That disappointment inspired her to make backpacking meals delicious.
She started experimenting by cooking meals the way she would at home and then dehydrating them. Her son, Henry, became her first taste tester. During his three-week hike on the John Muir Trail, she provided all the food and he gave honest feedback about which meals he didn’t want again and those he couldn’t get enough of.
After four years of recipe development, Mosier launched Food for the Sole in December with six ultra-light, packable meals. The high protein dishes include garlic green bean and cashew stir fry, ratatouille with nutty quinoa pilaf, roasted sweet potatoes with kale and quinoa, lentil walnut pilaf with kale, and coconut rice and Cuban black beans. The preparation method is straightforward: add boiling water, wait and eat right from the pouch.
Their most unique product is the peanut super slaw, a crunchy salad with cabbage, peppers, carrots and peanuts you make with cold water. There really is nothing like it on the market. On a hot summer afternoon this crisp, refreshing salad would be satisfying.
Mosier says, “You should be able to have great food anywhere.” You can find Food for the Sole’s adventure-ready meals on its website.
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This article appears in Feb 21-28, 2018.
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Looking to following your progress, Food for the Sole! – Aaron Owens Mayhew, RD from Backcountryfoodie.com