hiking and camping

I really enjoyed the first book by Tim and Christine Conners and now the couple has come out with a second book in the Lipsmackin' Backpackin' series that is completely vegetarian. Recipes include Fabulous Fry Brownies, Miso Madness, Algonquin Apple Leather and a series of bread recipes that would make any backpacking trip more enjoyable. There are great dishes for each meal time and some wonderful GORP ideas. The book has a range of drinks, fruit leathers and decadent desserts. I was pleasantly surprised when I found a recipe for Coleslaw which is dehydrated at home and rehydrated on the trail.

The recipes are tested numerous times to ensure that they turn out well on your adventures. The gang here did a little of the testing to help out. We even found that the Green Dragon Pad Thai tastes great once you get past its vibrant color. Trailside instructions are printed with each recipe and again in the back of the book. The packable trailside cooking instructions are perfect for placing in the zipper bag with the food contents. The cut-outs appear in the same order as the recipes for easy finding.

Although Lipsmackin' Vegetarian Backpackin' is a meatless collection of good eats, it is a book easily enjoyed by all.

Christine and Tim Conners did a great job putting this book together. Not just a collection of appealing trail food recipes, it gives tips on where to buy ingredients as well as other items of interest to the backwoods hiker/camper. I was privileged to be asked to contribute some of my own trail food ideas to this book. In my discussions with Christine, she told me that a lot of long distance hikers didn't like to use a dehydrator - something I can't identify with since my dehydrator has been invaluable in preparing for backwoods treks. Christine included a humorously written article about the benefits of the dehydrator. Many of the recipes include short notes from the contributors on the recipe and its use on the trail. If I had to pick one negative of the book, it would be that the title includes the word "vegetarian". I would think this may turn off the meat eaters. The book will appeal to all paddlers and trail hikers who want good tasting, unique, yet easy-to-prepare food. I own several trail food cookbooks, including the Conners other book, Lipsmackin' Backpackin'. I tend to reach for Lipsmackin' first when I am preparing for a trip and now I'm sure their new book will get just as much use from me.