staehpj1

I prefer a tent myself, but that is personal preference. I tend to camp for free a lot, but not stealth camp. If I wanted stealth, a hammock might be tempting as long as the trip is somewhere with trees. My tent (Spitfire 1) weighs about the same as a hessessy, but does require a sleeping pad (12 ounces for my NeoAir).

I find 45 liters to be way more space than I need. On my last month long tour I used a bit smaller panniers (38 liters) than you propose and had plenty of extra space for food and anything else with a lot of room to spare. I keep the tent outside of the panniers though. I went with front panniers only and carried the tent on top of the rear rack. It worked out very well.

For food on tour I don't worry too much about healthy.

Breakfast - I like to just grab a granola bar in camp most days and stop at a diner later, but If I want a real breakfast in camp I usually have instant oatmeal. I add sugar (brown sugar or honey if I have it) and butter or margarine. If I have them I throw in berries or nuts. If I don't want oatmeal soft boiled eggs work out well.

Lunch - Peanut butter and bagels or tortillas, wraps (shredded cabbage adds crunch), cheese and hard salami on chips or crackers (with fresh avocado or other veggies if I have them), hummus (dried if I can find it) or whatever.

Dinner - Ramen noodles with margarine and a foil pack of tuna or salmon is a favorite of mine. I throw in freeze dried or canned peas if I have them. Various boxed or bag rice, noodle, or potato dishes are good. If close to a store a frozen bag dinner works well. Sometimes I buy a bag salad and maybe a small bottle of wine if I want to treat myself.