Make your own GORP

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Make your own GORP

food For some reason when I'm hiking I think a lot about food. I mean a lot.

My typical day hike lunch is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a veggie wrap, some fruit, nuts, and lots of water. But if I have time before the hike, I truly enjoy making my own trail mix, or GORP (that stands for good old raisins and peanuts.)

Healthy trail mix, from dried fruit to nuts to candy, is easy and fun to assemble yourself. Photo by Dave Schiefelbein.

The original GORP was a mixture of about an equal amount of raisins, peanuts and plain M&Ms. While surely delicious, a visit to the bulk foods aisle of a well-stocked grocery store or co-op will inspire you to make trail mix creations far beyond this simple original recipe, and maybe even to develop your very own signature trail mix combination. Imagine the possibilities! Here are a few wonderful ideas that will get you to your local bulk aisle before your next hike.

The GORP website is chock full of yummy trail mix recipes, including this once that is evidently courtesy of Tom Brokaw:

Tom Brokaw's Granola GORP
1 cup pitted dates, prunes, raisins or other dried fruit
4 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup pine nuts or walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup oil

Snip fruit into small pieces and set aside. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a sauce pan, stir together honey and oil and heat to boil. Pour over dry ingredients, and mix.

Spread onto two 10"x15" baking sheets. Bake 25 minutes at 325o F, stirring occasionally. Add fruit once the granola is cool. Pour into plastic bag and hit the trail!

From the Backcountry Kitchen at www.wta.org comes this simple but delicious variation.

Fremont Extra-fancy Gorp - recipe by Bill Sunderland

Ingredients:
1 ton M&Ms, 1 ton Crasins, 1 ton Cachews
Really big Zip-Loc Bag

Be cool like the kids in Seattle's funky Fremont district. Even if you don't have a nose ring, a tongue stud or tattoos, you can still eat cool food!
Combine equal volumes of M&Ms, Crasins and cashews in a Zip-Loc bag. Seal the top of the bag and agitate to achieve a uniform mixture of all ingredients. Consume by scooping out large handfuls and slamming them into your mouth. The adventurous individual may wish to experiment with the ratios of the ingredients.

Finally, a fabulous local blog on all things trail food, Freezer bag cooking tells how to make your own trail bars. Bon appetit!

Posted by at June 11, 2007 1:17 p.m.
Category: Hiking Technique