If you are not a backpacker or a child of the sixties, you may
not be familiar with this incredible snack food.
It started
out as trail mix, but somewhere along the line, the initials
of the ingredients melded into a new word for a scrumptious
treat. There are some that argue that the word GORP came from
"Good Old Raisins and Peanuts," but it really doesn't
matter. The end result is a silly word for a great snack.
You
don't need a recipe for GORP, although if you want directions
try pouring one cup of each ingredient into a large Baggie or
other plastic sealable container. Mix it up a little and stick
your hand in - pull out a handful and eat it!
The
original GORP recipe has been altered so often that it sometimes
barely resembles the hardy hiker snack. People have been know
to add chocolate or carob bits - even M&Ms, figs, dates,
almonds, walnuts...all kinds of nuts and dried fruit. Some use
sweetened granola or leave out the oat.
Shelled
sesame seeds make a great combo with the raisins. Basically,
you can add or take away any ingredient as long as you keep
the moistness that the raisins give the snack and the nutty
flavor of the granola and the nuts.
The
best thing about GORP is that it's a healthy snack alternative
that tastes really good, is incredibly simple to make and can
be taken anywhere in a handy little plastic bag. Kids love it
for snacks at school.
Imagine,
a healthy food that children will eat without whining! This
is one snack that you can tailor to each of your children. Just
use a separate Baggie for each special mix and everyone can
have their own favorite to tote to school... and tell all their
friends that they made it themselves! For a special treat, let
them help you shop to pick out their own ingredients to add
to the mix. The clean up after this cooking adventure is easy.
Just close the baggies and you're done.
Some of the more interesting
versions make a great addition to your party foods. One thing that you can be sure of when you
serve GORP is that everyone will love it. Make sure that you have enough and if you do make
too much, just bring out the baggies and save it for snacks for the clean up crew.
More about GORP around the Web:
Cranberry
Bog GORP recipe
TrailMix GORP
Recipes