Healthful, Homemade Trail Mix

 Blog copyright Janet Groene 2025

Charoseth Gorp

Think of this as a dry, chewy charoseth, the traditional Passover dish. It’s just fruits and nuts, so you might bring a string cheese or Baby Bel for added protein and crackers for starch.  

It’s super chewy, prolonging the pleasure of a meal that’s also very good for you.  A bottle of spring water or wine completes the menu.  

2 cups snipped, dried apricots

2 cups snipped, dried apples

2 cups snipped, dried plums (prunes)

2 cups jumbo raisins

2 cups whole, unsalted cashews

2 cups whole Brazil nuts

2 cups whole, unsalted pecans

Put everything in a large bag and shake gently  to mix well. Measure by the cupful (whole meal) or half cup (snack) into snack bags. Seal and keep in a cool place. Makes 14 one-cup servings. 

Gorp lover’s tip of the week: Buy individually wrapped hand wipes and place one sealed packet in each snack pack of homemade gorp. 

 
    Extra food is travel insurance. Even a brief morning hike  can turn into a longer-than-planned, hungry and even life-threatening adventure. For a book on provisioning  your camper, boat , cabin or fish camp with familiar, affordable, shelf-stable pantry foods from the supermarket see Survival Food Handbook, published by International Marine division of McGraw-Hill.   http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe

See more of Janet’s recipes for the trail, campground, RV travel or small boat galley at 

https://www.BoatCook.blogspot.com

and

https://www.CampAndRVCook.blogspot.com

What state park near you offers ranger-led Full Moon Hikes? 

Does your state park offer ranger-led full moon hikes? They are a hoot

DIY Trail Mix Stretches Travel $

Copyright Janet Groene 2025.  This site has had more than 67,000 views. To ask about rates to place your ad on all six Groene sites for one low rate email janetgroene@yahoo.com 

  

 
 
A Dilly of a Gorp

    A hint of dill in the ranch dressing mix gives this gorp the taste of green-up time in the treetops and valleys. It’s a perfect meal for a walk or paddle in the  autumn sun.   Add a bottle of water and a crisp apple to your pack, pick a resting place under a maple tree alight with fall color and munch your lunch.  

1 stick butter
1 packet dry ranch salad dressing mix
½ teaspoon dried dillweed
3 cups square corn cereal
3 cups square wheat or rice cereal
3 cups small pretzels
3 cups peanut butter-filled pretzels
3 cups whole almonds

    Set the oven to 250 degrees. Put cereals, pretzels and nuts in two large pans and drizzle with melted butter. Mix dry salad dressing mix and dillweed and sprinkle over pans. Mix gently. Bake 15 minutes, stir and bake another 10 minutes.  Cool completely, then package in snack bags by the cupful. Makes 15 portions of one cup each.  

 See Janet Groene's shortcut recipes for glamping, camping and RV travel at

https://campandrvcook.blogspot.com 

 

COOKING ABOARD YOUR RV

    For yourself or a gift,  Janet Groene's timeless RV cookbook is packed with shortcuts, tips and 270 easy, delicious recipes to cook inside the camper or outside on the campfire, camp stove or grill.  

https://amzn.to/3nNndWY 

 See Janet Groene's weekly dish on recipes for camping, glamping, road trips and boating at https://campandrvcook.blogspot.com 

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Free Tips for the Camp Chef

I'll email you a full page of camp cook tips, hacks, shortcuts and wrinkles lifted randomly from my archives.  Email Janetgroene@yahoo.com and put Cook Tips in the topic line. 

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Homemade Trail Mix Saves $

Blog copyright Janet Groene 2025. This site has had more than 65,000 views. To ask about placing your ad on all six Groene sites for one low rate,  email jantgoene (at) yahoo.com 

The latest in the Yacht Yenta cozy mystery e-books brings sailboat widow Farley Halladay closer to the answer of her husband's death. 

Read the six cozies in any order as Farley copes, cooks and solves crimes with the help of her wacky cast of characters. You'll laugh at her frailties; cry with her as she grieves. Find it on Google Play and other ebook formats and also on  Kindle,   https://amzn.to/3wcf6ao

Apple Pie ‘n Cheese Gorp

This nut-free gorp is an anytime snack or a pepper-upper. It’s also a satisfying dessert around the campfire.

4 cups square white cheddar cheese crackers

2 packages (about 4 cups)  cups Cheddar Cheese Goldfish

4 cups unsalted popcorn 

4 cups corn curls or puffs

2 cups cut up apple rings

2 cups apple snack chips

Toss everything together lightly and package by the cupful in zip-top snack bags. Makes 20 servings of one cup each. Bonus points: Bring a wrapped Baby Bel or individually wrapped string cheese to eat with each portion. And don't forget plenty of water.

See more of Janet Groene's fast-track recipes for cooking on the go in travel, camping, RV and boating at https://campandrvcook.blogspot.com and htt[s://boatcook.blogspot.com 

FREEDOM OF THE OPEN ROAD?

 Do you dream of living and traveling in a complete home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? There’s a chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and also an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

 

Gorp for Lunch On the Trail

 Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To ask about rates to reprint Groene content or to place your ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene@yhoo.com

Many commercial trail mixes are ‘way too sweet, salty and have too much fat. It's crucial to eat right anywhere, any time, especially if you rely on gorp when you’re backpacking, camping, hiking, climbing, traveling. or perhaps you  grab a trail mix for lunch at your desk or brown bag it for a flight. 

 Here’s a savory, “main dish” gorp. Just add a bottle of water or carton of milk. 

String Cheese Snack Gorp

3 cups string cheese in small bite-size slices

1 to 2 cups dried apricots, diced 

1 tablespoon ( or more)  mixed seasoning such as Jane's Mixed Up Salt, Mrs. Dash or McCormick's Salad Supreme

8 cups mixed square cereals (rice, wheat, corn) 

1 cup unsalted walnut halves

1 cup unsalted pecan halves

Put cheese pieces in a big bag  or bowl and sprinkle with seasoning . Mix gently to coat. Add apricot pieces and more seasoning and mix again. This keeps sticky cheese  and apricot cuts separated throughout the finished gorp.

  Add cereals, nuts and more seasoning to taste. Mix gently and package by the cupful to make a meal or by the half cup for snacking. 

 
    Canned and packaged foods are good travel insurance. Even a day trip  can turn into a longer-than-planned, hungry and even life-threatening adventure. For a book on provisioning  your camper, boat , cabin or fish camp with familiar, affordable, shelf-stable pantry foods from the supermarket see Survival Food Handbook, published by International Marine division of McGraw-Hill.   http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe

See Janet Groene's simple, shortcut recipes for camping, boating, glamping and tiny homes at her free weekly ezine, https://campandrvcook.blogspot.com 

  See samples of past posts. Scroll down. 

Y'all come back soon, hear? 

I'll email you a full page of camp cooking tips, hacks and shortcuts free, lifted randomly from my archives. janetgroene@yahoo.com Put Cook Tips in the topic line.  

 

 

Seasick? Make Ginger Trail Mix

 Blog copyright Janet Groene 2023. To ask about placing your ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene at yahoo.com

This blog is about homemade trail mix for all travelers ashore, afoot,  aloft and afloat. When you make customized trail mix, package it individually and keep it in a pocket or backpack, it is the ultimate travel insurance.

Ginger-for-theTummy Gorp

    Ginger settles tummies. It's also a sweet, spicy dessert treat. Bake this buttery snack  in one piece, then chop it in bite size to package in individual portions.

Nuts optional

2 cups flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 sticks butter, softened
1/4 cup milk or cream

    Set the oven for 325 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Grease a 9 X 13-inch baking pan. Use a pastry blender to cut butter into dry ingredients until mixture is mealy. Stir in milk or cream.  Mixture will be very thick. Add another tablespoon of milk if needed. Spread it evenly in the pan. 

    Use flour-dipped fingers or the back of a spoon dipped in flour to pack it in. Bake 25 minutes or until golden. Cool 5 minutes and cut in small squares with a sawtooth knife. Then cool completely before taking squares out of the pan.
    Eat plain or dunk in ginger lemon tea. Nuts add flavor and crunch but aren't recommended  for someone who is seasick. 

 

 

See Janet Groene’s shortcut recipes and tips for camp and RV cooking at Camp And RV Cook.

Discover the Yacht Yenta Cozy Mystery Series....

People are dying in Okecoochie County FL, but nobody can guess how the deaths are related. Meet Farley Halladay, a salt-cured sailboat widow who has an online charterboat booking business, dodges a wayward sister, cares for an old Navy SEAL veteran who was her husband’s mentor and wrangles  a large circle of wacky friends. She cooks, copes and solves crimes in this unusual cozy mystery series.  Check your favorite e-book seller for all formats or go to Kindle,   https://amzn.to/3bB5XPh   

Bonus points: Throughout the books, Farley shares shortcut recipes from the days when she was a charterboat cook. 

 I'll email you a full page of camp cooking tips, hacks and shortcuts free, lifted randomly from my archives. janetgroene@yahoo.com  Put Cook Tips in the topic line.  

Be ready for the next hurricane, forest fire or other natural disaster with Janet Groene’s Survival Food Handbook. Unlike doomsday prepper books it’s a guide to stowing, using and rotating supermarket staples to provision your home pantry, RV or boat for brief emergencies, power outages and busy day meals.  http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe