Fruit-Sweetened Granola Gorp

“Gorp for dinner, gorp for lunch, gorp for breakfast, gorp for brunch. Gorp for every single meal, why can’t we have some GROP!” Darwin laughs each time we sing him this nonsensical riff on Misfits lyrics. He accuses us of singing it wrong at the end: “No, it’s GORP!”

Truthfully, I don’t think he’d complain if we served him this toasty, whole grain, energy-dense snack at every meal.

As the holidays approached, I went on a hunt for a truly healthy, delicious granola that I could gift in mason jars to friends and family. I tried a batch of Mark Bittman’s “Good Morning Gorp,” but it didn’t excite me. I still love you, Mark. But I wanted more flavor and richness from my gorp. I added virgin coconut oil, extra nuts and seeds, more flaked coconut, vanilla, and a pinch of cinnamon. Then I threw the whole mess into the oven to toast and set those flavors, and bingo: a brilliantly filling, protein-rich, whole-grain, fruit-sweetened cereal that tastes wonderful on top of whole plain yogurt or in a bowl all by itself.

This recipe has thrived beyond its origins as a holiday gift. The gorp jar is a permanent fixture in our own fridge now, replacing store-bought muesli. And since gorp-making is all about scooping and dumping and stirring and ingredient-munching, it’s great fun to include little ones in replenishing the family's supply.

Enjoy.

*

Fruit-Sweetened Granola Gorp
Fills 1 quart jar

1.5 cups dry rolled oats
1 cup nuts (raw or dry-roasted peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc.)
⅓ cup raw pepitas or sunflower seeds
½ cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, chopped dates, chopped apricots, etc.)
¼ cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch cinnamon
sprinkle of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, toss oats, nuts, seeds, and coconut.

In a separate, small bowl, stir together oil and vanilla.

Drizzle oil and vanilla mixture over oat mixture and toss to combine.

Sprinkle the oat mixture with cinnamon, and spread thinly on a cookie sheet. (I use an aluminum cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat.)

Bake for 5 minutes. Toss the mixture around a bit, then bake for 3-4 minutes more.

Transfer oats back to the mixing bowl and stir in dried fruit. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Cool and eat; refrigerate the leftovers.