DIY Trail Mix

DIY Trail Mix

My schedule can sometimes become overwhelming. To keep my metabolism at its optimal performance, I snack throughout the day. Lately I have been mixing my own trail mix. Store bought trail mix [ the kind at the gas stations, drug stores, etc. ] have ridiculous amounts of sodium & sugar.

I wanted to make my own healthy trail mix recipe.   I wanted a low sodium and low sugar healthy snack trail mix so I choose “Just Raspberries” [ no preservatives or sweeteners ], unsalted roasted almonds, unsalted pistachio nuts, unsweetened banana chips, & macadamia nuts. I mixed everything together in tiny, cute containers [ they fit in my handbag ]. When I am starved with no time to eat, this proves itself as a perfectly great snack.

My homemade trail mix is composed of dried fruit, nuts and seeds.   For the fruit, you can use dried apricots, dried pineapple, dried cranberries, dried mangoes, or dried cherries.  For nuts and seeds, you can use sunflower seeds, almonds, cashew nuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pine nuts or pistachios.  Make sure they are roasted unsalted.  In any case you have like salted almonds in your pantry, wash them in running water, and dry them to remove excess salt.  Optional: Dark chocolate chips or white chocolate chips – unsweetened.

Ingredients:

♡ Unsalted Nuts –  Nuts are high in fat, low in carbs, and a great source of several nutrients, including vitamin E, magnesium, and selenium.

♡ Banana Chips – Banana chips are a quick source of energy. Their long shelf life makes them great for camping or hiking trips.  – source

♡ Raspberries – Raspberries are a good source of fiber and vitamin C. They contain many other important vitamins and minerals as well.  – source

♡ Almonds – Though almonds are high in calories, eating them doesn’t seem to promote weight gain. Some studies even suggest the opposite, showing that almonds can enhance weight loss. – source

♡ Optional: Chocolate – Quality dark chocolate is rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, and a few other minerals.  It also has a wide variety of powerful antioxidants. In fact, they have way more than most other foods. The bioactive compounds in cocoa may improve blood flow in the arteries and cause a small but statistically significant decrease in blood pressure. –  source

Trail Mix combinations:

Fill 1/2 cups of each ingredient and place them in a sealed container.

So grab a container or two when you are traveling.  Enjoy!

X, Lauryn

+ check out these travel packing tips.