Make Your Own Trail Mix: 4 Quick and Easy Recipes
June 08, 2017
Who says healthy snacks and bland taste go together? We say you can have it all — nutritious and delicious snack foods that taste great and satisfy — and trail mix fits the bill.
Your homemade batch can be as healthy as you like. The nuts provide fiber, protein and a whole lot of crunchy goodness; dried fruit and touches of chocolate infuse the mix with just the right amount of sweetness.
We’ve compiled some simple-to-make and hard-to-resist recipes so you can easily pick up a few items from the grocery store’s bulk bins, or your kitchen cupboard, and put together a snack for your kiddos lunches or the office.
Better yet, grab your mix and head out for a stroll or hike, or take along on your next road trip or adventure in Nevada’s rugged, desert locales.
Nut-Free Power Trail Mix
- Course: Healthy Snacks
- Servings 3 cups
- Prep Time 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1/2 cup dried mission figs, chopped
- 1/2 cup gogi berries
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 ro 1/2 cup raw cocoa nibs
Instructions
There's no rule that says trail mix must contain nuts. This recipe uses dried fruits like goji berries, dried cherries and dried figs. to satisfy any sweet tooth naturally.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Enjoy!
Recipe Note
Recipe from May I Have That Recipe?Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Trail Mix
- Course: Healthy Snacks
- Servings 4-5 cups
- Prep Time 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup almonds, raw or roasted
- 3/4 cup cashews, raw or roasted
- 3/4 cup sunflower seeds, raw or roasted
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 2/3 cup dark chocolate chunks
Instructions
This mix is a great mix of salty and sweet flavors, combining sweet dried strawberries and chocolate with savory nuts and seeds.
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Store in a glass jar or sealed plastic bag for easy transport.
- Will keep for up to one month.
Recipe Note
Recipe from The Healthy MavenEasy Paleo Trail Mix
- Course: Gluten-Free, Healthy Snacks
- Cuisine: Paleo
- Servings 6 cups, approx.
- Prep Time 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 16 ounces roasted, unsalted sunflower seed kernels
- 16 ounces raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds
- 8 ounces roasted, unsalted almond slivers
- 6 ounces dried pineapple, diced
- 5 ounces dried flake coconut toasted (optional)
Instructions
This no-bake, Paleo-diet friendly recipe is super simple -- especially if you have a kitchen scale.
- If you have a kitchen scale, place a large mixing bowl on top, and reset the scale to 0. Pour in each ingredient until it reaches the correct weight, then reset the scale to 0, repeating until all ingredients are in the bowl. Mix the ingredients together, store and enjoy! If you're not using a kitchen scale, use measuring cups to measure each ingredient and add to the bowl.
Recipe Note
Recipe from Nom Nom PaleoSalted Chocolate Popcorn Trail Mix
- Course: Healthy Snacks
- Servings 6-8 cups
- Prep Time 15 minutes
- Cook Time 2 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup jumbo popcorn kernels
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon butter substitute coconut oil for dairy-free and vegan option
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped raw or roasted almonds or any seed or nut of choice
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips mini or regular, milk or dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoons sweetened shredded coconut or other dried fruit
Instructions
Up your trail mix game by using popcorn to create this low-cal, light and fluffy snack.
- Add corn kernels to a standard lunch-sized brown paper bag and fold the top of the bag over twice, pressing the fold tightly so the bag stays closed.
- Microwave the paper bag for two minutes or until there is a five-second pause between pops. Remove the bag from the microwave; transfer the popcorn to a baking sheet immediately.
- Smooth the popcorn into an even layer and remove any unpopped kernels.
- In a small microwave-safe dish, add butter and chocolate then microwave for 30 seconds, stirring once halfway through. Remove from microwave and continue to stir until the chocolate has completely melted.
- Using a spoon or small spatula, drizzle the chocolate over the top of the popcorn.
- Sprinkle the chocolaty popcorn with sea salt.
- Transfer the popcorn to the freezer for 10 minutes maximum, helping the chocolate to harden.
- Remove the popcorn from the freezer and add the nuts, chocolate and coconut to the pan (or whatever add-ins you choose) and gently toss to combine using your hands or a spoon.
- Serve immediately.