Healthy Trail Mix
This trail mix is the best of both worlds. It’s sweet, salty and filling. Pineapple, chocolate and cinnamon give a slight sweetness and it’s paired nicely with the salty pistachios, almonds and sunflower seeds. I’ll mix up a big bowl of it, just eye-balling the ingredients to meet my cravings and it usually makes 6-7 mini jars worth, which is perfect for the week.
Every Sunday, Dylan and I have our weekly “reset” day where we head to the grocery store, get everything we need for the weeks dinners, lunches and snacks. When we get home, we meal-prep our lunches (see some of our favorites here) and we do a prep of snacks for the week as well.
We’re both snack-y people and there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you’re smart and mindful about it. Snacking on things like nuts, fruit and granola lead to extra boosts of energy throughout the day and pack you with extra nutrients.
Ingredients:
Sliced Almonds
Pistachios (Either unsalted, lightly salted, or roasted & salted. Avoid any flavored kinds)
Sunflower Seeds
Sugar Free Chocolate Chips (I love the Lilly’s brand. But just aim for dark chocolate that’s 65-85% dark)
Granola Clusters (Look for ones with lower sugar)
Unsweetened Coconut Chips/Shreds
Dried Pineapple/Apricots/Mangoes
A couple tsps Cinnamon
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Just eyeball ingredients according to your preferences, you can’t go wrong.
Divide into glass jars, snack baggies, etc.
What are the benefits of these ingredients?
Almonds — rich in valuable nutrients like magnesium, vitamin E, and dietary fiber. A good source of calcium and phosphorus, which improve bone health and can protect you from fractures.
Pistachios — bursting with the fiber, minerals, and unsaturated fat that can help keep your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol in check. Their fiber and protein can make you feel fuller for longer.
Sunflower Seeds — high in zinc and selenium which supports your immune system and increases your ability to fight off viruses.
No/Low Sugar Dark Chocolate Chips — rich in disease-fighting antioxidants. Studies show it can help reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease.
Unsweetened Coconut Chips — rich in fiber and MCTs. It may offer a number of benefits, including improved heart health, weight loss, and digestion when eaten in moderation.
Low Sugar Granola — provides protein and important micronutrients like iron, vitamin D, folate, and zinc.
Dried Pineapple — good source of calcium, potassium, manganese, fiber, as well as vitamins A, B and C.
Cinnamon — help support blood sugar control, protect against heart disease, reduce inflammation and can also improve body metabolism.
