Tag Archives: savory

#NationalTrailMixDay

trail_mix

Hey everyone! Happy Monday – and a very happy Monday it is since it is #NationalTrailMixDay!

I am a HUGE fan of trail mix for so many reasons. Firstly, it’s nostalgic. I remember my sleepaway camp days when every afternoon I’d get trail mix from the store. They made it special, M&M’s clearly the highlight (they tried to keep candy to a minimum), and the most fun part was that they would serve it in an ice cream cone! It’s all about the presentation, even when you’re young. Secondly, I get really bored of eating things. Some people can mindlessly eat a bag of chips until they’re gone, but a few bites in, I’m bored. Call me lucky, but this just means I move onto the next snack in the cabinet. I only wish this worked as a dieting technique! Third and last – I love the variety that comes with trail mix – not only the ingredients within, but the fact that it can be sweet, it can be salty, it can be spicy, it can be all 3 – love it! It’s an easy, generally healthy, snack that you can tweak to almost ANY taste.

That being said, I have a few recipes that I’ve found via Pinterest that have REALLY tickled my fancy that I’d like to share with you. Try them out, let me know what you think! Let me know what you’d change! Let me know YOUR favorite recipe! I’m all ears 🙂

  1. Sweet & Salty Trail Mix

sweet_and_salty

Sweet & Salty Trail Mix [http://www.lovebakesgoodcakes.com/2014/08/sweet-salty-trail-mix-snacktoschool.html]

This stuff is pretty awesome, and CLASSIC. If you’re looking to get your feet wet in the world of trail mix, this is certainly where you should start. Firstly, and this goes for all recipes, go to your local bulk store for ingredients. This is going to be MUCH more cost efficient than pre-packaged ingredients. Now, down to business. This is crazy easy – 2 cups California raisins, 1 cup lightly salted sunflower seeds, 1 cup whole natural almonds, 1 cup dry roasted peanuts, 1 cup roasted and salted pistachios, 1 cup dark chocolate M&Ms. Yep, just mix them all up…you’ve got your trail mix. Store in an airtight container and enjoy!

2. Martha Stewart Chesapeake Bay Snack Mix

chesapeake_bay_snack_mix

Martha Stewart Chesapeake Bay Snack Mix [http://diningwithadinergirl.blogspot.com/2013/01/snack-time.html]

I am eternally a supporter of savory>sweet, so I absolutely love this recipe. This recipe requires a little bit more work than your average trail mix – even…gasp…an oven. Don’t worry – crazy simple! Ingredients include rice cereal (Crispix? Chex? Your call!), pretzels (this recipe recommends the sticks), oyster crackers, roasted unsalted peanuts, melted butter, Worchestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, and hot sauce of your choice. Combine all dry ingredients, and drizzle the spices and liquid combo over top. Bake an hour at 250, stirring every 15 minutes – allow to cool & voila! Delicious.

3. Hit the Trail Granola

Hit_the_Trail_Granola

Hit the Trail Granola [http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/01/12/hit-trail-granola/]

The beauty of trail mix is that it can really be anything you make it. In my head, trail mix is any combination of ingredients that can be transferred easily and happily from hand to mouth. Granola – sure! I love this recipe – its crunchy with a fun texture – and I feel just…really healthy eating it. Perfect as is or top your yogurt with it! Ingredients include old-fashioned rolled oats, whole unsalted almonds, whole salted cashews, cinnamon, maple syrup, coconut oil, almond butter, an egg white, vanilla extract, dried cranberries or raisins, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. This is another oven recipe – preheat to 300, toss almonds, cashews, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Microwave the syrup, coconut oil, and almond butter for about 30 seconds, allow to cool, and toss in the egg white and vanilla – pour over oats to coat and ensure that all are moistened. Spread onto baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Allow to cool completely and toss in the dried cranberries, raisins, and chocolate chips – yum!

So there you have it – 3 amazing trail mix recipes. Don’t forget – if you don’t like a certain ingredient, if you want to try something new in terms of a spice – have at it, go crazy! Trail mix is the perfect snack to experiment with. Enjoy!

NatureBox

Maybe you have all heard of NatureBox, a subscription snack service boasting the highest quality ingredients in deliciously distinctive snacks you can find only through them.

nature_box

NatureBox [naturebox.com]

Their website promises the following:

  • No hydrogenated oils
  • No artificial colors, sweeteners & flavors
  • No added sulfites
  • Less than 200 calories per 30g serving
  • High quality, nutritious ingredients
  • Thoughtful sourcing
  • Innovative, unique flavors

Sounds awesome, but often, healthier, higher quality snacks come with a price point. Firstly, though, I want to show you all the absolutely HUGE list of snacks available – there is really something for everyone here! I’ll pull out some of our personal favorites for recommendations:

Sriracha Pop Pops

sriracha_pop_pops

Sriracha Pop Pops [naturebox.com]

If you’re anything like me, you love sriracha and spicy things! These are…nothing short of awesome. They are spicy + addictive, and clock in at about 170 calories/serving, which is more than enough quantity-wise. Not too shabby!

French Vanilla Almond Granola

french_vanilla_almond_granola

French Vanilla Almond Granola [naturebox.com]

This stuff is like crack, and the entire family adores it. It’s awesome on yogurt and fresh fruit for breakfast, or just a handful on the go. The serving size here is fairly large, and it still only clocks in at 250 calories/serving. It’s soooooo great 🙂

Kung Pao Pretzels

kung_pao_pretzels

Kung Pao Pretzels [naturebox.com]

These are so good that it is truly hard to put into words. They are SO spicy and SO addictive – they’re like pretzels with an Asian spicy flare. You’ve got to try them to actually understand the party in your mouth that occurs when you eat them. Better yet, they are SO low-cal. A 16 pretzel serving only clocks in at 120 calories.

Whole Wheat Raspberry Figgy Bars

whole_wheat_raspberry_figgy_bars

Whole Wheat Raspberry Figgy Bars [naturebox.com]

Think Fig Newton meets Nutri-Grain bar, but healthier…and better. These are always a hit for a quick on-the-go snack. They come individually wrapped, so you can easily pack them in a lunch or throw in a bag for later! They come in other flavors (strawberry, blueberry), but this is my personal favorite. 1 bar = 130 calories

Did I interest you yet? If not, seriously, check out the rest of their snacks, I’ve hardly made a dent!

So here’s the rundown: you can get a FREE trial, where you get 5 tasty, pre-selected snacks. This DOES roll into a monthly plan ($19.95/month), but if you aren’t feeling this, you can cancel immediately, at anytime.

In conclusion, give this a shot, decide if $20/month is worth it to you to keep getting these snacks (once you are done with the free trial, you can select whichever ones you want) – if you grow tired of it, cancel! It’s easy, it’s delicious, and it’s SO fun to get a box full of tasty treats in the mail every month.

Enjoy!

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