Healthy Snacks: Nut Free Super Food Trail Mix (low sugar, gluten free, vegan)

I always have loved trail mix. I think I lived on trail mix in college. Seriously. Except I never liked the walnuts. I always picked them out and gave them to my roommate.  We were a match made in dorm room heaven.

Now that I need to avoid most nuts, I make tasty nut-free trail mixes for healthy snacks. In order to best stabilize blood sugar and provide lasting energy, snacks should be a balance of protein and carbohydrates. Conveniently, this trail mix packs both, along with a healthy dose of omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin C, vitamin E, antioxidants, fiber, naturally anti-microbial lauric acid, and other vitamins and minerals. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, goji berries, coconut, flax seeds, and cacao nibs are all jam-packed with nutrients. I like goji berries because they are lower in sugar than other dried fruit, good for those of us that need to watch our sugar intake.   Remove whatever ingredients you don't tolerate, and add whatever you else you'd like - you can't mess it up. Make it your own. 

Where can it come in handy?

• Take on car, train, or plane trips for healthy travel snacks on the go.
• Pack in your child's school lunches for a totally nut-free, classroom friendly snack
• Keep a small snack-sized baggie in your purse to combat low blood sugar while you're out and about. 
• Keep a jar at work to snack on during crazy meeting-filled days
• Great for busy college students - you can even make this in your dorm room 
• Keep some in the car to have in case of emergency breakdowns 
• Perfect energizing snack before or after the gym 

NUT FREE SUPER FOOD TRAIL MIX 

yield about 6 cups

• 2 cups sunflower seeds
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 1/2 cups gluten free crispy brown rice cereal (Ewehorn is a good brand)
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut chips
• 1 cup dried goji berries
• 1/4 cup cacao nibs or allergy-friendly carob or chocolate chips (store bought or homemade)
• 2 Tbsp whole flax seeds or hemp seeds
• optional: 1/2 cup freeze dried Asian Pear or Apple pieces, or other dried fruit of choice
• optional: 1 tsp coconut oil, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp salt

If using seeds raw and untoasted, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Transfer to an airtight jar or canister.  Keep in the refrigerator for best freshness.  Should keep up to 1 month.

If you want to toast the seeds first (my favorite, the flavor is much fuller), heat a dry sautepan over medium heat.  Toast seeds in batches until golden brown, transferring each completed batch to a baking sheet to cool after toasting.  To add a little flavor, saute one batch of seeds with a little oil, allspice, and salt until golden.  After all the seeds have toasted, then turn heat down to low and toast coconut chips until just golden.  Once everything has cooled completely, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Transfer to an airtight jar or canister.  Keep in the refrigerator for best freshness.  Should keep up to 1 month.

Variations:

• Substitute nuts for seeds
• Substitute GF oats for crispy rice cereal to make a healthy meusli
• Add additional dried fruit

Comments

[Tasty Eats At Home]

This looks yummy! Love the coconut and goji!

[easy home food storage]

I can see using it just like nutella actually. I'm not a nutella fan but I think this would be yummy spread on warm toast or pancakes. Even a PB&J sandwich. I bet it would be good as a fruit dip or with angel food cake. I could probably go on and on and on. :)