Spiced Trail Mix - for Family Snacking!

By Guest Blogger Susannah Brinkley
Hi everyone! I’m Susannah from Feast + West and I’m delighted to be sharing my recipe for Spiced Trail Mix with you today!

Trail mix was a staple of my childhood. It’s such an easy, healthy snack, and there’s something for everyone. To me, the best part of trail mix is that every ingredient is optional, so you can mix and match as much as you like. Yours can be sweet, savory or somewhere in the middle. In the past few years, I’ve developed an affinity for spicy food, so I felt like GORP (good ol’ raisins and peanuts) should get an adult upgrade.

This recipe makes a whole lot, so it can wind up being less expensive than a pre-made, store-bought version (depending on what you put in it, of course). Be sure to keep any allergies in mind as you’re choosing ingredients. Once you’ve prepared the mix, dole it out into small bags for a grab-and-go treat!

Spiced Trail Mix
Yields a whole lot

Ingredients
I recommend choosing at least one thing from each category for variety.

Unsalted nuts: Almonds, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts and cashews will all work well. (Omit this ingredient if you’re serving it to anyone with allergies, of course!)
Unsalted seeds: Sunflower, pumpkin, sesame or flax seeds add a bit of crunch.
Dried fruit: My favorites include raisins, dried cranberries, goji berries, blueberries, strawberries, apple or banana chips, apricots or figs. Keep them to a minimum, though, or you’ll get a stomachache if you eat too many!
Grains: Opt for whole grains when possible. Pretzels, crackers, cereals like Cheerios or Chex, bran flakes, granola and popcorn are all great choices.
Sweets: Your sweet tooth will thank you for including chocolate candies, cacao nibs, chocolate-covered espresso beans, yogurt-covered raisins or mini marshmallows. Chocolate, butterscotch and peanut butter chips are great too! Go for dark chocolate when you can for extra antioxidants.
Flavorful treats: Wasabi peas, dried ginger and coconut flakes can bring new flavors and textures to the mix.
Spices: Sprinkle in some cayenne pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, curry, ground ginger, sea salt or cracked pepper for extra flavor, to taste. (I used a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and freshly cracked pepper in mine!)

Instructions

Toss all ingredients into a large gallon-size Ziploc bag. Close and shake it to distribute the spices and ingredients. Store in an airtight container or zip-lock bags.

*************************

Susannah is a freelance graphic designer in Charlotte, N.C. and the editor of Feast + West (http://feastandwest.com), a blog about food, design and travel. Susannah grew up in the Queen City and recently moved back after six years in Raleigh. She loves to make cocktails and visit new places. Keep in touch on Facebook (http://facebook.com/feastandwest) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/feastandwest)!