The Ultimate Mix For Trails (Trail Mix)

I love the mix of trail. It brings back good memories man! Some of my favorites being the times with my grandparents in Grand Canyon.

In the mornings we would get our customary hot chocolate while walking down the lodges overlook. Then we were off to find a place to set up the grill ( usually a picnic table right by the edge of the grand canyon). Often times we would grill up pancakes, eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and then as soon as we ate we were off again, looking for our traditional hiking trail.

I distinctly remember one year, the year I was in fifth grade. My teacher had this deal that the last one to eat candy throughout the school year would win a gigantic treat at the end of the competition, so of course, I was off the M&M's. I remember salivating at the trail mix with all the red, blue, yellow, and green coated chocolates popping up and making the nuts look dull and like dirt. Uhhhhh, it was so tempting, but for all the wrong reasons. I think it gave me some form of food PTSD because since then, I almost always require chocolate in my trail mix!

It always reminds me of that joke though, "Trail mix is just M&Ms with obstacles!"

Hahaha while back then I could have said I agreed with that sentiment, my view has completely changed. You will find me far more of a nut-lover than I used to be, so my trail mixing experience is far more balanced.

No worries though, don't forget, chocolate is a must in this girl's eyes!

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Chocolate isn't healthy?

Okay Okay, I know what you're thinking, what Dani, it's not healthy?

But dark chocolate actually does contain antioxidants! I am not recommending you go and drench everything you eat in chocolate, that could be gross and anything in extremes isn't healthy. But I am suggesting that in small quantities, chocolate doesn't have to be dismissed IT CAN be apart of a healthy life. In fact, just so you can give a little room in your socially trained paradigm to believe me.

Here are some health benefits of DARK chocolate.

• Rich Source of antioxidants and minerals

• May help reduce the risk of heart disease

• Has anti-inflammatory properties

• Improves cognitive function

• It contains a lot less milk than regular chocolate (check out this brand Enjoy Life: its gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, non-gmo)

• May help protect your skin from damage from the sun ( this is an especially awesome perk cause, well, this is recipes for hiking week!)

See, it is okay to feel a little less guilty the next time you sneak it! Try to opt for 70% dark or higher though!

Tip: Remember if chocolate is really dark, you can sweeten it with a natural sweetener like honey, agave, maple syrup, brown rice syrup. Just try to keep the sweetness as close to nature as you can manage.

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Paired with nuts and some dried cranberries and raisins how could you go wrong? Right, you can't. This makes for the perfect snack for all those long summer hikes.

Let's get to it. Made with almonds, cashew, dried cranberries, chia and flaxseed, dark chocolate, unsweetened coconut flakes, this is a great energy boost and a quick way to get protein into your system.

This will help you to feel fuller longer and get you to where you need to go. It is perfect for keeping in your backpack or in a small lunch box with the rest of the awesome recipes to be found during hiking week!

Here is the recipe!

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Lish Trail Mix

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup almonds

• 3/4 cup cashews

• 1/2 cup 70% chocolate or Higher ( Love these Chocolate chips)

• 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa flakes

• 1 tbsp chia seed

• 1 tbsp flax seed

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins or both

• sea salt to taste

• cinnamon to taste

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and mix

2. Put into airtight containers or baggies for easy storage, be sure that when hiking in warmer temperatures to keep it cool or the chocolate will melt.

3. Enjoy!

Tip#1:

To keep it cool try keeping it close to or wrapping it around your thermos or frozen water bottle to keep from melting

Tip#2: feel free to add pumpkin or sunflower seeds or any other type of nut or dried fruit. Get crazy! You can eye it or ( 3/4 cup for a nut, 1/2 cup for any other heavy topping like dried fruit or seeds)