01 Mar Best Trail Mix Ever!

Oh I really love this trail mix – in fact, I’m eating it right now…so good!

I typically make my own trail mix by simply dumping whatever I have on hand in a Mason jar – quick and easy. I recently purchased the cookbook Yum Universe by Heather Crosby (thanks Janie), and thought I would try her trail mix. What makes her trail mix so special is that she lightly toasts the seeds, nuts and coconut flakes. While I love her particular take on trail mix, I decided to made a few additions. By adding walnuts to the recipe, you boost the brain-friendly omega-3 fatty acids which help with both memory and mood. Walnuts, if eaten shortly before bed, may also help with sleeplessness and insomnia due to their ability to raise melatonin levels. I also added dried sour cherries by Inari to balance out the flavours and add a little kick. I’ve recently been bringing in more organic products from Inari, and I have to say, their quality is excellent and their price-point fair – often matching similar products which are NOT organic.

So with full credit to Heather Crosby, here’s my version of her Trail mix:

2 cups raw walnuts
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup walnuts
2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup goji berries
1/2 cup dried sour cherries
few pinches sea salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Toast seeds and nuts with a few pinches of salt for 8 minutes. Dump seeds and nuts into large bowl. Toast coconut flakes for 4 – 5 minutes, then add to bowl along with seeds and nuts. Since oven temperatures vary, you may wish to keep a close eye on the toasting process so that they don’t burn. Toss in goji berries and dried cherries. Store in glass jars. Enjoy!