This trail mix recipe is just a beauty – super simple, SO quick to make, and tastes absolutely like more everytime. Nuts (all kinds!) are absolute powerhouses of nutritional benefits – packed full of heart healthy mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, fibre and protein, as well as vital vitamins and minerals. For example, almonds are a good source of Vitamin E (good for our skin), while walnuts are a key source of our plant omega-3 (alpha linoleic acid for the nerds out there!), and Brazil nuts give us a solid dose of selenium, important for thyroid function. The beauty of making your own trail mix is that you can find a flavour and combination YOU love – everyone has a favourite nut right? Mine is probably cashew but it’s a toughie! I highly recommend adding spices as we suggest below – cinnamon, cacao and particularly a little kick of cayenne is a GREAT combination.

Recipe – Ingredients & Method

Sprinkle a handful from each category into a large airtight container, shake well and portion out snacks as you go.

• Nuts – Almonds, pistachios, cashews, peanuts, pecans and walnuts (go for unsalted, unsweetened nutsto keep sugar and salt under control)

• Seeds – Pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, flax, hemp seeds or chia

• Dried Fruit – Dried apples, cherries, cranberries, goji berries, blueberries, strawberries, apricots, raisins, banana chips, figs, pineapple chunks, mango, or dates. (Avoid sugar coated dried fruit, aiming for as close to 100% fruit as possible).

• Extras – Cacao nibs, coconut flakes, puffed rice, coffee beans

• Once the building blocks are all set, adding spices is a great way to change up the flavour. Season the mix with sea salt, curry powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or cayenne pepper. Or create your own mix of spices!

Enjoy you lovely people! Tag us if you try this one out – I’m @theirishbalance on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook and Catherine is @the.sporty.dietitian !

Ciara 🙂 x