
Thank you Blue Diamond Almonds for sponsoring this post!
Trail mixes got me through law school. Actually, it got me and many other classmates through law school. I remember one in particular who ripped through bag after bag of trail mix in the study hall like nobody’s business. You see, when you get bleary-eyed from hours of reading dense case books, you need snacks to keep you going. Your brain craves it.
I always kept a small container of trail mix in my backpack for those long 12-hour study days. It was simply healthier to snack on a handful of nuts and fruit than going to the vending machine to buy a candy bar. The sugar in the dried fruit kept me awake, and the nuts helped sustain my energy for hours.
Even though I have been out of law school for a few years, I still retained that habit of munching on trail mix throughout the day (especially in the evenings when I’m working on blog posts). Except now, I make my own custom blends at home! They’re so easy to prepare. Let me show you how!
I’m partnering with Blue Diamond Almonds to show you how to make 4 healthy and fun trail mixes to fuel your day. Before we get into the recipes, here are a few tips on how to make the best trail mixes:
TRAIL MIX COOKING TIPS
- Play with salty and sweet flavors: My favorite trail mixes often include a blend of savory and sweet flavors. It just keeps the blend interesting.
- Keep an eye on those almonds: Because almonds have a pretty high fat content, they can go from perfectly toasted to burnt in a hot second, literally. (The same goes for toasting coconut, by the way). I found the process of baking the raw almonds for 5 minutes first, then mixing in the spices and baking for another 10 to 11 minutes to yield the best results. I burnt a test batch of almonds by baking the almonds for 30 minutes straight without keeping an eye on them. Don’t let that happen to you!
- Avoid using honey: Unless you want your almonds to be sticky to the touch, I would avoid using honey for sweetening the almonds. Maple syrup or plain sugar works well here.
Mango Chili Almond Trail Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups (310g) whole natural almonds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup (120g) chopped dried mango
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Spread almonds on baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, mix olive oil, maple syrup, chili powder, sea salt, and paprika. Pour warmed almonds into the bowl and stir to coat. Spread almonds on baking sheet and return to the oven for another 10 to 12 minutes, until the almonds are a nice golden brown.
- Remove baking sheet from the oven and let them cool for 15 to 20 minutes. The almonds will crisp up as they cool. Once cooled, mix almonds with dried mango pieces. Store in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks. The almonds are crunchiest during the first week.
Notes
Apple & Blueberry Vanilla Almond Trail Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups (310g) whole natural almonds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup (30g) freeze-dried blueberries
- 1 cup (30g) apple chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Spread almonds on baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, mix the olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt. Pour warmed almonds into the bowl and stir to coat. Spread almonds on baking sheet and return to the oven for another 10 to 12 minutes, until the almonds are a nice golden brown.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and let them cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Once cooled, mix almonds with freeze-dried blueberries and apple chips. Store in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks. The almonds are crunchiest during the first week.
Notes
Chocolate Cranberry Almond Trail Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups (310g) whole natural almonds
- 1 cup (45g) unsweetened flaked coconut
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 3.5 ounces (100g) good dark chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup (60g) dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Spread almonds on baking sheet. Spread flaked coconut on a pie dish or a small baking dish. Bake almonds and coconut for 5 minutes. Make sure that the coconut has started to turn brown at the edges, but not completely brown.
- In a medium bowl, mix olive oil and sea salt. Pour warmed almonds into the bowl and stir to coat. Spread almonds on baking sheet and return to the oven for another 10 to 12 minutes, until the almonds are a nice golden brown.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and let them cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Once cooled, mix almonds with toasted coconut, chocolate, and cranberries. Store in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks. The almonds are crunchiest during the first week.
Notes
Tropical Delight Almond Trail Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups (310g) whole natural almonds
- 1 cup (45g) unsweetened flaked coconut
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup (150g) dried pineapple pieces, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Spread almonds on baking sheet. Spread flaked coconut on a pie dish or a small baking dish. Bake almonds and coconut for 5 minutes. Make sure that the coconut has started to turn brown at the edges, but not completely brown.
- In a medium bowl, mix olive oil and sea salt. Pour warmed almonds into the bowl and stir to coat. Spread almonds on baking sheet and return to the oven for another 10 to 12 minutes, until the almonds are a nice golden brown.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and let them cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Once cooled, mix almonds with toasted coconut and pineapple pieces. Store in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks. The almonds are crunchiest during the first week.
Notes
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds.
Kristina @ Love & Zest says
ooh love this idea!! PINNING! I made a trail mix yesterday and think the Blue Diamond Lightly Salted Almonds are by far the BEST out there.
Lisa Lin says
Thank you, Kristina!!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
Love the combination of flavors in all of these, but I gotta say, my favorite is the chili mango! Love the sweet and spicy balance going on. One of my favorite things to make is trail mix. Rob loves having a mix in his lunch bag, and always prefers chocolate, so I know he’d appreciate your chocolate cranberry almond. These are the perfect snacks to have on hand for Summer adventures! Thank you for this Lisa!
Lisa Lin says
Chili Mango is probably my favorite out of the bunch, too! I’m definitely going to need a ton of this when I travel to the UK next month!!
Kristen D says
Lots of tasty ideas and took the easy survey!
Lisa Lin says
Thank you so much, Kristen!!