Ever trek up Spencer’s Butte, get to the top and realize that bland granola bar you ate before did absolutely nothing to energize you? Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us. Yet, it doesn’t have to. Instead of bringing that boring, flavorless granola bar to cure your starvation, this healthy and flavorsome trail mix is another, more delectable option. Plus, this recipe has chocolate. Oh yes, chocolate. Who doesn’t love chocolate? It has the perfect mix of healthy and splurge-worthy ingredients to combine the best of both worlds. Trust me, your taste buds and your body will thank you.
This recipe is simple, and it takes less than 20 minutes to complete. You only really need a microwave, baking sheets and bowls. Not only does it taste like pure genius, but also is a source of fuel for your journey up the beautiful Spencer’s Butte. Imagine looking out over all of Eugene and snacking on this delicious morsel. Sounds like heaven to me.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients:
3 cups peanuts
3 cups almonds
3 cups pecans
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
1 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
1. First, mix together all of the nuts (peanuts, almonds and pecans) with the sunflower seeds, coconut flakes, raisins, and dried cranberries in a bowl. You can switch up the kinds of nuts used to suit your taste.
Photo by Tiare Brown
2. Once mixed, spread the nutty mixture on a baking sheet. Make sure the baking sheet is lined with wax paper or else you may never get the scraps off.
Photo by Tiare Brown
3. Melt the chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Once fully melted, pour the chocolate in even streaks (almost ribbon-like) over the nut mixture that lay on the baking sheet. Stir everything together.
Photo by Tiare Brown
4. Once the chocolate is cool, you can break them into pieces and pack them for your adventure. If you are on a time crunch, I would recommend putting it in the refrigerator to quicken the process.
Photo by Tiare Brown
If you are really the hungry type and need more treats to fill you up, then it’s a good idea to bring some dried fruit or even jerky along with you. Some favorites include: dried mangos (to die for), dried apricot (a good source of vitamin A, C, and iron) and dried apple.