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.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds.
