Easy Trail Mix

One of the most surprising foods that’s rarely gluten-free is pre-packaged trail mix. In fact, there’s a lot of brands of plain, dry roasted peanuts (Planter’s included!) that aren’t gluten-free so I’m wondering if that’s the unsuspected culprit. It’s very bizarre to me that something so simple with natural ingredients (minus the chocolate) would have gluten by-products.

I think trail mix is one of the tastiest protein-packed snacks out there (as long as you keep it portion-controlled) so I’ve taken it into my own hands using a mixture of ingredients that I typically keep stocked in my pantry for my various snacks, smoothies, and yogurt mix-ins. It’s heart-healthy and satisfying–perfect for the dreaded 3 pm slump!

Gluten-Free Trail Mix

Total Time: 2 minutes | Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry roasted peanuts (ensure it is gluten-free. I use Wegman’s brand)
• 1 cup dry roasted almonds (I buy in bulk and do 1 part salted to 2 parts unsalted)
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup hulled sunflower seeds (no shells, no salt, no oil)
• 1/2 dark chocolate chips (it’s tempting to use M&Ms, but do yourself a favor and avoid all the red #5 and yellow awfuls)

Other healthy mix-ins include:

• Pistachios (shelled)
• Unsweetened coconut flakes
• Craisins
• Cashews

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a sealable container
2. Put on cover and shake (the salt from the almonds helps coat the raisins and prevent them from sticking)
3. Enjoy!