Want a snack that will be satisfactory to you and your friends when you go out hiking or camping? A trail mix will work perfectly. A homemade trail mix is always more entertaining and tastier than the industrial pre-made one. Making your own trail mix at home will help you have the specific mixture you want and make it as healthy as you want. To prepare this snack at home you will need a crunchy combo of nuts and dried fruit.
It is recommendable that for the nuts you use pecans, macadamia, and pistachios, and for the fruits, you can use dried apricots, cranberries, mangoes, apple rings, pineapple, blueberries and dates. When it comes to making the trail mix at home there are some requirements that you should set for a successful DIY;
Here are steps to follow when you are preparing the trail mix below.
Nuts are known to contain fiber that holds back hunger, and fats to keep the body healthy. To reduce sugar and sodium intake in the mixture it is advisable for you to use unsalted roasted nuts. Omega 3 fats are good for your health and they are available from Walnuts. To include Vitamin E and Irons that are important in energy production, you can use almonds. A quarter of a cup will work well for an average trail mix.
To add some taste and vitamins to your trail mix you need to add dried fruits that are rich in vitamins. Dried apricots are rich in iron. These fruits do not only have nutritional value but they also add sweetness and a fibrous feel to the snack. Some other fruits that contain antioxidants and calcium include cherries, strawberries and raisins. You should, however, be careful to see that you don’t have the dried fruit serving in excess to avoid making the mix too sugary. Using dried fruits that have a sugar coating will cause more harm by adding unhealthy calories. Around 14 ounces will do for an average portion of a trail mix. It is recommendable that you use your home oven to dry the fruits.
Full-grain cereals like rice, quinoa, millet and oats make into this category. When you are shopping for seeds you should choose the seeds that are at about 8 or less grams of sugar and 5 or more grams of fiber per portion. Do not include the flakes because they will make the mixture messy. Pumpkin and sesame seeds are important for providing minerals and the vitamin that is vital for energy production. A handful of seeds will be enough for preparing the mix. The seeds can also be used as an alternative to individuals that are allergic to nuts since they contain the nutritional content found in nuts.
Your snack will need some additional texture and to achieve that you need to add some crunchy foods like the air popped popcorn. You can add some extra ingredients to the trail mix to make it have a sweet aroma. They include toasted coconut, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, granola and some scatterings of chili powder.
The ingredients required to make a trail mix are easily obtainable and the preparation steps are quite simple. The fruits included in the snack preparation make the trail mix delicious and flavor.
Sometimes people avoid the intake of nuts because they fear to gain extra calories that could increase their weight. On the contrary, research has it that people who eat nuts are slender than the ones who don’t. Nuts that are efficiently mature do not contain the slightest percentage of unhealthy fats. Pecans, walnuts and almond nuts are most ideal to add flavor, nutrients and crunch to your trail mix.
If you want to take natural vitamins as well as a balanced diet on your hiking activity sunflower seeds and pumpkins will satisfy your desire. Pumpkin seeds are very sweet and nutritious and they will keep you energized in your leisure activities. With pumpkin seeds in your meal, you will enjoy the benefits which include; strong bones, healthful minerals, anti-inflammation aids, prostate protection and the important Amino-acids.
If you are on a long hiking trip you may end up taking a large portion of the mixed trail. Nevertheless, you don’t have to worry about that since the raisins contained in the trail mix contain a compound that protects bacterial infections of the gum and the teeth cavities as established by research by USAID has it that among the top antioxidant foods.
Having your blood sugar levels at a constant level while camping will make you to be more energetic and efficient in performance. The dried fruits play an essential role in keeping you rejuvenated for hiking or trekking.
A handful of a trail mix is enough to satisfy your craving for food and provide you with adequate energy to undertake the hiking or camping activity. Nuts prevent you from getting regular cravings for food and they are the ultimate solution to keep your tummy full. Trail mix is an amazing snack for hiking or camping adventures but most importantly you should have the portions correctly measured for the best results. Trail mix requires the usual containers that are used for keeping food dry. If you are using the snack for hiking purposes it will be best if stored in tiny bags that can be sealed and are easy to access.
It is recommendable that for the nuts you use pecans, macadamia, and pistachios, and for the fruits, you can use dried apricots, cranberries, mangoes, apple rings, pineapple, blueberries and dates. When it comes to making the trail mix at home there are some requirements that you should set for a successful DIY;
- Your hands should be thoroughly cleaned to avoid contamination of the ingredients.
- You should have all the ingredients for use collected together to avoid unnecessary movements during preparation.
- Mix the ingredients together in a clean vessel.
- Mix the portions exhaustively using your hands to ensure an actual mingling.
Here are steps to follow when you are preparing the trail mix below.
1. Nuts
Nuts are known to contain fiber that holds back hunger, and fats to keep the body healthy. To reduce sugar and sodium intake in the mixture it is advisable for you to use unsalted roasted nuts. Omega 3 fats are good for your health and they are available from Walnuts. To include Vitamin E and Irons that are important in energy production, you can use almonds. A quarter of a cup will work well for an average trail mix.
2. Dried Fruits
To add some taste and vitamins to your trail mix you need to add dried fruits that are rich in vitamins. Dried apricots are rich in iron. These fruits do not only have nutritional value but they also add sweetness and a fibrous feel to the snack. Some other fruits that contain antioxidants and calcium include cherries, strawberries and raisins. You should, however, be careful to see that you don’t have the dried fruit serving in excess to avoid making the mix too sugary. Using dried fruits that have a sugar coating will cause more harm by adding unhealthy calories. Around 14 ounces will do for an average portion of a trail mix. It is recommendable that you use your home oven to dry the fruits.
3. Seeds
Full-grain cereals like rice, quinoa, millet and oats make into this category. When you are shopping for seeds you should choose the seeds that are at about 8 or less grams of sugar and 5 or more grams of fiber per portion. Do not include the flakes because they will make the mixture messy. Pumpkin and sesame seeds are important for providing minerals and the vitamin that is vital for energy production. A handful of seeds will be enough for preparing the mix. The seeds can also be used as an alternative to individuals that are allergic to nuts since they contain the nutritional content found in nuts.
4. Extra Crunch
Your snack will need some additional texture and to achieve that you need to add some crunchy foods like the air popped popcorn. You can add some extra ingredients to the trail mix to make it have a sweet aroma. They include toasted coconut, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, granola and some scatterings of chili powder.
Why Choose A Trail Mix While Hiking
1. It is delicious and easy to make.
The ingredients required to make a trail mix are easily obtainable and the preparation steps are quite simple. The fruits included in the snack preparation make the trail mix delicious and flavor.
2. It contains healthy vital fats.
Sometimes people avoid the intake of nuts because they fear to gain extra calories that could increase their weight. On the contrary, research has it that people who eat nuts are slender than the ones who don’t. Nuts that are efficiently mature do not contain the slightest percentage of unhealthy fats. Pecans, walnuts and almond nuts are most ideal to add flavor, nutrients and crunch to your trail mix.
3. A regular source of vital vitamins.
If you want to take natural vitamins as well as a balanced diet on your hiking activity sunflower seeds and pumpkins will satisfy your desire. Pumpkin seeds are very sweet and nutritious and they will keep you energized in your leisure activities. With pumpkin seeds in your meal, you will enjoy the benefits which include; strong bones, healthful minerals, anti-inflammation aids, prostate protection and the important Amino-acids.
4. Raisins protect your mouth from bacterial infections.
If you are on a long hiking trip you may end up taking a large portion of the mixed trail. Nevertheless, you don’t have to worry about that since the raisins contained in the trail mix contain a compound that protects bacterial infections of the gum and the teeth cavities as established by research by USAID has it that among the top antioxidant foods.
5. Keeps your blood sugar constant.
Having your blood sugar levels at a constant level while camping will make you to be more energetic and efficient in performance. The dried fruits play an essential role in keeping you rejuvenated for hiking or trekking.
6. Gives adequate satisfaction
A handful of a trail mix is enough to satisfy your craving for food and provide you with adequate energy to undertake the hiking or camping activity. Nuts prevent you from getting regular cravings for food and they are the ultimate solution to keep your tummy full. Trail mix is an amazing snack for hiking or camping adventures but most importantly you should have the portions correctly measured for the best results. Trail mix requires the usual containers that are used for keeping food dry. If you are using the snack for hiking purposes it will be best if stored in tiny bags that can be sealed and are easy to access.