Trail Mix Buffer

I may as well get this out in the open now, I LOVE nuts! Particularly almonds, cashews, and walnuts. And I wish I could be one of those people that says, "A little bit of nuts go a long a way" but honestly, for me they don't. Sit me down with a tub of planters mixed nuts, or whole cashews, or a bag of trader joe's nuts, and chances are that almost half will be gone. So I try to avoid those tubs. I'll make little baggies of a few almonds with some cashews, but just looking at a measley little bag with barely anything in it is hardly mentally satisfying. I like to think I'm eating a lot. (who doesn't?) So I am always looking for a higher volume alternative while still getting my nut fix. In stores, the only other option I ever see is nuts with dried fruit. Now the ratio of dried fruit is usually pretty high, and to be honest, dried fruit is also 'nutrient dense' (meaning a lot of calories for not so much volume) and has a decent amount of sugars. However, I can't deny that dried fruit and nuts is a tasty combination. But it doesn't solve the problem of adding more volume with fewer calories. A lot of websites suggest using popcorn, but in my opinion, the flavors of popcorn and nuts don't go well together.

So my handy dandy solution to this problem is.... Cheerios! Adding 1/2 a cup to any arrangement of nuts adds ridiculous volume- that measley empty looking bag is now brimming to the top! It's a lot of little pieces so it takes longer to eat and feels like you are eating a lot more. Taste wise, I think it works really well- it's bland enough not to overpower the nut taste (tastes amazing with almonds!) but has that unique yummy Cheerio taste. And it's not a taste that sticks in your mouth leaving you craving more (You know that feeling that happens with say, goldfish, or chex mix) Any type of cereal would work, and although Cheerios may not be the nutritional powerhouse of say, Kashi GoLean, it is good enough with soluble fiber, barely any fat, and no sugar! If you want to boost the fiber count, fiber one tastes great with Cheerios and nuts. Kix also works well as a base, but isn't as nutritionally balanced as Cheerios.

Here are my two favorite "trail mixes":

1. 1/2 c cheerios, 1/4 c fiber one, 2 tbsp raw slivered almonds

- Calories: 165
- I like using slivered almonds because it allows you to have an almond-y taste in more of the handfuls. Plus, you feel like you are getting more for your calories. Note: these are not 'sliced'- sliced adds very little flavor

Ooh visual of the trail mix

Look at how full that bag is! And there's only 1/4 c cheerios, 1/8 c fiberone, and 1 tbsp of almonds in there. (And only 85 calories for all that munching time!) You'd need a much bigger bag for the combination I wrote out!

2. 1/2 c cheerios, 7 whole almonds, 5 cashews (in pieces), 4 dried apricots cut into quarters

- Calories: about 165
- Hey, I do like dried fruit sometimes!
- I use this as an energy- boosting snack
- These numbers are kinda arbitrary. Obviously add more or less as you so desire. I only say these numbers because that is what I made recently and it tasted good.


Other "healthy" ideas of what you can add: (and I use quotes only because you can add virtually anything to trail mixes and it will be yummy, so I will only mention the "healthier" ideas):

- dark chocolate chips, walnut pieces, mini marshmellows (ok not so helathy, but no one ever thinks of them and they are yummy), kix, craisins, soy nuts, sun flower seeds, pepitas, freeze-dried strawberries, basically any cereal (I feel like Puffins Cinnamon or Peanut Butter Bumpers would be an amazingly delish but less-nutritional alternative.... let me know if you try it!)


With these trail mixes, I am able to eat a lot, get a very nutty taste, and mindlessly munch without over indulging in hundreds of calories (which happens when left with an actual trail or nut mix).
What do you guys think? Helpful? Will you try it?

[Pictures to come soon and a few other tried combinations- sometime next week! Check Back]