Craving that healthy homemade trail mix with a unique blend of tastes? You are not alone! Our bodies are designed to appreciate a variety of tastes from foods we eat every day. Salty, sweet, sour, bitter are the types of receptors that we’ve been blessed by Mother Nature. As a result, when any of them are missing for too long, we may get cravings.
Including a variety of tastes in our daily recipes is part of the balanced well-being. There’s no need to buy expensive trail mixes. Using organic ingredients, you are in charge of the recipe-making any time you want to create something for your snack, for kid’s lunch, a more satisfying hiking experience or camping, or simply a fabulously healthy family movie night.
Anthocyanins Are Powerful Flavonoid Antioxidants
This recipe includes nutrient-dense ingredients that are good for menopause diet and for women who are going through breast cancer ordeal. Having powerful antioxidants like anthocyanin flavonoids in the mix of its ingredients, this delicious trail mix recipe is the one to keep on hand every time you want to snack on something.
What Are Other Anthocyanins Foods?
Anthocyanins come in different colors depending on the pH environment they reside in. Red, purple, blue are the prevalent color so of the anthocyanins. Here’s a quick list of foods that boast with this powerful antioxidant that benefits our overall well-being, including skin, eyes, cardiovascular system. This homemade trail mix recipe is full on anthocyanins!
blackberries
blueberries
cherries
cranberries
eggplant
grape juice
plums
prunes
raisins
red apples
red beans
red beets
red cabbage
red or purple grapes
red onions
red pears
red wines
strawberries
– Protein synthesis
– Nerve function
– Blood sugar control
– Neurotransmitter release
– Blood pressure regulation
– Energy metabolism
– Production of the antioxidant glutathione
Sunflower seeds are an easy protein source, adding more copper and trace mineral, to your well-being. Copper is a great trace mineral that is a potent antioxidant. It defends the cells from damage. Skin benefits a lot from such protection. Fine lines, age spots, wrinkles can be postponed with good care and whole foods nutrition. Scientists even say that copper could have its influence on preventing macular degeneration a serious eye disease that affects people as they age.
1/4 cup of sunflower seeds contains about 0.63 mg of copper or about 31% of DV, Daily Value.
Copper must stay in balance with ZINC and IRON in the body. If you consume too much of one, it can throw the others out of balance.
Flax seeds are tiny nuggets containing the wealth of nutrients. They claim to their power Omega-3 essential fatty acids that are great for cardiovascular system, eyes, brain activity, and hair growth and elasticity. Flax seeds contain lignans that are rich in antioxidant power and plant estrogen. Just a little bit goes a long way, and that’s a reason why flax found its way into this homemade trail mix.
How To Build a Healthy Trail Mix?
Keep Ingredients RAW! Include variety of nuts into your mixes.
Including nuts into a trail mix is a great idea. The fats, fiber, protein and trace minerals are all part of the nut matrix.
For this healthy homemade trail mix I decided to go with the Brazil nuts. You need about 2 Brazil nuts to get your daily requirements for Selenium, a trace mineral responsible for reduction for oxidative stress our body receives from free radicals. The more antioxidant rich foods you eat, the more potent barrier you build to oxidative stress.
Incorporate DRIED FRUIT AND BERRIES
For sweet tooth cravings, add organic dried berries and pieces of fruit. I used dried blueberries and cherries that are naturally rich in antioxidants and add a very delectable sense to any homemade trail mix recipe. I buy organic and GMO Free blueberries and cherries.
Add CHOCOLATE
I use chocolate form in this homemade trail mix recipe. Chocolate is great for its antioxidant power. Keep in mind, however, that not all chocolate is created equal. The one that most use for trick-o-treats is full of additives and fillers. I use organic, GMO Free cacao nibs. You don’t need a lot to add the value in taste and nutrition. Cocoa nibs or powder is also rich in such trace mineral as Zinc. Just a few things that this important trace mineral plays an important role:
- Zinc is a powerful antioxidant
- Boosts Eye Health
- Promotes Wound Healing
- Promotes Heart Health
- Aids in Nutrient Absorption
- Promotes Muscle Growth and Repair
- Balances Hormones
- Supports Reproductive Health
Homemade Recipe Is ALWAYS Healthier that Store-Bought!
A homemade trail mix recipe is much healthier than the one you’ll buy in any store! I like to smell and taste the freshness of seeds, dried berries, nut pieces and crunchy chocolate nibs. It is such a joy to make a healthy snack for myself and to anyone who comes over for a visit! I serve it to tea, too! And my kids sneak away a handful of this rainbow of deliciousness every day!
If you are a woman going through a menopause or braving your waves through breast cancer or any cancer – I hope this nutrient-dense recipe will meet your expectations for taste and offer the density and abundance of nutrients to your body and soul.
This healthy trail mix combines cancer-preventive nuts, seeds and dried fruit with unsweetened cacao nibs instead of chocolate chips.
Use any unsweetened dried fruit you'd like for variety; we used blueberries and cherries for their super-protective anthocyanins.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chopped Brazil nuts
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup dried blueberries
- 1/4 cup dried unsweetened cherries
- 1/4 cup raw unsweetened cacao nibs
- 2 tablespoons flax seeds
Instructions
- Combine Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds in a large skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring almost constantly, until lightly golden. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool.
- Add blueberries, cherries, cacao nibs and flax seeds, and stir to mix well. Transfer to an air-tight container to store.
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22 thoughts on “Healthy Homemade Trail Mix with Blueberries And Brazil Nuts”
I make and eat trail mix all the time. I really like this combination, nuts are almost always my go to snack, but i don’t usually use as many dried fruits…think I’ll start now though.
My mom would love this. She is into all types of trail mixes.
This is nice! We really have to make healthier food choices and this is something we can include in our regular diet. Never thought about making a homemade trail mix but I just love the idea as it is very easy. Thank you for sharing.
I never knew about anthocyanin flavonoids and how important it is for a woman’s health. I have to whip some trail mix to eat each day!
Actually this is my favorite snack,
I just wish my kiddo would like eating these nut mix but he not!
I’m currently into trail mix because they’re so easy to make and very healthy. I’ll try this recipe out as I adore blueberries!
You had me at *chocolate*. But seriously, that’s a great idea to add cacao nibs to a trail mix. This whole trail mix sounds and looks delicious and nutritious. My tendency is to always go for just a nut mix – I’m going to try this with more seeds, fruits and cocoa.
This looks like such an awesome recipe to try out! I’ll have to give it a try over the weekend!
I’m looking for healthy alternatives to foods I love, I’ll have to try this!
I know that dark chocolate is said to be better for you but I can’t get used to the taste. Would milk chocolate work?
It looks amazing! I can’t wait to make it! I love munching something healthy at night!
I’m not sure why I’ve never thought to put blueberries in trail mix. It’s so much better than raisins!
What a great idea to make this mix at home. So perfect for healthy snacks and breakfast! So delish!
Oh, this looks delicious! I love trail mix and I especially love saving money and making these things at home. I will have to try this!
Oh these are great recipes for healthy snacks. I love blueberries!
Your trail mix sure sounds delicious. There are so many health benefits. Homemade is always better.
I love the idea of dried blueberries and nuts. I like packing trail mix when I am traveling.
I love strawberries and apples, I didn’t know they had anthocyanins. This reminds me of my Mom who just finished breast cancer treatment, she always made homemade trail mix for my brothers.
I love to make homemade stuff like snacks and desserts. But, sometimes store-bought is better than I could replicate in my kitchen.
I am a sucker for trail mix. Especially if it has pumpkin seeds. They are by far my favorite kind of seeds! I want to reach through my screen and grab a handful of your mix right now!
I love a trail mix for s snack but I have never made one therefore I’m sure what I’ve been eating isn’t all that healthy. I am so glad I saw your recipe because I believe even I can make it and all the raw nuts sound yummy. Thanks for sharing this.
Im looking for healthy snacks. This would fill the bill.