This Sweet & Salty Healthy Trail Mix starts in the Crock Pot, saving you hands-on time, so you can spend time doing more of the things you’d rather be doing.

Lately, I’ve been so lax on healthy homemade snacks. For the longest time, I would made at least 2-3 batches of granola bars, breakfast cookies, Coconut Clusters (Costco Style) and other healthy snacks each week that my family could just grab when they got hungry. 

But man, life just gets busy doesn’t it?

Between work, kiddo’s extracurricular activities, and wife’s military duties (ie, my single parenting), life just got way too chaotic. So yeah, I started cutting the corners a bit when it came to healthy snacks. 

Before I knew it, we had a whole bin full of store-bought snacks that I just wasn’t really ok with. I knew I had to whip up a huge batch of something good for my family that would still taste delicious. And who doesn’t love a good ole Sweet and Salty chex mix like treat? 

I know we’re all about that combo.

I knew I wanted to roast the nuts in some sort of sweetness, but I didn’t want to have to babysit them in the oven with how busy I was on that particular day. Enter my beloved crock pot. The crock pot came to the rescue for our healthy trail mix, making it so I could pour all the sweet ingredients in to get all ooey gooey and sweet while I got things done around the house. I only had to check on it a few times to be sure nothing was sticking to the bottom at all.

Such a great time-saver!

How exactly do you make Healthy Trail Mix?

It’s so easy! Let me tell you in just a few steps:

1. In a crock pot, combine pecans, walnuts, almonds, cashews, coconut sugar, vanilla, and coconut oil until nuts are coated in oil as well as possible. Cook on high for 45-60 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant and sugar is melted. Reduce to low and cook for another 20-30 minutes.
2. Then pour nuts out to a large parchment-lined baking sheet and allow to cool completely.
3. In a large bowl, combine cheerios, popcorn, pretzels, peanuts, dried cranberries, and dark chocolate chips. When nuts are completely cooled, add them to the mixture as well and stir together until combined.
4. Store in an airtight container.

It really couldn’t be easier, and it makes so much!

My son has really enjoyed having it on hand and will just fill up a small container or baggie for on-the-go snacking.

Is eating trail mix bad for you?

This is just one of those controversial topics that I don’t really care to get into. I’m sure some would argue that it’s too carb-y, too snacky, and not nutritious enough. But y’all it’s all about balance and eating the things that make your body feel good. I chose a sugar to sweeten the nuts that I feel comfortable with, a small amount of oil, and salty ingredients that weren’t loaded with salt.

If you feel it’s something that doesn’t jive with your lifestyle, feel free to pass on this one. No harm done. 

But the real question is… Can you live off of trail mix?

I legitimately need to know cause like… this homemade trail mix has been life for the last week and I’m wondering how long I can go before my body starts begging me for real food.

NOW THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY TRAIL MIX, IT’S TIME TO SNAP A PIC AND LOAD IT ONTO INSTAGRAM (TAGGING ME OF COURSE @HAPPYFOODHOLLY) SO I CAN SHARE YOUR CREATION!

SWEET & SALTY CROCK POT HEALTHY TRAIL MIX

Yield: 8 CUPS

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Additional Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

This Sweet & Salty Healthy Trail Mix starts in the Crock Pot, saving you hands-on time, so you can spend time doing more of the things you'd rather be doing.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cup cheerios
• 3 cup plain popcorn
• 1 1/2 cup mini pretzels
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup dairy free dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In a crock pot, combine pecans, walnuts, almonds, cashews, coconut sugar, vanilla, and coconut oil until nuts are coated in oil as well as possible. Cook on high for 45-60 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant and sugar is melted. Reduce to low and cook for another 20-30 minutes.
2. Then pour nuts out to a large parchment-lined baking sheet and allow to cool completely.
3. In a large bowl, combine cheerios, popcorn, pretzels, peanuts, dried cranberries, and dark chocolate chips. When nuts are completely cooled, add them to the mixture as well and stir together until combined.
4. Store in an airtight container.

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