Today I’m sharing a paleo and low carb trail mix that makes a great portable snack. With the warmer weather it’s a great time to go hiking or spend some time outside. Recently, I took a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and whenever I travel I like to take healthy snacks with me. One of the snacks I decided to make was trail mix. Usually my low carb “trail mix” is just a mix of nuts without anything sweet, but every once in awhile I like to add a little bit of sweetness to the mix. I ended up making candied nuts so that there is a great balance of salty and sweet, also I would leave you this gluten free snack bar which is also a great option.
For paleo, you can use any mix of nuts that you prefer, but for low carb you’ll want to stick with lower carb nuts like pecans, walnuts, almond, brazil nuts, or hazelnuts. If you’re a fan of fruit, you can add some dehydrated fruit like strawberries (lower carb) or bananas (paleo). Be sure to check the ingredients to make sure there is no added sugar.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw mixed nuts (like a mix of pecans, walnuts, and cashew pieces--use what you prefer)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (I like the fancy shreds)--click here to see what I use
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar (or Swerve sweetener for low carb)--get coconut sugar here and Swerve here)
- 1 egg white
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups raw mixed nuts (like a mix of pecans, walnuts, and cashew pieces--use what you prefer)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup roasted pistachios pieces (shelled)
- 1/2 cup roasted macadamia nuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 F
- Mix the coconut sugar (or sweetener), egg white, water, coconut oil, cinnamon, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Add the nuts (1 1/2 cups) and unsweetened coconut
- Stir until the nuts are coated in the egg white mixture.
- Spread into an even layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Spread the remaining mixed nuts (2 cups of un-roasted nuts) into an even layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Cut the butter into pieces and arrange on top of the nuts.
- Sprinkle with the salt and bake for 25 minutes (at 300 F), stirring halfway.
- Allow all nuts to cool completely.
- In a medium airtight container or plastic storage bag, add the pistachios, macadamia nuts, and all of the cooled mixed nuts/coconut.
- If desired, you can add dehydrated fruit like strawberries (for lower carb) or bananas (for paleo)--check the ingredients for no added sugar.
