The Testosterone Blueprint
Back to recipes

Homemade Trail Mix with Nuts, Seeds and Dark Chocolate

A no-cook trail mix of almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, raisins and dark chocolate, with no added salt and very little sugar. Five minutes to mix (20 if you toast the nuts), and the 40g portion size is the part that matters.

Snack

5

Makes 10 portions of 40g

A bowl of homemade trail mix with almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, raisins and dark chocolate chunks

Ingredients

  • 100g/3½oz/¾ cup unsalted almonds
  • 75g/2½oz/¾ cup walnuts, roughly broken
  • 50g/1¾oz/⅓ cup unsalted cashews
  • 75g/2½oz/½ cup pumpkin seeds
  • 50g/1¾oz/⅓ cup raisins
  • 50g/1¾oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more), chopped into chunks
  • Half a tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Method

  1. For extra flavour, toast the almonds, walnuts and cashews on a dry baking tray at 180C (160C fan, 350F) for 8 minutes, then leave them to cool completely. Skip this if you are short of time; the mix works raw.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the cooled nuts with the pumpkin seeds, raisins and cinnamon.
  3. Add the chocolate only once the nuts are completely cool, or it melts and sticks everything together.
  4. Divide into 10 portions of about 40g/1½oz (a small handful, or a heaped ¼ cup) in small tubs or bags.
  5. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks. In hot weather, keep it in the fridge so the chocolate does not melt.

Why it works

A 40g portion has about 230 calories, 7g of protein and 18g of fat, most of it unsaturated fat from the nuts and seeds. That is a lot of energy in a small amount, which is exactly why the recipe divides it into portions rather than leaving a big bowl out.

Nuts and heart health. In the US, the FDA allows a qualified health claim that eating about 1.5oz (42g) of most nuts a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A 40g portion of this mix contains about 22g of nuts, roughly half that amount. Walnuts also provide plant omega-3 fat.

Low in sugar, no added salt. Shop-bought trail mixes often include sweetened dried fruit, chocolate-coated pieces, yogurt drops or salted nuts. Here the sweetness comes from a small amount of raisins and dark chocolate: about 5g of sugar a portion, roughly three-quarters of it from the raisins and the rest from the chocolate.

Why it is tagged for blood sugar. With about 9g of carbohydrate a portion and plenty of fat, protein and fibre, it is a snack that is unlikely to cause a sharp rise in blood sugar, unlike crisps (chips), biscuits (cookies) or a cereal bar.

Allergens. Contains tree nuts and may contain milk from the chocolate; swap the nuts for extra pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds for a nut-free mix. For a baked snack with similar ingredients, try the low-sugar granola with nuts and seeds.