Easy Healthy Homemade Trail Mix

Store bought trail mix and health bars may contain trans-fats, high carbs and mega calories for an itty bitty amount. In addition they can hit you in the wallet by costing so much.

If you have a Sam's Club or Costco available you can purchase the ingredients for a very low cost, high anti-oxidant lip smacking snack.

Ingredients:

Large size bag of Pecans 2lbs. for $8.69 at Sam's

Large size bag of Craisins 48 oz for $7.87 at Sam's

Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips found in the baking section of your grocery which is about $2.00 at Walmart. Dark Chocolate is a potent anti-oxidant and can lower blood pressure. For more info on the health benefits of dark chocolate see WebMD at
http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20030827/dark-chocolate-is-healthy-chocolate

Put the ingredients in an air tight container. You can measure if you want but I never do. I would estimate I put about 1½ cups Pecans to 1 cup Craisins to ¼ cup Chocolate Chips, then gently mix. You can't do it wrong. It's however you like it.

TIPS

Since we travel frequently I pick up styrofoam cups wherever we stop and we "drink" our mix. It's much easier than trying to remember spoons so as to eat it out of a snack baggie. I keep a measuring cup as a dipper in my air tight container.

If you keep this mix in the fridge the pecans will be crunchier.

This mix makes a quick last minute gift for friends.

HEALTH FACTS

Nuts are good for you. See http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA326631

Craisins are dried cranberries which are an excellent fruit choice. They are so tart that sugar is required but healthfully, only real sugar is used, not the bad high fructose corn syrup.

FUNNY SAYING

You can tell folks that this snack is the perfect meal. It's got your protein (nuts) fruit (cranberries) and dessert (chocolate chips). Bon Appétit!