I made this easy trail mix recipe with Goldfish Pretzel as part of a sponsored post. #GoldfishTales
We do a lot of hiking and nature walking as a family this time of year, and one thing I always make it a point to bring along is trail mix. Having a snack available to replenish a tired body is almost as important as having ample water on the trail, but when it comes to flavor options there aren’t many out there. I’m not a fan of the overly salty, chocolate candy filled mix available at the grocery store, so I’ve been making my own for a while. I think it’s important to keep snack mix balanced with wholesome ingredients, especially for kids. I love coming up with different fruits and add-ins, and I usually let Judah help me mix it all up because he loves getting involved in recipes. I just whipped up a batch of great tropical honey maple mix for our next family adventure that I just have to share!
There are a few key components to any great trail mix – you need a little protein, a little salt, a little sweet, and a little something else to tie it all together. Most of my mixes have at least one of each of those, and my “salty” portion is usually some kind of pretzel. For this mix I used Goldfish® Pretzels and it turned out really well. They don’t have an overwhelming salt flavor like a lot of pretzels do which I love, and they’re just so fun. Eating cute shapes makes it more fun for the kids, and of course Goldfish is a brand that we all love!
Now lets make our trail mix! This is super easy to whip up, and it’s a great activity to get kids involved in. Total time is right at 20 minutes, and you will want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees before you start. This recipe makes enough for about four portions. Here is what you need:
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup (NOT the kind you’re used to using on pancakes – we don’t want it to have added sugars. Pure maple syrup is not sweet.)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup Goldfish Pretzel
- 1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple
- 1/3 cup chopped cashews (optional)
- baking sheet lined with parchment paper
There are only three real steps in this recipe: measure, mix and bake. My own kids love helping me out in the kitchen, and Judah is at the age where he can really start taking the reins on the mixing and measuring with minimal prompting, so I stood back and let him take care of that part. The first thing you want to do is measure all your ingredients and combine them in a large bowl.
Then mix until everything is evenly coated with the syrup and honey.
After that, spread it in an even layer on a large cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until you have a nice golden brown color to your oats.
Once baked, take it out of the oven and let it sit for a few minutes to cool. Now it’s ready to help fuel up your next family adventure! Doesn’t it look delicious? I love how well the flavors blend together, but if you don’t like one (or more) of the ingredients, swap it out for something you do! Just make sure you don’t add anything overly sweet or sugary because that’s not good fuel for physical activity!
Are you planning any adventures or fun family activities this Summer? Want to WIN a family trip or Goldfish prizes? Head over to Goldfishsmiles.com to submit your photo and story to enter! No purchase necessary. Sweepstakes ends 7/31/15. Must be resident of 50 US/DC, 18 & older. Void where prohibited. Limit one entry per email address/ day.
