Sweet + Savory Popcorn Trail Mix
This Sweet + Savory Popcorn Trail Mix has it all and can easily cross off all of my snack mix requirements for an amazing afternoon or late night treat – crunchy, salty, sweet, savory, and super easy. It’s perfect for your toddler, and your big kid, and YOU! Pack into school lunch, toss into your tote for an on the go treat, or pull it out for movie night.
I fully intend to share this Popcorn Trail Mix with Ellie when she wakes up from her nap, that is if there is any left! I did have her in mind when making this delicious snack, but I had to taste it and then that was that, I have been sitting here on the counter ever since just munching away on this highly addictive and totally healthy snack mix. My biggest debate going on in my mind right now is if I should pair this snack with a glass of water or wine! It’s 5’oclock somewhere, right…
In the meantime, let’s talk about this snack!
This snack has it all and can easily cross off all of my snack mix requirements for an amazing afternoon (or late night sitting on the sofa dreading all the things you are supposed to be doing but are instead just staring off into space) snack –
crunchy – CHECK
salty – CHECK
sweet – CHECK
savory – CHECK
Filled with 4 different kinds of yummy and healthy goodies – popcorn, dried cherries, salty cashews, and pretzels – that are all warmed in a big saucepan and then sprinkled with a big ol’ teaspoon of cinnamon to really knock it out of the park! I can’t decided if it should be called a popcorn mix or a trail mix with popcorn. Either way, this snack mix is not only great fun for you and your toddler to eat it is also a healthy snack choice.
Seriously, it’s good for you!
First, let’s talk sugar. Or lack of sugar rather.
This snack has NO added sugar. It does however have a good amount of sweetness in it from the big morsels of dried red cherries. This is big for me, because while I usually want snacks that are filled with lots and lots of sugar but in the last couple of months I have huuuuuugllly limited the amount of sugar Ellie and myself have been eating. I realized right after the new year, that we had been eating WAY too much sugar and besides having toddler (and mommy) tantrums on a far more regular basis then normal, I also noticed that both of us were getting cranky in the evenings, my skin was broken out all the time, and all I wanted to do was eat more sugar. It was time to stop the sugar addiction. So I cut it dramatically out of our diets (not completely because well, that would not be any fun) and I have noticed a huge difference in both of us. We are now only having a few tantrums a week instead of a few a day! That my friends, was worth the sugar detox right there. Besides less tantrums, my skin has cleared up and both Ellie and I have been seeking out fruit instead of cookies and brownies.
But the problem is that most of my go-to snacks for when we have snack time on the run, have some sort of sugar in them. That is now a no-no for us. This trail mix has no added sugar, but still has those dark, chewy dried cherries that (almost) make you think you are eating a rich dessert. It is also packed with protein filled cashews, brain boosting cinnamon, fiber rich popcorn, and fun pretzels which unfortunately aren’t packed with anything but some extra fun.
You can enjoy this snack mix on the go, while standing in the kitchen ignoring your wayyyyy to long of a to-do list or sitting side by side with your toddler trying to get them to say ‘mommy, thanks for being da bomb’ (not at all working on that one:) and is nicely paired with sparkling water or a nice pinot noir.
Get the recipe: Sweet + Savory Popcorn Trail Mix
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup popcorn kernels
- 1 tbsp coconut, avocado or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup pretzels
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 3/4 cup cashew pieces, salted
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, place the oil and two kernels of popcorn, and heat over medium heat, covered, until the two kernels have popped.
- Add the remaining popcorn kernels, cover, and shake for 30 seconds away from heat. When done shaking, set saucepan back over heat and cook until all the popcorn has popped, roughly 5 minutes, shaking kernels occasionally.
- Sprinkle popcorn with the cinnamon and add in the pretzels, dried cherries and cashew pieces. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Great served warm or wait 5 minutes until everything has cooled.
Notes
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4 Comments on “Sweet + Savory Popcorn Trail Mix”
Hi, I’m excited to try this recipe! I haven’t made popcorn this way before, any tips or things to think about before I attempt this?
From an obvious newbie 🙂
Hello Kirstienne,
Sorry this took so long, I was away all weekend. Did you try it? It might take a couple try to get it perfect but I get such a good popcorn every time I make it this way with no kernels at the bottom! Bonus when little kids are eating it.
Let me know!
xo, Michele
Hi, I’m excited to try this recipe! I haven’t made popcorn this way before, any tips or things to think about before I attempt this?
From an obvious newbie 🙂
Hello Kirstienne,
Sorry this took so long, I was away all weekend. Did you try it? It might take a couple try to get it perfect but I get such a good popcorn every time I make it this way with no kernels at the bottom! Bonus when little kids are eating it.
Let me know!
xo, Michele