Spiced Trail Mix with Mixed Nuts, Cherries and Dark Chocolate

Trail mix consists of dried fruits, nuts and sometimes chocolate. It is considered an ideal snack food for hikers because it is easy to store, doesn’t require cooking prior to consumption and is nutritious. Way before it was called trail mix, ancient nomadic tribes used to mix dried fruits, nuts and meats together for a high-energy on their treks.


2 cups raw cashews

½ cup raw pistachios

¾ cup raw almonds

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

1 ½ tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon AVOCARE Extra Virgin Avocado Oil

1 cup dried sour cherries

½ cup dark chocolate chips


  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the nuts, ginger, cardamom and salt.
  3. In a small saucepan, warm the applesauce with the honey and AVOCARE Extra Virgin Avocado Oil until heated through. Mix the applesauce mixture into the dry ingredients until thoroughly dispersed, then spread the mixture evenly on the lined baking sheet. Bake, stirring several times, until just golden and it feels dry to the touch, about 25 minutes.
  4. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the pan, then add the cherries and chocolate chips and toss to combine. Store cooled trail mix in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes 3 cups


This delicious recipe was created by AVOCARE spokesperson, Maite Gomez-Rejón. Visit her site ArtBites here.