Popcorn Trail Mix

This recipe weds two of our favorite foods: popcorn and trail mix. The genius idea, courtesy of Inspired Edibles, makes for a healthy, easy, and delicious snack perfect for on-the-go families.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup corn kernels (will make about 8 cups or 2 quarts – adjust quantities if you wish to make more or less)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 cup chopped walnut, or other nut of choice
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried apricot, sliced thin
1/3 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut shavings

For the Topping (see other suggestions in Notes below)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt or other coarse grain salt

Notes from Inspired Edibles:
Coconut oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil and I like to use it for cooking popcorn.

You can substitute any nuts/fruit of choice in this recipe to create your favourite version.

I found the simple topping combination of cinnamon and sea salt surprisingly delicious in this batch – a perfect complement to the sweet notes. But, if you prefer something on the pure savoury side, one of my favourite combinations is: parmesan, cumin, sea salt, a pinch of cayenne and nutritional yeast (you can play around with proportions). Nutritional yeast has a subtle cheese/nut flavour and is a good source of fortified B12 – particularly helpful for vegans. It is often sold in the form of light yellow/golden coloured flakes (easy to combine with other herbs & spices and shake on popcorn). You can find nutritional yeast at health food stores of bulk food stores.

Method:
1. Carefully pop corn in a large dedicated pot on stove with coconut oil.

2. Place popped corn in a large bowl and add nuts, seeds and dried fruit. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sea salt topping or other topping of choice.

3. Further divide popcorn into smaller bowls or bags for snacks at school and the office.

Did you make this fun take on trail mix? Tell us about the final outcome (and whether your kids loved it) in the comments section below.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Inspired Edibles. To see more great recipes visit inspirededibles.ca.