Hey there friends! Things have been a wee bit busy lately, but all is well in the P2P kitchen. October is going to be a busy month, though it always seems to be that way as the holiday season fast approaches. This year we are also using the month as our 5k training program for one of our awesome corporate clients at Excellence in Exercise. I get to have fun helping guide participants through the month-long program, as well as share some healthy snacks that are great to fuel those training runs.
I'm kicking off the recipes with a ridiculously easy version of a snacking staple--trail mix! Whether you take your training to the trails, the treadmill or the track, a good snack always comes in handy when you are on the go between work and your workout. Though there are many options out on the store shelves, making some at home helps you customize the ratio to your wants and needs. Plus you can make it slightly different every time!
Why is trail mix such a good option?
- The ingredients hold up well, so you can make a big batch and take it to go without needing access to a cooler or refrigerator.
- Nuts and dried fruit pack a punch with healthy fats, energizing carbohydrates and a bit of protein to provide nutrients for activity and recovery.
- It is easy to make and portion out based on your energy needs.
For this particular mix I also took care to add ingredients that are great for recovery from training. The walnuts contain Omega 3 fatty acids that can help with inflammation and muscle repair. Tart cherries contain antioxidants that have also been studied in relation to possible benefits to muscle recovery and repair after exercise, as well as heart health. Not to mention consuming some beforehand can also give you a carbohydrate boost to fuel your running. Cinnamon enhances the flavor, but is another great spice to have in your cabinet for its anti-inflammatory benefits. And the chocolate, well, there are some benefits to eating dark chocolate for its antioxidant compounds, but also a few nibbles of chocolate in your healthy trail mix can be a much better way to satisfy a sweet tooth than with a plate of cookies. ;)
Chocolate & Cherry Trail Mix
Makes 1 Quart Jar
- 1 heaping cup raw walnuts
- 1 cup raw pecans (or more walnuts or other nuts/seeds you enjoy)
- 1 cup dried tart cherries
- 1/4 cup dairy free dark chocolate morsels
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Place all the ingredients in a quart jar or bag. Shake to mix together. Portion out into smaller containers to have quick snacks throughout the week, or bring the whole jar/bag to work for snacks throughout the work day if you can keep yourself from eating it all at once...
You can easily switch up some of the nuts for alternatives like almonds or pistachios, though walnuts do have the highest Omega 3 content out of the most common nuts, so they are good to have as a staple in your mix. Flax, chia or hemp seeds would be an excellent addition, as well. Other dried fruit like dates can be a great add in for their magnesium content (also great for muscular recovery) or dried blueberries for their high antioxidant content. Just make sure to watch your portion sizes if necessary to maintain proper energy intake for the day. Trail mix is great runner fuel, but can be easy to overdo it, so make sure to leave plenty of room for the leafy greens, vibrant vegetables, complex carbohydrates and protein to fill the rest of your runner's plate.
Happy running!
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You're nuts! That's you're not your.
Happy Monday Plants, wait, I'm pretty sure that's what day it is, hold please.... Yup! Happy Monday Plants. Give some knuckles to D for me. I'm on the treadmill right now exercising all those things we can't see but gimps don't run--they walk so ima have to pass on that 5k.
That's pass on that not pass that.
Perhaps a little of both there. ;)
I had to do a double take on the day myself. Counting down the days until my toes hit the sand and the Gulf tickles my ankles. Brain is already well on vacation despite having a lot of work yet to do before that happens. Hoping the busy week means it comes that much quicker, though.
Walking, running, jogging, yogging...as long as you're moving it's alright by me. A good percentage of our corporate participants walk themselves, so I'm using the term "running" loosely.
My best to you and Pura, as well.
This is a really stellar flavour combination - healthy aside! It occurs to me that it would make a great muffin, too. Makes me wonder how I could adjust the muffin mix that I used for the vegan muffins at the market....
Funny how thing seem to pick up a gear at this time of year? It seems a little more so here after nearly six months of enforced nothing!! lol
Cherries and chocolate--can't go wrong! The cinnamon really does bring it out that much more. Which reminds me of these muffins that I haven't made in a while, but they are delicious. Perhaps that will help inspire your next baking adventure. ;)
Yes, even though things weren't as locked down here as elsewhere, it seems everyone is still making up for lost time. Though at least on my end some is still online, which is totally fine with me. I think that aspect will stick around. Which actually brings more and different opportunities, so in some small ways, at least some good has come from the bad.
Ooohhh! Thank you for that. Already filed... 😂
Yes, this lockdown thing has really been a series of mixed blessings.
Ooohhh! Thank you for that. Already filed... 😂
Yes, this lockdown thing has really been a series of mixed blessings.
Hmmm chocolate is all I read and I'm actually eating it now, but without the trail mix 😃 Seems to be a healthy way to justify eating chocolate with your recipe though haha, nice one!
Can't go wrong with some yummy chocolate, especially to fuel all those kilometers you've been racking up. ;) I used to be a purest and only wanted chocolate on its own, but it is quite a nice little nibble to find a bite or two mixed in with the other goodies when scooping out my trail mix.
I think I'm still a purist unless there's more chocolate infused with chocolate, in which case, I'm in!
Oh my God! My mouth watered just looking at chocolate, it looks too good. x-x
Thank you @pavanjr! It really is a delicious bite with all the ingredients together. :)
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Firstly...
Nextly, this might actually be something my boy would be interested in. He's been trying to find low sugar protein power bars to snack on pre-workout. I'm going to send him the link to your post, and see what he thinks. Thanks for sharing the yumminess, @plantstoplanks! 😊
Haha, thanks Traci! If he wants to make it lower sugar he can leave out the chocolate chips, as well. But, they are pretty darn delicious... ;)
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