Breckenridge Mix

We sadly had to cancel our vacation to Michigan this Summer due to Coronavirus which was a bummer. But we decided to book a little trip to Colorado instead, it’s closer and we can get into the mountains and show the girls where we used to live. Ainsley was actually born just south of Denver and she is very excited to see the magical land of Colorado. Of all the places, Breckenridge was by far our favorite place, no matter what time of year. It is a small mountain town with a laid-back personality and isn’t as intense as Vail or Aspen. There is a cute Main Street with everything you would ever want, cookies, art galleries, yummy restaurants, and of course all the rentals. We plan on doing all the Summer things the mountains have to offer: white water rafting, mine tours, alpine slide, fishing, biking, and of course hiking. I knew we would need some fun fuel and wanted to make a trail mix that was homemade.

Now I was never as healthy as the people of Colorado, in fact, I was schooled on all the things while living there, including how to pronounce quinoa before it was a thing. So this is healthy but not CO healthy, haha! CO was where I learned about gluten free and discovered vegan bakeries, and all the superfoods. Which is kind of funny because I was from California, which is known for it’s health obsession. I wanted to take some of that focus and make a cinnamon almond that is a lot healthier and these Maple Cinnamon Roasted Almonds are AMAZING. your house will smell like Christmas, only natural sugar is used, they are vegan, and they literally take 15 minutes from start to finish. You will want to make these over and over again, they are great little gifts too, just pop some in a jar and give away!

Anyway, here is a mix you and your family will love for all the outdooring we are all doing during this crazy time. It has the crunch, the sweet, salty, chewy, carbs, fat, and protein to fuel you. I am going to store it in a mason jar or storage bag to pull out easily. What is in your favorite trail mix???

Maple Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

• 2 cups raw almonds

• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted

• 1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want them)

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

- Preheat the oven to 350 and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper

- In a bowl, toss the almonds with the oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt until all combined

- Spread the almonds in an even layer, no overlapping, in the baking sheet.

- Roast for 10-12 minutes, stirring about halfway through. Remove from the oven and cool , stirring occasionally.

Breckenridge Mix

• 2 cups Maple Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

• 2 cups banana chips

• 2 cups pretzels

• 1 cup golden raisins

• 1/2 cup candy covered chocolates (M&Ms)

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

- In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together. Store in a sealed bag or jar.

Let’s start with those almonds, I promise, they will be your new favorites. The hubs and I could not stop crunching on them All you need is almonds, a little melted coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, and some salt to balance it.

Coconut oil, cinnamon, salt, and maple syrup is all you need.

Mix it up!

Drop it on your lined baking sheet.

Spread it in an even layer and get them into the oven. And that’s it.

Now take those gorgeous gems and put them in a bowl with banana chips, pretzels, golden raisins, chocolate chips, and some “candy-coated chocolates” aka M&Ms. Then mix! So easy and it makes a good amount.