Trail Chef: Spiced Cocoa Nuts

Sweet, salty, and savory—the perfect trail-mix trifecta. These spruced-up nuts deliver just that, with antioxidant-rich cocoa and spices, healthy unsaturated fats, and electrolyte-balancing sodium. The result: a “can’t eat just one” mix everyone will dig their hands into.

Spiced Cocoa Nuts

Makes 3 cups

1 egg white

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup raw unsalted almonds

1 cup raw unsalted cashews 

1 cup raw unsalted hazelnuts

At home

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk egg white for at least 30 seconds until light and foamy. Add cocoa, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and cloves, and whisk until smooth. Stir in nuts until evenly coated. Spoon nuts onto the sheet in a single layer. Bake seven minutes, then stir nuts. Bake seven minutes more (but don’t overcook or they’ll burn). Let nuts cool. Store in a glass container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to hit the trail.

Recipe adapted from Better Nutrition (February 2011)