Carrot Cake Trail Mix: Nut-free, customizable — but mostly irresistible

Nut-free, customizable — this trail mix recipe has a lot going for it. Need something to pack for  school snacks? This could be it. Wanna turn it into a granola instead? See the last step of the recipe. Obsessed with carrot cake and that’s why you clicked on this? Sorry, you’re in the wrong place. Just kidding because this is MADE WITH CARROT CAKE CLUSTERS. *Drool!* We’re really not sure how anyone “stores this for 2 weeks in an airtight container”, but you can and we dare you to try.

Carrot Cake Trail Mix

By Josie Malevich

Use your favourite combination of dried fruits, cereal and seeds for the trail mix.

Ingredients

Carrot Cake Clusters:

• 2 ¾ cups shredded carrot
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp unsweetened orange zest (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups large flaked oats
• 1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
• 2 tbsp ground flax
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 1 egg white

Trail Mix:

• 1 cup yogurt-covered pretzels
• 1 cup yogurt-covered raisins or white chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped dried pineapple
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup chopped apricots

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Place shredded carrot on 2 layers of paper towel. Roll and squeeze dry to remove excess moisture. Repeat once and set aside.

Melt coconut oil and stir together with maple syrup, brown sugar, orange zest and vanilla. Whisk together well until brown sugar dissolves.

In large bowl toss together the oats, coconut, flax, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves. Drizzle the coconut oil mixture over top and toss until well coated. Stir in the carrots. Whisk the egg white until soft peaks form, then fold and toss into the mixture until evenly coated.

Drop scant 1 teaspoon of the carrot cake cluster mixture onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325F degrees and continue to bake until golden brown and crisp, about 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let cool and dry completely in the oven. Makes about 8 cups.

Make the trail mix: Toss Carrot Cake Clusters with yogurt-covered pretzels, yogurt-covered raisins, pineapple, raisins and apricots. Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Alternatively, the mixture can be made into granola. Preheat the oven to 325F degrees. Spread the carrot mixture in an even layer on a large, parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.