Chocolate Cranberry Trail Mix Recipe

I made this trail mix for our last (and first) campout of the season, last weekend.

My husband and I used to be pretty good campers…and then we had kids and, as with many things, suddenly camping was a lot more work.

The kids love to camp (except for you, you one screaming child who made us throw all our gear back in the car at 11:30 at night and drive to a motel an hour away while praying the ranger didn’t show up with a bear tranquilizer. You know who you are.)

But I realized last weekend that we’ve turned a corner. It may not be easy to get everything loaded up and ready to go, but once we’re there — it’s not as hard as it used to be. The kids are pretty self-sufficient. Even the littlest one can sit with her fishing pole, or kayak with her brother, and her parents can (dare I say it?) actually sit down and enjoy a view of the lake and talk to each other. My word of encouragement to you mamas with young children — it gets easier. It really does. And then, of course, you end up a little bereft that your babies are no longer on your lap, but would rather sit by themselves and fish without you. Ahh, parenthood.

This trail mix was hugely popular, with its two kinds of chocolate chips…but the walnuts and cranberries give it some protein and vitamins as well. I do love the combination of semi-sweet chocolate and tangy cranberry. Just — yum. A great after-school snack, or lunch treat, or hiking snack.

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