Trail mix is usually more thought about than most people give it credit for - or not thought about at all and assembled from whatever is in the pantry. This version is deliberately assembled: amla candy chatpata provides vitamin C, flax seeds provide iron, and the vitamin C in the amla specifically improves the absorption of the non-heme iron in the flax. It is the rare snack combination where the ingredient choice has a nutritional mechanism behind it, not just a flavour one. For a heartier version that goes further, the Spiced Mamra Trail Mix builds on these same foundations with roasted spices and more texture.
Ingredients
- 10 pieces Earthen Story Amla Candy Chatpata (sweet variant) Shop ↗
- ¼ cup Earthen Story Mamra Almonds Shop ↗
- 2 tbsp Earthen Story Organic Flax Seeds Shop ↗
- 2 tbsp desiccated coconut flakes
- 2 tbsp sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- Pinch Himalayan pink salt
Steps
- Lightly dry-roast mamra almonds in a pan for 3 - 4 minutes until fragrant. Cool completely.
- Lightly toast coconut flakes in the same pan for 1 minute until golden. Cool.
- Do not roast flax seeds - they are better raw to preserve omega-3 content.
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss with a pinch of pink salt.
- Store in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. The amla candy pieces should be added just before eating if stored long-term to prevent them from softening in humid conditions.
Key Benefits
- Amla vitamin C enhancing flax seed iron absorption Non-heme iron (the type found in plant foods like flax seeds) has significantly lower absorption than heme iron from meat. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional gaps in urban India, and consuming vitamin C alongside non-heme iron sources - as amla candy does in this mix - can increase iron absorption by two to three times. This pairing is the nutritional logic behind including both in one snack.
- Mamra almonds for vitamin E and healthy fats The roasted mamra badam provide vitamin E, an antioxidant that works synergistically with vitamin C - the two vitamins regenerate each other in oxidative stress management. Having both in the same snack creates a more complete antioxidant contribution than either alone. For a warming winter preparation that celebrates mamra almonds even more fully, the Khapli Panjiri is worth exploring.
- Flax seeds raw for intact omega-3 Heat degrades the fragile omega-3 fatty acids in flax seeds - which is exactly why this recipe adds them cold, without roasting. Ground or whole flax seeds added to a cool trail mix deliver their ALA omega-3 fully intact, making this mix nutritionally superior to any version that toasts everything together.
Explore more recipes like this on our Recipes page, or read our ingredient guides and food knowledge articles in the Discover section.
