More Healthy Party Mix?

I am re- inventing my Curry Party Mix recipe with some healthier dry ingredients .
Yes, I know that most of you will be chuckling because Healthy Party Mix is an Oxymoron, but i am looking to replace the worthless ingredients (no flavor, no significant nutritional value, like Corn Nuts, Corn Chex, All-Bran, Puffed Brown Rice)with whole grain and protein- stronger elements. But I am NOT a nutritionist and i need more knowledge. My current version contains: roasted edamame [ used to be called soy nuts], wheat chex, roasted no- salt Va. peanuts, sesame stix, roasted cashews, and the nutritionless but flavorful goldfish/extra cheddar and mini bachmann pretzel sticks. To add further to your chuckles, I am working to significantly lessen the salt demons by : lining a bowl with a terrycloth towel, pouring in the pretzels, roasted edamame and goldfish, and rubbing the bundle to remove the salt, then lifting the mix, by handfuls,leaving the salt behind, as much as possible.

Now, the reason i'm explaining all this is not because i want you deriding me and telling me i'm crazy, but because i wondered if any of you smart 52ers might have other ingredient suggestions. wheat germ, special k, brewers yeast? etc. Please play nice and stay away if all you can bring to the table is sarcasm and attitude. Looking forward to learning from you all, and thx much for your time..
























0

LeBec Fin
  • 1495 views
  • 16 Comments

16 Comments

Gammy February 28, 2019
Have you thought about including Wasabi Peas? Protein in the peas, nice pop of heat in the wasabi coating (there may be also be bit of salt with the wasabi), definitely crunchy and that bright green color.
 
LeBec F. February 28, 2019
it is a great idea but salt is the devil and i will have to look into their nutritional profile. bright green color would be a major plus. will try them out and th u for reminding me of them. the Peas on Earh that TrJ sells-have a hard-to-actually-believe LOW sodium count, yet they do taste salty. i followed up w/ same product vendors, which list the same low sodium, and TrJ told me that info is correct...........
 
LeBec F. February 28, 2019
p.s. no wanting to make crackers, but thx.
 
LeBec F. February 28, 2019
All you helpful 52ers: plse accept my apologies in responding so late. and HalfPint, you are a Many Gallon Powerhouse!!
I am a traditional hippie who wants her snack mix to be all about the crunch. so fruit and popcorn (major empty calories) are not for me. almonds-I have added our own smoked almonds to the mix. [but HP, 'over-handling'??? we're not rolling pastry dough here! ] I did manage to find nosalt mini pretzel loops- only at Whole Foods though, and a good Sesame stick [wf as well].
for the life of me, i cant figure out why, with edamame having become so popular, roasted edamame are only found boston-locally in one market--Market Basket. my research into nutritional values- shows these roasted edamame at the top of the chart of my ingredients. Next i'm going to try brewer's yeast and toasted wheatgerm.
I WILL post a recipe in the next few wks.
any other ideas? THX so very much, youall!
 
HalfPint February 28, 2019
"Many Gallon Powerhouse", that's a good thing, right? ;)

 
Ttrockwood March 2, 2019
Nutritional yeast will be better tasting than brewer’s yeast.

Dry roasted edamame is easy to order online if you can’t find it in stores near you- they’re definitely at whole foods- or you can make yourself, just needs a long time in a low oven.
It’s a specific flavor but some cut up toasted seaweed would be fun and boost nutrition, like those nori snacks.
Hemp seeds would be another nutritional boost
 
LeBec F. March 2, 2019
thx for the nutri.yeast tip;i never would have known. i would love to use toasted seaweed but i think it would absorb moisture from the butter spice tamari etc. coating mix.
 
LeBec F. March 2, 2019
for shurrrr, man!
 
Ttrockwood March 2, 2019
Ah, didn’t realize there was a wet element to the mix, no skip the seaweed.

Look up nutritional yeast, it’s first of all delicious but also packs a ton of Bvitamins, fiber, protein and super low if any sodium yet tastes somehow “cheesey”.
Look in bulk bins at health food stores for best price.
Also lots of ways to use it for sauces, add to soups or garnishes to whatever.

Hemp seeds are more nutritionally dense than other seeds, look up the nutritional stats there too. Best price i have found is trader joe’s. Also great just added to salads, oatmeal, pasta, etc
 
LeBec F. March 3, 2019
wow, tt, you have just given me a big christmas present[this new knowledge] so, a big TH U from me. i'll
buy both tomorrow.
 
LeBec F. March 4, 2019
wow, immediate love for the nutr. yeast.
do hemp seeds take toasting o.k.?
thx much again.
 
Ttrockwood February 12, 2019
Adding popcorn is a great idea, i would toss it with a generous amount of nutritional yeast (great flavor but yeah also really nutritionally dense). I think some raisins would be great in there too, not traditional but would give a new chewy texture to the mix and also pair well with the curry flavor
 
HalfPint February 11, 2019
My suggestions (and they are only suggestions) is to buy no-salt pretzels (I've seen plenty of them without when I was making David Lebovitz's spiced nut mix; I used the non-salt rings that I got at Smart & Final). It will negate the need for you to rub your mix and over-handle all the ingredients, not mention that you cannot realistically remove the salt from goldfish. They make/sell lower sodium goldfish crackers, so that's another option.

I would use roasted unsalted almonds in place of cashews for a better fat profile and more protein. You can roast almonds in the microwave which is what I do.

As Nancy also recommends, make your own crackers. Especially make your own sesame sticks. Those bad boys can contain a lot of sugar as well as salt, which may be why they taste so darn good. Serious Eats have a good recipe (I would make without the beetroot powder, which seems to be there only for color). Genius Recipes cookbook has a cracker 'recipe' that looks so simple and easy: take any cooked grains, ground to a paste, smear into a thin layer and bake until crispy.
 
BerryBaby February 11, 2019
Air popped popcorn, shelled unsalted pistachios, pumpkin seeds, dried cherries, Wheat Chex, soy sticks for flavor boost.
BB💐
 
Nancy February 11, 2019
Brave brave Le Bec Fin!
Not a nutritionist, but I come with an idea - make homemade crackers to your taste & nutritional specs.
Either cut them small before you bake or break into pieces after you bread & add to mix.
Easy a pie to make - I favor a rolling pin and board. Tried pasta roller and found it hard bc the dough is sticky. If no rolling pin, an empty wine bottle will do.
Adjust to taste - flour, fat, seeds, etc.
There are many recipes out there. Here's one I find useful as a base to riff from (on?)
foodandwine.com/recipes/lavash-crackers
 
Nancy February 11, 2019
Should read: break into pieces after you BAKE
 
Recommended by Food52