Super-Duper Superfood Trail Mix: Totally worth getting caught with at the movie theater. by Sarah Henning

I have a secret to share. And I bet you anything you probably have the same one.

I totally sneak treats into the movie theater.

I don’t do it all the time, but occasionally, I want something they don’t have at the movies. Hey, it’s not my fault theaters don’t have the healthier options I crave. If they had tubs of pomegranate seeds or packages of dried figs stuff in there between the Twizzlers and the Junior Mints, I’d gladly pay out the nose for them. Seriously.

But, because that’s not a reality (yet, anyway), I’ve resorted to turning back to my teenage years to totally sneak in my favorites. (Though, back then it was copious amounts of Jelly Bellies that I kept undercover. Oh, how times change.) Of course, I DO feel guilty when I pull it off, so it’s probably a good thing that I barely ever go to see a movie in the theater these days (Hey, with a sitter added in, it’s really expensive to do dinner and a movie.)

That said, we decided to make this weekend one of those rare ones where we try for a night out. We really wanted to see “Skyfall” and our babysitter was available, so we gave it a go. And, in case you’re wondering, the new James Bond flick was totally worth the final price tag for the night: $85.

I knew I’d want something to munch on, even after dinner out, so I opted to smuggle in my new favorite version of homemade trail mix. I’m calling it “Super-Duper Superfood Trail Mix” because it’s full of antioxidants, minerals, amino acids aka the building blocks of protein, healthy essential fatty acids and, oh, yeah, TASTE. (Though, I’ll admit, it’s a far cry from the Jelly Belly mixes I could concoct as a 14-year-old. Le sigh.)

My mix’s star is the goji berry. These little red dried fruits resemble raisins, though they’re not as sweet. These little suckers are high in iron, calcium and protein. In fact, they have more than 20 trace minerals and 18 amino acids. Plus, they’re antioxidant superstars.

Next, I’ve included raw pumpkin seeds, which are also known as pepitas. They are chock full of zinc, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and they have been shown to work as well as non-steroidal drugs and reducing inflammation. Oh, and they’ve been shown to protect your liver.

Adding to the mix’s staying power and nutrition are raw almonds, which have been shown to reduce spikes in blood sugar that often accompany a meal by working to lower the glycemic index.

And, finally, I almost always round out my trail mix with chocolate — home to high-quality antioxidants and minerals like magnesium and copper. I prefer to chop up an ounce of dark chocolate so that I can keep the variety up. In the mix pictured above, I used a high-quality dark chocolate that had been infused with orange peel. But this mix is good with pretty much any dark chocolate bar (try to get 70 percent cocoa content and up so that you get the full range of antioxidants available).

So, there you go, a healthy alternative to the M&M/peanut/raisin trail mix (or the espresso-jalapeño-watermelon-buttered popcorn-marshmallow jellybean mix) of your childhood. Enjoy!

Super-Duper Superfood Trail Mix

4 tablespoons goji berries

2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

2 tablespoons raw almonds

1 ounce good-quality dark chocolate, chopped

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl or sandwich-sized baggie. Makes about a half cup or two servings.