Food Healthy Snack Ideas

This Energizing, Low-Sugar Trail Mix Bark Will Be Your New Favorite Afternoon Snack

Erin Bunch

September 1, 2020

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When energy levels dip during the day, it's incredibly tempting to reach for the nearest sugary snack, particularly if said snack is made from chocolate. While that can certainly be fairly emotionally satisfying, it's not always the ticket if you're looking for long-lasting energy. (Darn you, sugar crash.) Thankfully, herbalist, Supernatural founder, and holistic health practitioner Rachelle Robinett has the perfect snacking solution: a healthy trail mix chocolate bark.

Experts In This Article

Rachelle Robinett, registered herbalist, educator, and founder of Supernatural

She shares her recipe in the latest episode of Well+Good's show Plant Based, and you're going to want to make it ASAP. Like everything Robinett conjures in her kitchen, this is an intentional concoction; each ingredient has been specifically selected for its individual energy-boosting properties. The recipe's base is cacao paste, for example, which she says can act as a mild central nervous system stimulant. Into this is mixed rhodiola, an adaptogenic root that works to restore energetic balance (both physical and mental) to the body. Rather than tweaking you out, Robinett describes the resultant state as a "calm energy." Finally, the bark's crowning glory is its titular trail mix—aka any combination of dried fruit, seeds, and nuts you like. This ingredient, Robinett explains, is full of healthy fats, which are critical for powering cognitive function.

The result is an uber-snackable, on-the-go treat which can power you through a workout, a 4 p.m. slump, or that Monday night socially-distanced hang you ill-advisedly agreed to over the weekend. "It's delicious, energizing, calming, super high-antioxidant, blissful, mood-supportive, and adaptogenic bark," says Robinett, leaving no doubts as to its superiority over my sad mason jar of regular old chocolate chips.

Watch the video to find out how exactly she mixes this treat to perfection, get the deets on her specific preferred trail mix (spoiler: mulberries are involved), and experience the type of fringe/bangs envy only Robinett can provoke (just me?).