Pumpkin Seed & Apricot Iron Trail Mix
A make-ahead trail mix of toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds, dried apricots, and dark chocolate, served with fresh orange segments so vitamin C can boost plant-iron absorption.
A crunchy, lightly sweet trail mix built around iron-rich pumpkin seeds, with juicy orange segments on the side to help your body take in more of that plant iron. Toss it together once and portion it out for snacks all week.
Why it helps
Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and dried apricots all supply plant-based (non-heme) iron, while the fresh orange segments add vitamin C — and eating vitamin C alongside non-heme iron can meaningfully improve how much your body absorbs. Plant iron is harder to absorb than the iron in meat, so that pairing is the whole point of serving the orange fresh rather than skipping it. For the same reason, it helps to enjoy this snack between meals rather than with tea or coffee, whose tannins can blunt iron absorption when sipped at the same time.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seed kernels
- 3/4 cup dried apricots, quartered
- 1/3 cup chopped 70% dark chocolate (or dark chocolate chips)
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 medium navel oranges, peeled and segmented (to serve alongside)
Instructions
- 1Heat a dry skillet over medium. Add the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds and toast, stirring often, 5 to 7 minutes, until the pumpkin seeds puff and turn lightly golden (or roast on a sheet pan at 300°F for 8 to 10 minutes).
- 2Drizzle the olive oil over the warm seeds, sprinkle with the cinnamon and salt, and toss for about 30 seconds to coat. Remove from the heat.
- 3Spread the seeds on a plate and let them cool completely, about 10 minutes. This matters — warm seeds will melt the chocolate.
- 4In a bowl, combine the cooled seeds, quartered apricots, and chopped dark chocolate and toss to mix.
- 5Divide the mix into 4 portions (about 1/2 cup each). Peel and segment the oranges and eat the fresh segments alongside each serving.
- 6Store the seed, apricot, and chocolate mix in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; add fresh orange only at serving time.
Nutrition (per serving, approximate)
Tips & swaps
- Swap freely: roasted almonds or walnuts can stand in for the sunflower seeds, and golden raisins for the apricots — all keep the iron-plus-vitamin-C idea intact.
- Store the dry mix in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; only cut the orange at serving time so it stays juicy and fresh.
- Time it away from your morning coffee or tea — those tannins can reduce how much iron you absorb from the seeds and fruit.
- For grab-and-go, pack the mix into small bags and carry a whole clementine instead of pre-cut orange segments.