Easy Travel Snacks

Hello fellow food lovers! This weekend I am going on a road trip to Devils Lake. If you do not know it is located in the center of North Dakota and takes hours to get there! I have always gone up there to see my family, but the car trips are miserable. The only view is bare fields, and most of all I am always hungry! I crave something salt or sweet but my mom never stops to get food while we are in the car. I decided in light of my moms decisions that I would make semi-healthy snacks that many moms will approve. I discovered some recipes that are fast to make, and can be prepared ahead of time. They all are very minimal items that can be found in any grocery store, and are very low in cost. One recipe is sweet, one salty, and one is for anyone who love to be a health nut! So, silence those growling stomachs, and make the car trip a little less miserable. 

PEANUT BUTTER PRETZEL MUDDY BUDDIES

INGREDIENTS

•  18 ounces peanut butter stuffed pretzel nuggets— you can use a little more if your package is bigger, but not more than 24 ounces
•  1 cup milk chocolate chips
•  1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
•  1/4 cup butter
•  3-4 cups powdered sugar
•  About 10 ounces M&Ms — Plain, Peanut, Pretzel, or PB would all work, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat. Place 3/4 cup powdered sugar in a large gallon sized ziploc bag.
2. Place milk chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a large bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then heat in additional 30 second increments, stirring after each, until mixture is melted and smooth. Place pretzel nuggets into the peanut butter chocolate mixture and stir to coat.
3. Place half the pretzel mixture into the powdered sugar bag and seal. Shake to coat the nuggets. Turn them out onto prepared cookie sheet. If bag is too chocolatey to add more powdered sugar into it, get a new bag, place 3/4 cup powdered sugar in it and shake remaining nuggets. Turn out onto cookie sheet and separate any chunks. Let cool and harden.
4. Before serving, I like to toss them with another 1 cup of powdered sugar, for that thick white look. I do this in two batches, similar to the first shaking, with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and half the nuggets per batch. Mix with M&Ms, if desired. Store in an airtight container.

Ranch Snack Mix

Ingredients

• 1 package (12 ounces) miniature pretzels
• 2 packages (6 ounces each) Bugles
• 1 can (10 ounces) salted cashews
• 1 package (6 ounces) miniature cheddar cheese fish-shaped crackers
• 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
• 3/4 cup canola oil

Directions

• In two large bowls, combine the pretzels, Bugles, cashews and crackers. Sprinkle with dressing mix; toss gently to combine. Drizzle with oil; toss until well coated. Store in airtight containers.

• Kale Chips

• 

  Ingredients

  1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  Sea salt, for sprinkling
• Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
  2. Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 20 minutes. Serve as finger food