Recipes for healthy travel snacks

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Traveling can wreak havoc on our diets, but The Nutrition Mom, Stephanie Merchant, says with a little preparation, we can all set ourselves up for success.

Here are a few of her favorite healthy snack recipes you can make for vacation.

Fruit roll ups

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 pint of organic de-stemmed r strawberries

Directions:

1. Blend all in your blender or food processor until smooth
2. Remove and spread thin and evenly on teflex sheets in your dehydrator
3. Set temp on 105 and dehydrate for 18 hours, peeling off of sheet and flipping half way through

*Oven alternative to dehydrator

1. Spread mixture thin and evenly on parchment paper on baking sheet
2. Set oven on lowest temp (usually around 170) - keep oven door open slightly. Bake for approximately 4 -5 hours. Peel and flip half way through. When dry to touch and pliable, remove.

You can cut into fruit chips or can serve as roll ups.

Homemade Chili Cheese Chips

Ingredients:

• 6 sprouted grain or brown rice tortillas
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp each of cumin, onion powder, garlic powder
• tsp nutritional yeast

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 380 degrees
2. Add all spices and seasonings to a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
3. Cut tortillas into equal bite size strips
4. Place tortilla chips into a bowl and toss with olive oil
5. Place chips onto non-stick baking sheet (parchment paper works well)
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Watch carefully.
7. Remove from oven and coat with seasoning.
8. Seal, Serve & Enjoy!

These are very similar to a very popular chili cheese chip.

Nutritional yeast is a vegetarian source of B12, high in protein, high in fiber, gluten free, a great source of folic acid, and a dairy free option for added cheese flavor.

Sprouted grain is easier on our digestion, allows for easy absorption of nutrients and releases more antioxidants that are naturally stored in the grains and seeds.

Popcorn (add to trail mix as an option)

Air popped organic popcorn

Add some Flavor!

Butter and sea salt

Garlic powder/Garlic salt

Coconut oil in lieu of butter

Cheesy flavor with Nutritional Yeast

Spicy/zesty version using the same mixture we just used for our chili cheese chips.

Great bagged alone for snacking.

Also, great added to a trail mix with your favorite nuts, seeds and dried fruit. And if the trail mix will not be exposed to heat - throw in some dark chocolate chips too!

Roasted chickpeas

Ingredients:

• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, thoroughly drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400F
2. Mix spices
3. Spread the chickpeas evenly on a rimmed baking sheet on parchment paper and place on middle rack
4. Coat chickpeas with spices
5. Stir occasionally while baking
6. Bake until crisp, about 30 to 40 minutes