Guilt-Free Chips... Make 'Em Yourself

Do you ever crave a salty, crunchy snack?

Do you love potato chips but feel guilty about eating them?

Here are some ways you can still get that crunchy, crispy chip texture, and salty flavor, without the guilt!
 
I have been asked several times over the past few weeks about the different veggie chips that I make and talk about, so I decided to get organized and share them with you.

I cannot take credit for these ideas, though, so I am going to post links to the original recipes and instructions…. I just really want to share them with you here.

The very easiest are these Eggplant Chips. I like to slice them just under 1/4 inch thick and then bake them.  Spritz them with a bit of olive oil and salt before baking.  They are really easy and very good!  The dark spots on the baked chips are where I sliced them a bit thin but they are still tasty, they just don’t LOOK as good.  I know there is a pesto dip recipe there too, which I plan to try after my cilantro grows a bit more!

I make Sweet Potato Chips the same way.  I don’t have a mandolin slicer, so I get The Captain to use his more-developed-than-mine patience muscle to slice through the thick sweet potatoes.  The key is get thin and uniform-in-thickness slices. I find that about 1/8 inch is best. That way you still get a nice thick chip, but it is crispy and crunchy.  And yes, I do leave the peel on them.

 

If you can manage to leave them alone till they cool somewhat, they are even tastier.  I just took a batch out of the oven and am writing this post to keep myself occupied while they cool!  Sometimes I have them with ketchup…Mmmmmm.

Now, I have to admit that Gabby’s Carrot Chips are somewhat fiddly, and they don’t yield a lot, but they are really tasty so if you have some time and patience, give them a try.  The addition of the cinnamon works!

Oh, I almost forgot one of my very favorites... Kale Chips!  And yes, I do eat them with ketchup... which I make and the recipe is on my food blog too.

I make them quite often... usually just spritz the washed and dried kale leaves with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and then bake for 15 minutes at 350F.  Parmesan cheese sprinkled on them before baking is good if you eat it and I have heard that nooch (nutritional yeast flakes) is tasty  but I haven't tried that yet.  

About a year and half ago, I picked up a little microwave crisper for veggies, and did a post about it on my food blog We can begin to feed…   It makes truly awesome veggie chips so if you have access to one of these inexpensive little devices, you can make your chips in a couple of minutes in the mike and completely fat free, if that appeals to you. 

It did come with a small mandolin that would be good for small veggies.

The crisper is especially great for potatoes and sweet potatoes but I also made zuke chips with it and they turned out really well.

I know that Kierston, who writes CaNdyFiT, also has a microwave crisper… a different one than I have, and everytime I walk by the display in the store, I think I should have one!  As a matter of fact, last year she did a review/giveaway about the time I first started reading her blog and it looks great. Have a look if you are wanting a device to make chips in your mike.

There are a couple of other good looking chip recipes out there that I want to try… Gina’s Butternut Squash Chips look wonderful… she boils them before she bakes them... and I have heard that Beet Chips are lovely too.

These veggie chips make good snacks and side dishes… and they are gluten-free, paleo, vegan, Whole30 friendly… use healthy oils, have tons of vitamins and antioxidants and are truly delicious.

What more could you want?

Oh, and for those of you who do eat good ole white potatoes, of course we know those make splendid chips, too!

Do you make your own chips?  What veggie is your favorite?