Yes, it’s possible to make chips better for you. Here’s how.
Allegedly, once you pop you can’t stop. Since it’s usually game over once that bag opens, here’s a list of crunchy, customizable chip-like substitutes. They’re healthier, and most importantly, still tasty. Most can be made gluten-free, and with much less salt than store-bought versions. All it takes is some slicing, rubbing in oil, baking, and of course, munching.
5 Pro Tips (for All Chip Varieties)
- Use a mandoline — a cooking utensil that can pump out uniform, thin slices — or a chef’s knife to cut slices 1/8 — 1/4 of an inch thick. It’s important to get the chips thin to get just the right crisp.
- When placing the chips on a baking sheet, line the sheet with parchment paper and lay the chips in a single layer. If the chips overlap, the edges won’t cook evenly.
- For even cooking, rotate the pan halfway through and flip the chips.
- For small batches, pop the chip subs in a toaster oven.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container, though most of these won’t stay at their peak crunchiness for long (more reason to eat ’em right up).
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Kale
Kale is a distant cousin of broccoli and contains a large amount of antioxidants compared to other fruits and veggies. Since kale can sometimes be a little bitter, try gently massaging the leaves with a little olive oil before baking. Add nutritional yeast (a vegan powder loaded with nutrients) to these lightly crunchy snacks for a cheesy taste. Or dust with Parmesan. For a flat chip, use dinosaur kale. The alternative, curly kale, is much more textured but also makes a tasty chip that hangs onto dips and toppings better.
DIY: Preheat oven to 375. Rinse and dry 1 large bunch of kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Rip the kale into large pieces, toss with a little olive oil, then sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Bake until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes, checking frequently to prevent burning
Carrot
For lots of beta-carotene, which converts into vitamin A in the body, munch on these orange veggie chips. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a splash of orange juice before popping them in the oven.
DIY: Preheat oven to 250 and bake for 45 minutes, or until crispy.
Turnip
Turnips, which look like white beets with purple stems, are a great source of vitamin B6, which helps to produce serotonin, the hormone that helps us sleep and control appetite. If you’d rather not peel them, make sure to give them a good scrub before the chips hit the baking sheet.
DIY: Preheat oven to 375. Roast for 20-25 minutes.
Apple
We don’t need to tell you apples are healthy. Make them seasonally appropriate by sprinkling slices with pumpkin pie spice, or your own mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.
DIY: Preheat oven to 200, bake for one hour, flip, and cook for another hour.
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Beet
Beets have a ton of antioxidant betalain, known for it’s anti-inflammatory and detoxification powers. Slicing the roots and baking them produces a deep purple chip that’s sweet from natural sugars (or a golden yellow if made with golden beets). For a sweet and savory combination, top them with a dollop of goat cheese.
DIY: Preheat oven to 350, and bake 20 minutes. Rotate sheet and bake 10-20 more minutes.
Taro
The taro root looks a bit like a potato, but inside reveals a white flesh with pretty little purple squiggles. Taro is a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin E, which protects essential lipids (naturally occurring molecules that are important for energy storage) in the body.
DIY: Preheat an oven to 400, and bake the rounds for 15 minutes or until edges start to turn golden brown.
Green Bean
These manage to sneak in a bit of protein and calcium over their chip counterparts. Try them in sriracha sauce for some spice.
DIY: Preheat oven to 425 and bake for 15 minutes, or until crunchy and golden brown.
Banana
These chips provide a crunch that satisfies a sweet tooth, especially when dressed up with cinnamon, or dipped in honey-drizzled Greek yogurt. And though bananas are mainly recognized for their potassium levels, they’re also a great source of vitamins C and B6.
DIY: Brush the slices with lemon juice to avoid major browning. Preheat oven to 175-200. Bake for 1½ hours. While they may be a little gooey when you take them out of the oven, they’ll harden a bit as they cool.
Butternut Squash
These are sweet, filled with pumpkin flavor, and you get two fun shapes out of one squash. The seedless part up top yields sizeable rounds, while the bottom part (once de-seeded and sliced) makes rings. Sweeten them with a touch of maple syrup or brown sugar.
DIY: Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 20 minutes, flip and cook until brown on the edges.
Sweet Potato
For a vitamin-A-packed snack, try slicing up bright orange sweet potatoes instead of the white ones. Brush them with olive oil, and top with minced garlic, minced rosemary, and a little sea salt for chips that rival the store bought kind.
DIY: Preheat oven to 400 and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy.
Zucchini
This green veggie is a solid source of niacin and thiamine, two B vitamins that help us produce healthy hair and skin. Try dipping them in egg whites, then coating them in Parmesan, black pepper, and breadcrumbs or cornmeal for extra flavor and crunch.
DIY: Preheat oven to 450. Bake for 8-10 minutes, flip slices, then roast for another 8-10 minutes.
(MORE: How to Cook The Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey)
Radish
It takes a little more patience to slice them up, but they’re a good source of riboflavin (which helps convert food to fuel) and copper (important for our immunity). Dust these little rounds with curry, turmeric, garlic, paprika, and pepper for a super-flavorful treat.
DIY: Preheat oven to 350, roast for 15 minutes, flip and cook for another 15.
Whole Wheat Tortilla
These aren’t made from sliced fruits or veggies, but they’re an incredibly simple, semi-homemade snack, and a blank canvas for all sorts of flavor combos. Grab your favorite whole-wheat wrap and slice them into wedges with a pizza cutter before tossing them in the oven.
DIY: Preheat oven to 350, and bake wedges for 10-15 minutes.
Pita
Commercial varieties that come in a ton of flavors may be the best option, since it takes 14 hours to whip up a batch.
Hummus
Tastiest versions are made with chickpea flour and no hard-to-pronounce ingredients.
Soy
For a sweet and smoky variety, try barbeque soy crisps. A single serving provides around seven grams of protein.
Did we miss any of your favorite chip alternatives? Which are you baking up first? Let us know in the comment section below, or tweet the author @nicmcdermott.
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