Sweet or Salty?

Hello Snackers!

When treating myself to a sweet or salty snack, I definitely have a preference for salty foods…like potato chips for example! YUM! Let’s face it, potato chips give us that great fix of salty and crunch all in one bag. No, I’m not here to tell you all to eat potato chips

(I’m sure you are all aware of the amount of fat and sodium found in them). What I am going to tell you about is alternatives you can make in your own kitchen to give you that salty fix!

Are you someone that prefers sweet snacks? No problem! You can create that sweet flavour to tailor to your liking when creating these homemade chips. There are a variety of fruits and vegetables you can use to make your own homemade chips. There are endless chip examples to try! 

Cinnamon carrot chips

·         Zesty tomato chips

·         Baked rosemary butternut squash chips

·         Curry and coriander baked turnip chips

·         Spicy sweet potato chips

·         Cinnamon sugar radish chips

·         Baked rosemary beet chips

·         Baked zucchini parmesan chips

·         Rosemary and garlic eggplant chips

·         Paprika parsnip chips

·         Cinnamon baked banana chips

·         Honey baked pear chips

·         Autumn-spiced apple chips

·         Crunchy kale chips

Have you heard any of these chip examples before? Any new flavours you have yet to try? I have to be honest: I have only made kale chips out of the list provided above. However, after researching, I will definitely try some other flavours to mix it up! Please post your experience with making homemade fruit/vegetable chips – any favourite flavours I should try? Below is my favourite kale chip recipe that I’ve made. Let me know what you think!

Crunchy (Delicious!) Kale Chip Recipe

What is so great about kale? Not only does it provide us with fibre (like other vegetables), but it also offers many vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin K, potassium, B vitamins, and many more. As many of you are already aware, kale is a dark green vegetable. Why is this important? Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide recommends us to consume at least one dark green vegetable each day. Eating kale is one great way to meet this recommendation – give it a try!

Ingredients:

·         ½ bunch of kale leaves

·         2 tsp olive oil

·         1 tsp garlic powder

·         1 tsp chili powder

·         ½ tsp onion powder

·         ¼ tsp salt

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 275◦F.

2.      Place parchment paper on baking sheet.

3.      Remove stems and tear leaves into large pieces. [Tip: Freeze stems to add to smoothies.]

My niece (2 years old) LOVED helping me create these kale chips! After I separated the leaves from the stems, she was responsible for placing the washed leaves into the salad spinner and the stems into a freezer bag for future use.

4.      Wash and dry leaves. [Tip: Using a salad spinner is useful to make sure the leaves are completely dry.]

My niece loved using the salad spinner, which was perfect as the kale leaves were very dry prior to placing them in the oven – textbook for making crispy kale chips!

5.      Place dried kale leaves into a large bowl or pot.

     -     Rub olive oil onto leaves [Tip: Ensure the entire surface area is coated.]

6

7.      Sprinkle on your spices.

8.      Toss to combine.

9.      Spread kale leaves onto baking sheet. [Tip: Place leaves in a single layer.]

10.  Bake for 15 minutes.*

11.  Rotate the pan and bake for another 15 minutes.*

12.  Let chips stand for 2-3 minutes. [Tip: Waiting may be difficult, but is well worth it!]

*Cooking times may vary

ENJOY!

~Paige Turton

Dietetic Intern

 Paige Turton is currently completing the Master of Science in Foods and Nutrition at Brescia University College, Western University. During completion of this program, she is required to complete several placements in various sectors, including public health. As you might’ve guessed, she is currently completing her 8-week rotation through the Perth District Health Unit. Thanks in advance for reading!