When I snack, I try to stick to fresh fruits and vegetables, but sometimes I want something with crunch, not the moist crunch of a carrot but the carb-filled crunch of a potato chip. When I get really desperate for a treat, I leave the pre-packaged snacks–with their fat, chemicals, and processed ingredients–on the grocery store shelves and make my own healthy snacks using natural ingredients that I usually have in my pantry.
My taste in snacks runs from the very simple (baked tortilla chips) to the unusual (roasted okra). But my very favorite, the one crunchy snack that almost everyone loves, is also the easiest to make: microwave potato chips.
I’ve been making these for years, and I even bought this totally unnecessary gadget, which I used exactly once. (You’re supposed to stand the potato slices in this piece of slotted, circular plastic from which, once they are cooked, it will take a bipartisan act of congress to get them unstuck. If you see one for sale, please don’t waste your money.)
After dozens of under- and over-cooked batches of microwave chips, I’ve found that the best gadget for making chips is simply the glass tray in my microwave. I’ve also discovered that the way to get the chips crispy without burning is to stop the cooking just as they begin to brown, let them sit in the microwave for a minute, and then finish the cooking. I’m pretty confident that if you follow the instructions below, your potato chips will come out golden and delicious every time.
Microwave Fat-Free Potato Chips
Ingredients
- medium russet potato
- parchment paper
- salt
- optional seasonings: chili powder, Creole seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, etc.
Instructions
- Using a mandolin or v-slicer, slice one medium russet potato (peeled, if you like) as thinly as possible, taking care that all slices are the same thickness. Line the turntable tray of your microwave with parchment paper and place the potato slices on it without overlapping. Salt lightly and sprinkle with your choice of seasonings.
- Microwave at full power–watching closely–until spots of brown begin to appear, about 4-6 minutes. Turn off the microwave for 1 minute. Microwave again at full power until the slices are golden brown. (Be very careful not to over-brown or they will taste burned.) Remove from the microwave and allow to cool. Repeat until all potato slices are cooked.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
My favorite spur-of-the-moment snack is simple: rinsed, canned chickpeas sprinkled with Creole seasoning. It’s hardly a crunchy snack, but it does satisfy the craving for salty foods. The problem for me is that it’s all too easy to over-eat chickpeas when they take so little effort to chew.
That’s where roasted chickpeas come in: they satisfy the urge to crunch, and a few go a long way. There are recipes all over the internet for roasted chickpeas, some using soaked dried beans and others using pre-cooked beans. I recently did a little experiment to see which kind I prefer.
I made two batches, one using dried chickpeas and one using canned. I flavored the dried with lime and chili powder and the canned with curry. Overall, I preferred the canned–the texture was lighter and less hard than the dried version. Plus, they’re quicker to make, so they’re better in the case of a snack emergency. Both versions are below, so you can conduct your own experiment.
Chili Roasted Chickpeas from Dried Beans
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Pick over and rinse the chickpeas. Cover them with water 2 inches above the level of the beans and let soak overnight.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Put in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the chili powder and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain. Place in a bowl and toss with the lime juice..
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Lift the chickpeas out of the bowl with a slotted spoon and place them in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Stir after 15 minutes, brushing them with the lime juice remaining in the bowl. Repeat three times, the last time sprinkling them with the remaining chili powder and salt. When they are golden brown and crispy (about 50-60 minutes in total) remove from the oven . Cool completely before serving.
Nutritional info is approximate.
Curry Roasted Chickpeas from Canned Beans
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Spray a baking sheet with canola oil and spread chickpeas out in a single layer. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until golden and crunchy, about 45-50 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
Nutritional info is approximate.
This week I finally got around to trying a healthy snack that so many bloggers have said that they love. Kale chips sounded perfect–a green leafy vegetable magically transformed into a snack.
Unfortunately, my family and I seem to lack the “kale chip gene.” Even after I baked them perfectly–not burned like my first batch or chewy/underdone like my second–we just don’t like them. Perhaps my kale was just overly bitter; if you give them a try, please let me know your opinion.
Kale Chips
Ingredients
- 4 large leaves kale
- olive oil spray optional
- salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Wash kale and cut into two-inch pieces. (Try to make the pieces all the same size or they will not cook at the same rate.) Spray a baking sheet with oil and place the pieces of kale on it in a single layer. Spray lightly with oil, if desired, and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake for 7 minutes. Turn the chips over and bake for 3-7 more minutes, until crispy and edges just beginning to brown. Cool and eat.
Nutritional info is approximate.
Ooops–Serene’s comment below reminded me to add this photo of one of my favorite summertime snacks, frozen grapes. I keep a bunch in the freezer so that it’s easy to grab a few when I’m hungry or hot or both!
What’s your favorite low-fat snack? I’d love to hear about it. Feel free to leave a recipe or link to it in the comments section.
SusanV
August 1, 2009 at 10:14 amHere are the comments that were lost when the blog was moved from Blogger:
* sweetpotato said…
Thanks for these recipes! I love that these are healthy, crunchy snacks.
I love kale chips, but I find it really hard to get them perfect. Good thing I don’t mind them a little burnt tasting.
10:46 PM, August 27, 2008
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* Elaine said…
My favourite way to do kale is in the frying pan. Saute it *when it’s dry* in toasted sesame oil. When it looks like it’s almost done, spray it with soy sauce and sprinkle liberally with sesame seeds. If you do it right, it ends up nice and crunchy.
10:57 PM, August 27, 2008
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* shelby said…
Yum! I want to try all these snacks, I haven’t had potato chips in a long time and your chickpeas look fantastic! Too bad I just ate the WHOLE bunch of kale for dinner hehe
11:00 PM, August 27, 2008
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Anonymous bella said…
This is awesome Susan. I am CONSTANTLY looking for healthy things to snack on, but usually rely on store bought rice crackers. It’s great to have some home made alternatives.
Unfortunately for me, your warning about the microwave chip gadget came too late- luckily mine was only $2 at a thrift store! They really are useless things!
12:10 AM, August 28, 2008
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* jd said…
Love the fantastic snack ideas!
I can’t wait to try the kale chips – it never even occurred to me to have kale that way!
Mmmm…
And those microwave chips!?
And the chickpeas!?!
Fine, fine – I can’t wait to try them all 🙂
1:36 AM, August 28, 2008
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* Pille said…
I’ll try those microwave chips soon!!
2:03 AM, August 28, 2008
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* Melisser; the Urban Housewife said…
I use apple cider vinegar & olive oil on my kale chips! Also, I find they’re best uber crunchy, almost burned!
3:07 AM, August 28, 2008
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Anonymous said…
I would like to give the roasted canned chickpeas a try (it sounds really tasty and cruncky!)
but it takes too long
Do you think they can be done as well in the microvawe like the potatoes chips?
3:10 AM, August 28, 2008
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Anonymous Shvetha said…
Sweet potato fries are a wonderful snack! Cut them into matchsticks, coat with a bit of olive oil, put them in the oven for ~30min. There’s a bit of crisp here-soft there going on that is oh-so addictive! All kinds of seasonings work well. I recently even tried carrots this way & loved the result!
7:35 AM, August 28, 2008
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Anonymous TravelingVeg said…
Mmmmmm. Can’t wait to try the chickpeas!
7:47 AM, August 28, 2008
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* Lauren said…
Great recipes! I love potato chips!! 🙂 And I haven’t tried the crunchy chickpea thing. It sounds amazing though!
7:53 AM, August 28, 2008
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Anonymous serene said…
Our favorite snacks around here (the ffv ones, anyway):
pepper strips or pita with low-fat hummus or baba ganouj
raw fruit
popcorn with garlic and seasoned salt
fruit-juice popsicles
roasted veggies
baked tortilla chips and salsa
garlic toast (brush bread a tiny bit of water. sprinkle with garlic powder and seasoned salt. toast in toaster oven)
frozen grapes or berries or cherries
8:24 AM, August 28, 2008
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* Aparna said…
These are absolute life savers, Lisa.
I make the first one. The vinegar variation’s new to me.
The second one I shall definitely try.
I love savoury and crunch.
8:27 AM, August 28, 2008
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* yoel said…
Thanks for all the great recipes! I suspect that such an easy microwave potato chip is going to be my downfall!
8:30 AM, August 28, 2008
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* lemoneater said…
I love your blog, in that it doesn’t expect vegans to never indulge (healthily). Here’s to the snacker in all of us!
9:25 AM, August 28, 2008
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Anonymous cristita said…
I have done the chickpeas but I think I just salted them. I did it to add to GORP for a less fattening version. Worked pretty well and passed the test with my hubby (who, BTW, hates kale after working in a pizza place where they put it around the salad bar and it stinks when it gets old — so I’ve never bought or eaten it before…). I’ll have to try the potato chips sometime too. Maybe I’ll have to sneak kale into a recipe one of these days and say it’s spinach, ha!
9:32 AM, August 28, 2008
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* Andreea said…
these are some great recipes/ tips. i absolutely love the chickpeas and the poatoes in microwave – would have neevr thought of it! brilliant
10:10 AM, August 28, 2008
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* Jackie said…
Thanks for all thw wonderful snack ideas , shall try them except for the kale chips, just doesn’t appeal to me either.
11:29 AM, August 28, 2008
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* Speedwell said…
At my house we like to make the Veggieroni for snacks, with English mustard. We also make the frozen grapes but we like to use the black seedless instead of the green seedless ones.
I can buy the chickpeas here with an Indian masala that includes “black salt”, a little sulfurous and very addictive.
I haven’t fired up my dehydrator lately, but I’ve had reasonably good luck making fruit chips and leathers with it.
I try to keep some containers of sliced green onions, blanched carrots and celery, diced tofu, reconstituted wakame seaweed or julienne cucumber, and shredded daikon radish in the fridge for a spur-of-the-moment mug of miso soup. I mix half “white” and half “red” miso paste with small amounts of Sriracha hot sauce, minced garlic, and sugar to flavor it in advance so I don’t need to use fish stock as my liquid… I can just fire up the electric kettle to boil some water.
1:33 PM, August 28, 2008
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* Hanna S said…
I personally love to keep blueberries in the freezer for a snack. Frozen grapes tend to hurt my teeth, but blueberries are just the right size for me!
1:39 PM, August 28, 2008
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* Binx said…
I also use apple cider vinegar with my kale chips. It totally masks any bitterness. Try whisking the oil and vinegar together beforehand, like a salad dressings, then tossing to coat.
2:34 PM, August 28, 2008
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* thedesertlife said…
Thank you for posting these ideas!!
3:08 PM, August 28, 2008
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* Lenora said…
Oooooh… never heard of makin’ chips in the microwave! Gotta go try!! 😀 Thanks for all these great inspiring ideas! Your blog ROCKS 😀
3:11 PM, August 28, 2008
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* Bianca said…
Oh man! I’ve got to get a good slicer so I can make those chips. They sound awesome!
And I love roasted chickpeas, one of my fave snacks too. I don’t think I’d like the kale chips either.
As for my fave low-fat snack, I love soy yogurt with granola and fresh fruit. The granola gives it the needed crunch…and I get all my cultures in with the yogurt.
4:14 PM, August 28, 2008
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Anonymous sarah said…
I started making microwave potato chips a few years ago after 28 Cooks posted a recipe for them — soo, sooo good. I really like them with rosemary and parmesan. YUM!
Roasted chickpeas are something that’s intrigued me too, especially after Kalyn at Kalyn’s Kitchen posted her recipe for them with Moroccan spice mix. Mmm. But I haven’t tried those yet.
As for the kale, I like it crispy. For me, the key is going light on the salt.
Great recipe roundup! I might have to make a few of these for my son’s preschool snacks.
4:31 PM, August 28, 2008
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* Vlyandra said…
I love frozen blueberries in the summer, as well as frozen sliced bananas.
I’m also totally addicted to freeze-dried apples. They’re crunchy and sweet and really, amazingly good.
4:32 PM, August 28, 2008
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* Allen said…
So many wonderful ideas! I am a major snacker and love crunchy textures. Usually, I stick to air-popped popcorn … and kick it up with a sprinkle of seasonings. Or, I buy a spicy roasted bean mix from the local asian market. I’ve been wanting to try roasted chickpeas and will give this a try soon (as well as trying the microwave chips!).
5:18 PM, August 28, 2008
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* cathy said…
Love frozen grapes! I like them best when they’ve thawed just a bit and are a little slushy – yum!
I’ve tried roasted chickpeas, and I hate to say it, but I didn’t care for them. My husband did like them, though.
The potato chips look interesting. I’ll give them a try!
5:52 PM, August 28, 2008
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Anonymous sarah said…
I just made the potato chips and they’re so good! I don’t have a mandoline or v-slicer (not even sure what that is) so I used the slicing side of my box grater. My slices weren’t perfectly even, so the thicker parts were a little chewier, but they were still great!
I’ve roasted chickpeas before (yummy!) but the recipe I used called for olive oil – next time I’ll try them your way.
Susan, I also want to say I love your blog!
5:58 PM, August 28, 2008
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* Wendy said…
I already make roasted chickpeas and frozen grapes all the time! Can’t wait to try the potato chip thing. Thanks! 🙂
6:22 PM, August 28, 2008
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* VeggieGirl said…
Oooh, fabulous snacks!
7:50 PM, August 28, 2008
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* donna said…
Try the kale chips again, but in December or January. Kale harvested in the colder months is much less bitter than the summer kale – I found it to be a noticable difference!
7:50 PM, August 28, 2008
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Anonymous moonwatcher said…
This is the first time in a long time I actually wished I had a microwave. . .that photo of those potato chips is beautiful, and mouth watering! I make and enjoy roasted chickpeas, but hadn’t tried canned ones, and hadn’t thought of the lime chili combination on them, which sounds good. I love kale, but haven’t tried it this way, which sounds intriguing. Thanks, Susan!. . .(and thanks to the person who posted the idea about sweet potato sticks)
8:23 PM, August 28, 2008
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* Sarah said…
Oh I love frozen grapes. I really need to try the roasted chickpeas idea. They sound delicious!
Lately I’ve been throwing frozen bananas & chocolate soymilk in the blender…sometimes with some peanut butter…maybe the pb is not low fat, but it’s not exactly unhealthy either! 🙂
9:36 PM, August 28, 2008
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* Nikki Douglas said…
I’m a little scared of kale chips but the microwave potato chips look awesome! One of my favorite snacks is raw dehydrated flax seed crackers. They are incredibly delicious and great with raw hummus. They are one of my favorite foods ever.
9:46 PM, August 28, 2008
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* Zoey said…
Hi Susan,
Thank you for the snack ideas. I have been looking for new snacks since school started and I can’t wait to try the microwave potato chips.
I make something similar to your roasted chickpeas but I always soak and cook the chickpeas fully before roasting them. That way they seem more like canned chickpeas to me and they roast very well.
12:16 AM, August 29, 2008
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* Brittany said…
I AM TOTALLY making those chickpeas. I bought some in bulk to make the Chickpea Cutlets and while they were good — really, really good — after eating them for the past two weeks, I need to figure out something else to do with my chickie peas. Thanks!
12:20 AM, August 29, 2008
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OpenID shellyfish said…
This is a great post – thanks Susan! My husband is going to flip if I make him microwave chips! He loves them, but we pretty much never have them in the house!
12:45 AM, August 29, 2008
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Anonymous Jay Jay said…
Hey there Susan
I know you’re really busy with your blog but have you thought about filming you making your recipes and uploading them to youtube?
I think you would be greatly popular and many people would really benefit from seeing you make all these interesting and wonderful dishes.
Just a thought! 🙂
6:46 AM, August 29, 2008
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Anonymous Veron said…
the chickpeas look great. I shall try them out sometime.
I just want to ask you about the nutrition information at the end of your recipes. Where or how do you calculate them?
7:21 AM, August 29, 2008
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* Kate said…
I just have to tell you, you always come through when I need you. When I was craving ice cream, I learned about the pineapple sorbet. Now I want salty-stress foods, and you deliver. As if you’re reading my mind in some way.
You’re the best!!
7:35 AM, August 29, 2008
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* Dinah Soar said…
We tried the kale chips and didn’t like them…they were bitter.
9:42 AM, August 29, 2008
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Anonymous CC said…
Thanks, I’m going to try the microwave and kale chips. In the summer I always keep cherries in the freezer–sweet and also a little crunchy…yummm…
11:55 AM, August 29, 2008
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* Blueangel Crafts said…
I love potato wedges – just cut the potatoes into wedge shapes, toss in a tablespoon or less of oil plus seasonings and bake in a hot oven for approx. 40 mins. Yum!
The recipes you’ve posted look amazing. I am going to try the potato chips tonight!
12:01 PM, August 29, 2008
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* gwendolyn/jaclin said…
Try lowering the oven temperature and keeping in the kale for much longer. I do 300 or 325 degrees, and leave them in for at least 15-20 minutes. I find they’re bitter when they’re underbaked and still moist.
I make kale chips by chopping the kale leaves, shaking them in a bag with LOTS of garlic minced/crushed (put through a garlic press), salt and pepper. Sometimes, I’ll add bragg’s, or a bit of cayenne and lemon juice, or sesame seeds.
freeze dried corn and green beans, plain or tossed with a spice mixture….dangerously good.
homemade wasabi peas.
roasted fava beans.
plain, dried seaweed.
old fashioned air popped popcorn with nut. yeast and salt, or shaken with hot sauce or vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, or with whatever seasoning I become obsessed with.
I’d like to try dehydrating marinated shirataki noodles, next.
1:51 PM, August 29, 2008
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* Vegannewbie said…
I have a different recipe for the kale chips that you might like better. You combine olive oil, some balsamic vinegar, and a little garlic in a bowl, then toss the kale in it before you bake it. Also, I bake at 225 degrees. It takes longer, but they don’t burn as easily and they seem to crisp more evenly.
I had to laugh when I saw this post because I made both the kale chips and the chickpeas the day before your post! Now I can’t wait to try the potato chips.
5:06 PM, August 29, 2008
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* Angie said…
I’m excited to try the microwave potato chips! I’ve never heard of that before.
And I’m with you on the kale chips. Tried them and just didn’t like them at all. I really really wanted to though.
6:15 PM, August 29, 2008
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Anonymous Vegan Eating Out said…
These are great ideas I wouldn’t have thought of and they sound delicious!
7:46 PM, August 29, 2008
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* Sarah said…
Great ideas!!! My favourite fat-free snack is frozen peas- still frozen. =) I eat them all the time! Sometimes I mix in some frozen corn. People think it’s odd, but they also think peanut butter and pickle sandwiches are odd, and there’s no way you could stop me eating those! =)
10:25 PM, August 29, 2008
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* Peggy the Veggie said…
I made the curry chickpeas last night and they were fantastic! Soo addictive, sooo yummy. 🙂
12:01 AM, August 30, 2008
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* PCD said…
Thanks for the recipes. I tried the potato chips, and they were really good! I tried to do it with sweet potatoes, and my results were not as good. They looked awful and were not as crispy as I would have liked. Any tricks for using sweet potatoes instead of russet potatoes?
Thank you!!!
11:47 AM, August 30, 2008
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* Elizabeth said…
Those microwave chips were delicious! A fantastic idea and a great way to enjoy an old favorite with no fat or a side of guilt! Thanks!
6:15 PM, August 30, 2008
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Anonymous said…
I LOVE toased chcik peas!!
My fav snacks…
~Frozen mellon balls.
~Air Popped popcorn wiht Nutritial yeast & fresh groud black pepper.
~Shredded carrot, broccoli stem & califlower stem with a drizzle of oil & balsamic vinigar
~babaycarrots & minced pickeld ginger drizzeld with balsamic vingiar or soy sauce. uumm
1:49 PM, August 31, 2008
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* delhibelle said…
Yum! I love roasted crunchy, spicy snacks.Great to know that canned chickpeas can work even better than dried ones.Thanks so much for sharing these cool snacks.
I made something similar with pre-roasted chickpeas:
http://delhibelle.blogspot.com/2008/07/monsoon-celebrationchili-lime-chana.html
8:31 PM, August 31, 2008
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* Kacie said…
I love these ideas! Thank you so much! I always enjoy seeing new ideas for healthy(ish) snacks. I have tried roasted chickpeas and kale (though I’ve also done the same thing with spinach and though it’s more difficult to work with because of the delicate nature of the leaves, I’ve found it to be just as tasty). However, I’ve never seen microwaved potato chips before! I’m so excited. As always, what a beautiful post.
10:51 PM, August 31, 2008
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Anonymous Anthony said…
Add a dash of parmessan cheese to it, or pepper for a slightlty different taste. Looks good the way it is though! Nice presentation!
12:37 AM, September 01, 2008
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Anonymous Ashley said…
pcd – you stole my question! I really want to try the chip recipe with sweet potatoes, and I’m so disappointed they didn’t turn out. I wonder if they would work better in a dehydrator?
As for my favourite snack, I’m a hummus fiend, especially with cucumber slices. I can’t wait to make these potato chips to dip in my hummus!
3:27 PM, September 02, 2008
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Anonymous sandia said…
have you tried seaweed instead of kale? you can either make roast seaweed (i think basically same as kale recipe) or buy it at a korean store. it’s delicious with rice or alone.
11:53 AM, September 03, 2008
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Anonymous Sylvia said…
I made the crunchy chickpeas the other day, and they came out delish. I used cayenne, chili powder, salt, pepper, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Any idea how long they will keep in an airtight container?
Sylvia
2:09 PM, September 03, 2008
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Anonymous Lacey said…
if you spray your kale with ume plum vinegar before making the chips it will make the better. plum vinegar is the only thing that makes kale good to me.
4:45 PM, September 03, 2008
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* Melody S. said…
Hi Susan, you do not know me, but I love your blog! I can’t wait for you to write a cookbook. These snack ideas are fabulous. I have been meaning to try kale chips for some time. Zucchini sliced thin with a mandoline, marinated, and dehydrated is delicious too.
11:44 AM, September 04, 2008
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* bee said…
gorgeous pics.
we found another way for potato chips that works. take a plastic steamer rack (like you find in a rice cooker) and invert it. so it has holes and lets the air circulate while microwaving. lay the slices in a single layer and microwave for 3 mins each at 50%, 40% and 30% power. turn them once in between.
12:08 PM, September 04, 2008
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* h. irene j. said…
Those microwave potato chips are remarkable. I’ve been telling all my friends.
11:49 PM, September 04, 2008
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* Beth said…
Thanks for these! I tried the potato chips, which were tasty even if I overdid them a bit: http://muffinlovechick.blogspot.com/2008/09/purple-potato-pickle.html I can’t wait to try the chickpeas!
7:40 AM, September 05, 2008
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* Harvest Hands Los Anonos said…
Your potato chips were awesome and went over really big in my house. So much better than store bought baked chips!! I’ll try the chickpeas next. Don’t have kale here in Costa Rica……I miss it! How about swiss chard? Do you think it would work?
11:27 AM, September 05, 2008
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* very saucy vegan said…
Omigosh these are fantastic ideas for party foods. I get stuck in the classic veggies and hummus routine. Thanks so much for the ideas.
11:37 AM, September 06, 2008
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* Holler said…
I love your roasted chickpea idea, I can’t wait to try them!
4:06 PM, September 06, 2008
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* Lily Girl said…
I made the curry chickpeas using some leftover cooked chickpeas (instead of canned). They were delicious, thanks for sharing!
9:17 PM, September 07, 2008
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* Reeni said…
These are all wonderful! I love, love, love (did I say I loved?) the microwave potato chips, genius!!!
8:51 AM, September 09, 2008
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* bbg. said…
these snacks look great! i’m definitely going to try the chickpeas from dried beans. i haven’t heard of or tried the kale chips, so thanks for sharing that– i’ve done a couple posts recently on my blog for kale/greens- i can’t get enough of them! 🙂
8:14 AM, September 10, 2008
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Anonymous Serene said…
The frozen-grape picture is wonderful!
5:10 PM, September 13, 2008
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* Caleb said…
You should dehydrate the kale chips at 105 degrees until crispy. If you don’t have one use the oven at 105. I’m starting a batch tonight
10:50 AM, September 17, 2008
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* Annie said…
ok, as soon as I saw those microwave potato chips, I just had to try them… So at 10 am this morning I tried and they are great!!!! Crispy, light as air and tasty. Wow the possibilities…. I am already thinking what kind of flavors I can mix in and what other root veggies I can try… have you tried sweet potatoes or carrots? Please let me know.
9:41 AM, September 19, 2008
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Anonymous Hillary said…
Those potato chips look perfect! Those really came from the microwave with absolutely no oil?! I’m dumbfounded…
10:19 AM, September 19, 2008
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Anonymous Janette said…
The chips look good but how many W does full power mean????????!!! I’m assuming you’re referring to your microwave but mine might not be the same brand and model 🙁
1:56 PM, September 19, 2008
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* SusanV said…
Annie, I haven’t tried carrots, but I’ve heard from other people that sweet potatoes don’t work.
Hillary, whatever microwave you use, use the highest setting and watch them carefully. The time they take to cook will vary from microwave to microwave.
2:01 PM, September 19, 2008
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* SusanV said…
Opps, that last comment was directed to Janette.
2:03 PM, September 19, 2008
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* Susan C said…
I think I may now have to break down and buy a mandolin so that I can make those potato chips.
2:19 AM, September 20, 2008
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* M. said…
I like the cheesy roasted chickpeas from Vegan Lunchbox (a sprinkle of nutritional yeast before roasting). Even people who don’t really like nooch would probably like them. They’re a bit like popcorn.
My favorite snacks are probably sliced veggies (carrot, cucumber, turnip, swede, cauliflower, bell pepper etc) with a dip. Many dips are quite low in fat, like those based on tofu “sour cream”. I also like eating frozen corn as it is, with only a little salt and sometimes garlic powder. 😛 But I’ve also been known to eat mushrooms straight from the can…
I’ll have to try those potato chips. It’s a shame I’ve never been able find affordable kale, it’s just ridiculously expensive.
6:55 AM, September 20, 2008
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Anonymous said…
All the recipes sound amazing definitely gonna try them, especially the microwave chips. I agree with jay jay, try getting yourself on youtube.
10:11 AM, September 21, 2008
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* Maya said…
My boyfriend and I just tried your microwave chips and we absolutely love them. I don’t think we’ll be buying chips from the store ever again. Thank you so much! 🙂
11:19 AM, September 27, 2008
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Anonymous said…
tonight I tried the salt & vineagar chips..what a TREAT!!! wonderful recipe
6:04 PM, September 28, 2008
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* nancy said…
I used a sharp knife to cut a potato into thin slices and it worked fine. Delicious snack. Surprising how many chips from one potato – not as many as you’d think.
12:00 PM, September 29, 2008
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Anonymous said…
I tried Chili Roasted Chickpeas. Wow!! It is very tasty.
I also tried this recipe on Green , white Vatana (available in Indian store). It turned out great. Thanks for a Wonderful Recipe.
–Priya
7:10 PM, October 06, 2008
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OpenID 3continentfamily said…
Why oh why did I try the chips?? lol. They are *delicious* (and gone…) Thank you for posting these!
I also made the vindaloo vegetables last night and it was very yummy!
1:00 PM, October 07, 2008
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* krissi said…
I recommend trying Mustard Greens instead of Kale for the Kale Chips.
For the longest time, my supermarket listed Mustard Greens as Kale, so when I first started trying greens, I always though Mustards were Kale. Oh, Well, I loved them better than the Kale Chips!
1:48 PM, October 07, 2008
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* Rae said…
Oh my goodness, you’re brilliant!! I have been looking for GOOD-TASTING and nutritious recipes….this is like a gold mine!! THANK YOU!!
8:02 PM, October 07, 2008
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* Georgia said…
Oh wow – Roasted chickpeas are SOOOO good – but I have never really made them myself very successfully. That changed today. I used cooked chickpeas and curry, cumin, garlic and salt. I was going to take a photo and blog about it… but I ate them all – whoops – good thing I wasn’t making fatty chips or something.
Thanks heaps
12:53 AM, October 10, 2008
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Anonymous Bulbul said…
I tried the potato chips.They are delicious, but isn’t microwave unhealthy? O_o
2:18 PM, October 10, 2008
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* Caffeine Heartbeats said…
I made the potato chips successfully, and then I tried it with beetroot, and it worked too! Yummmm
(Does microwaving something to the point of dryness damage the microwave though?)
4:22 AM, October 14, 2008
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* Michelle said…
Oh my goodness, i just love chick peas and vegitable chips, I have a new favorite though that has made me want to swear off fries. I make polenta and add any array of spices I have on had, the other day I just added some lime juice to the batter and some sea salt and pepper. Once it was cooked very very thick i placed it on a cookie sheet to firm and chill completely. Then i cut them into “fries” and sprayed a little olive oil on a no stick skility till they were a golden brown on each side, they were so crispy and so yummy, i cant believe i ate as many as I did. They never ever last long in my house and the great hing is you can make the batch as big or as samll as you like. most bags of corn meal have th plenta recipe on the bag. I love that a dollar can make me munchies all month long!
9:06 PM, October 14, 2008
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Anonymous Another E said…
Oh my gosh, Susan, thanks for mentioning frozen grapes! I don’t like fruit in general, so it can be difficult to eat enough each day: these make it easy because I like the texture so much better!
3:00 PM, October 21, 2008
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Anonymous Kristi said…
I have made kale chips a couple of times and they are COMPLETELY addictive (made a huge batch one time for a road trip with my sis and they were demolished before we were halfway to our destination)!
The BEST way to make them is in a dehydrator (the only way I have done them). I take the kale leaves (removing as much of the thick stalk as possible while still allowing the leaf to hold together) and toss gently in a bowl with some olive oil, nama shoyu (or low sodium tamari) and honey. You want to play with it to find the right sweet-salty balance. Make sure to season them really well (so they won’t be bland once done) and don’t add TOO much oil (enough to coat but not enough to make them sloppy). The honey will make them somewhat chewy/crunchy. I also sometimes add a little bit of dried ginger (but they don’t need it). You can also do it with just olive oil, tamari and italian seasoning (but my vote is for the sweet version). Another one of my fave snacks is sprouted (just barely)/dehydrated sunflower seeds tossed with sea salt (don’t go overboard though) before you dehydrate them (they will be slightly damp from the sprouting and the salt will stick better at that point). Also, sprouted/dehydrated pumpkin seeds tossed with a little bit (really, not a lot) of sea salt and a bunch of dried ginger, some cinnamon and honey and/or maple syrup (add these flavorings BEFORE you dehydrate)!
5:42 PM, October 22, 2008
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Anonymous Re-L Cherie said…
About 7 minutes ago, I had a desire for potato chips. I almost reached for the bag in my pantry, but then I remembered your microwaveable chips, and decided to try those instead. They actually tasted better than bagged chips, and I certainly didn’t miss the 10g of fat (and that’s only if I can stop myself from eating more than the recommended serving size!) Before now, I thought that chips needed oil to taste good. Thank you for proving me wrong. I wonder, would this procedure work with banana or apple chips as well?
11:20 AM, October 23, 2008
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Anonymous said…
my family likes sweet potato fries we get them really crunchy by cutting the slices thin, coating in egg white (you can use water) and tossing in a mix of bread crumbs, veg parmesan, garlic powder and red pepper flakes, and baking for about 30 min in a moderate oven (about 350) or till really crunchy wonderful
12:04 PM, October 23, 2008
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Anonymous said…
I didn’t try the potato chips till now because, frankly, I didn’t believe it. But it works! Miraculously! My $7 mandolin doesn’t slice as thin as I’d like but they came out terrific. I did another bunch in the oven, lightly sprayed with oil, and the microwave chips were more even and consistently crunchy. The lovely golden brown colour even appeared in the microwave batch! Amazing, Susan, thank you! ~Jain
8:27 AM, November 09, 2008
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Anonymous Vegan Snacks said…
These are great simple snack ideas! Thanks for presenting them.
4:55 PM, December 13, 2008
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* JJ said…
I just bought some kale for the first time today; I’m really excited to make some kale chips tomorrow!
4:34 PM, January 12, 2009
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* Janel said…
Just made the kale chips and we polished them off in minutes! They were awesome! I think the key was to use the super curly kale – it crisped up so well. Yum! Also made the potato chips this week using sweet potatoes. I have some new favorite snacks – thanks!!!
7:01 PM, March 15, 2009
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* Good-Dees said…
I can’t believe I just found this post about Kale Chips. The way I make them, they are not bitter at all, not exactly lo-cal- I use tahini, but I think of it as PROTEIN. Here is my recipe
http://good-dees.blogspot.com/2008/11/im-back-and-im-raw.html
2:38 PM, March 24, 2009
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Anonymous said…
Thank you for these wonderful ideas! I used a Silpat for the roasted chickpeas, and they didn’t burn at all, even though I forgot to toss them.
6:57 AM, April 07, 2009
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* Samantha said…
I love your recipes, you are a great cook!
1:33 PM, May 26, 2009
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Anonymous Pioneer588 said…
Thanks for the potato chip and chick pea recipes. I’ll try them today.
As for the kale chips, I make them all the time and really like them. The flavor is nice but the texture is FABULOUS!
12:29 PM, June 30, 2009
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Anonymous said…
Baked fat free potato chips are so good!!
Thanks!
6:24 PM, July 01, 2009
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* Jess said…
Do people eat Dulse where you’re from? It’s salty and good for you, but might be too ‘fishy’…
I dip my roasted kale (and just about everything, actually) in a tamari/seasoned rice vinegar/garlic chili sauce dip. I find asian flavours are really good for getting the bitter out of greens.
4:33 PM, July 06, 2009
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Anonymous said…
Do you think using a paper towel in lieu of the parchement paper would still work for the microwave potatoe chips?
8:40 PM, July 24, 2009
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* SusanV said…
My only fear about using paper towels is that the potatoes may stick to them. I may be wrong, though, so maybe you should give it a try…with a very small potato.
9:35 PM, July 24, 2009
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Megan
August 17, 2009 at 10:46 amDoes anyone know about how long the microwave chips will "keep" after making them? I'd like to make a batch and use them for lunches over the course of a week or two.
Lisa
August 27, 2009 at 9:16 amThank you so much for the chickpea recipe! I had some of these at a restaurant a while ago, but they used too much cayenne so I could barely enjoy them. Now I can make them for myself the way I want them 🙂 Yay!
I made some last night, but I don't think I baked them long enough (still a bit chewy), so I'll try them again soon.
Love your blog!!
Amanda
September 22, 2009 at 4:09 pmLovely recipes! Will definitely try the potato chips! Have some potatoes in the fridge getting old.
My favourite snack is as well frozen fruit, of any kind! Mangos (especially!), blueberries, strawberries, apples, plums, pineapple… Anything! It is really an underestimated snack! Who needs ice cream when you have frozen fruit?
Dental Thousand Oaks
October 27, 2009 at 9:08 pmWow, those are fantastic snacks. I will try that at home for my family. Thanks for sharing this.
Tanya
November 27, 2009 at 4:26 pmI finally tried the potato chips in the microwave. Wow! That works great. They were so good. I made 3 red potatoes, so now I have snacks for later 🙂 I did try the salt & vinegar ones, but they weren't very vinegary…maybe I need to "marinate" them first?
KaylaF.
December 11, 2009 at 3:25 pmThese ideas are fantastic!
Although, I did try them for my kids, and they didnt seem to like these idea's as much as I did.
But I came up with something very interesting, very healthy, and something so yummy that my KIDS actually agree! 🙂
Here's what you NEED:
1 Glass,
1 Banana,
Sugar Free Vanilla
Ice creme (If the sugar free vanilla is also low in fat, calories, and sodium i perfer you chose that 1),
1 table spoon,
Here's what you do:
get your table spoon and scoop some vanilla ice creme into your glass, sprinkle some splenda (optional), chop your banana into small thin or thick circles, (however desired), throw them into your glass of ice creme.. and theres your dessert, breakfast, or snack! 🙂
Sharene
April 19, 2012 at 5:07 pmUgh, it was to read thank you for your site!
Azahara
February 14, 2010 at 1:45 pmI sometimes coat roasted chickpeas in chickpea flour (not very original, I know!) and they end up extra crunchy. So addictive!
Benedictus
February 19, 2010 at 4:00 amHi, we don't use a microwave, but I'd love to make these chips. Any ideas/suggestions to adapt this recipe to use with an oven instead of the microwave? Thanks!!
Loucindy
March 2, 2010 at 1:19 pmThanks for the ideas! I bake kale chips at 225 and I put sesame seeds, sea salt, olive oil and a bit of pepper on them. Personally, I think the sesame seeds are a big part of why these go over so well when I make them.
mamasboo
March 10, 2010 at 8:25 pmThe potato chips are lovely! I just did my first batch and they were so good even my picky hubby liked them:) I'm going to try seasoning them next. I'm going to make those colcannon balls on here — I made a huge pot of colcannon a few years ago and these puffs look so very lovely. How much fat and all that is actually in the chips? Kale's on my shopping list now…
Anonymous
March 19, 2010 at 5:49 pmI cooked my dried chickpeas for 20 minutes in my pressure cooker (I didn't soak them) so they wouldn't be so hard. They came out great. Thanks for helping me get back on track with my eating!
Anonymous
March 30, 2010 at 10:17 pmfor the kale chips, they won't be bitter if you slice out the middle vein (that vein is what sends bitterness thru the leaf as you bake). Just lay the leaf upside down on your cutting board, and run your knife along either side of the middle vein, and throw it away. For a kettle-korn flavor I sprinkle with stevia and salt. I eat kale chips about every other day. 🙂
SamanthaPayntr
April 9, 2010 at 1:56 amsometimes i want salsa but the chips are so gosh darn calorie laden and hard to stop eating once you get going. Anyways i realized that i can still get a crunch if i use lettuce leaves instead.
I just dunk them in the jar so it gets a thin layer of salsa and nibble away. It's SO tasty but SO healthy as well. And it's actually pretty filling because of the water in the lettuce, and you don't have to feel bad if you eat the entire head of lettuce, hahaha
Harold Jennett
November 10, 2010 at 11:53 amI tried lettuce leaves with refried beans, and boy was I suprised how much I liked it! Same with brocolli.
katycatfight
April 12, 2010 at 12:31 pmI just discovered your blog a few days ago–it's great! Just made the microwave chips. Wow, so easy and so cheap! I wait and wait for those Kettle brand baked chips to go on sale and buy those, but even on sale they are outrageously expensive . . . this is so much better. I have a half-dozen recipes of yours I want to try this week, ha ha. Thanks!!
Katy
carol
April 16, 2010 at 3:57 pmOMGood ness !!!!!!!!!!!! I am in love with the microwave potato chip.
my oven is a big one and only needed 2 minutes for their first portion and 15 secs to finish.
I did find that with seasoned salt the flavor intensified so go light on seasoning.
♥♥♥♥♥
april
April 18, 2010 at 10:14 pmKale chips are FANTASTIC!! After washing the kale, I tear it into medium sized pieces and discard the stems (I do not cut the vein out, just tear the leaves from the big stalk) and I drizzle A LITTLE bit of organic extra virgin olive oil over the kale. Next I drizzle tamari (wheat free organic soy sauce) over the kale, add some celtic sea salt, a little fresh pepper and toss until evenly distributed. So here is the BIG difference that could help a lot of you – I then put the kale in a food dehydrator on a low setting (105 degrees) for 4-6 hours (depending on how crunchy you want it). I promise it is MUCH better than baking it and you keep more of the vital nutrients by not cooking it at such a high temp. Hope that helps!!
Belette
April 29, 2010 at 9:25 amHi! I have been preparing kale chips for years now… In the beginning, I was the only one really enjoying them. Now, everyone loves them, even my 4 1/2 years old and my 2 1/2 years old. I toss them with a small quantity of olive oil and sea salt. I set my oven to 200 – 250 degrees and leave the kale leaves longer in the oven (a good 15 minutes). I watch them carefully and take them out every now and then to check. When they are almost done (only a few are still “softish”), I turn off the oven and leave them to dry a little more. I tried other spices and all but really, sea salt is the best!
Kim
April 30, 2010 at 10:42 amWe eat ‘Kale Chips” once a week. My 2yrs old loves it! Make sure you buy “curly” kale. Take leaves off the stem and tear into bite size pieces. Make sure it’s pretty dry before putting it in oven. Single layer on a cookie sheet and bake 350 degree for 11-13 minutes (no need to turn). Drizzle with EVOO and nutritional yeast. YUMMY!!!
Stephanie
May 14, 2010 at 12:25 amLove these snacks! I tried both the chips, kale and grapes on the same day and I’m hooked! I can’t believe how easily you were able to make potato chips in the microwave. I’d never thought of that before, but it’s very non-vegan-husband friendly!
Thanks for all of your great recipes!!
Sabrina
May 23, 2010 at 12:25 amcan you use something other than kale? like collard greens?
kim
June 14, 2010 at 9:39 pmdo you think instead of potatoes you could make chips out of other things? like carrots or onion crunchies or turnips? I did make the potato chips and they are very good! i just used spray oil on a plate because i dont have parchment paper and it worked out fine. probably took longer to make them though. bought some chickpeas to try those later too! I love kale chips too. possible with other greens? probably the tougher, darker ones. Thanks for the salsa + lettuce comment too!
Kethel
June 18, 2010 at 1:35 pmLooking forward to trying these recipes. Was thinking about the potato chips and might use turnip/parsnip. I was just recently diagnosed with gestational diabetes and put on a restricted diet. So loving this website as there are many recipes and ideas to try out to add to my diet that are “FREE” foods. (obvioulsy potato chips are not, but kale is!) Thanks so much!
Jackie
June 19, 2010 at 11:08 pmI have to agree with you on the kale chips. I was anxious to try them as well and made a large batch, as everyone said they were so good I wanted to make sure I had plenty, but yuk. I mean, YUK! I guess everyone has different tastebuds because I have seen all the posts saying they are the best things ever, but not so for me. What a waste of a bunch of kale.
But, on another note, I’m going to try the chickpeas snack.
Glad I found this site. It’s always nice to have a wide variety to choose from.
SusanV
June 19, 2010 at 11:29 pmThank you, Jackie! You’re the first person to agree with me on the kale chips. People have said to try them this way or that way, but I wouldn’t waste my kale on them again!
Laura
March 24, 2014 at 4:44 pmYour loss but even so …don’t know how I survived before I found your website. I just love it. I liked the kale chips I made before but it did seem like a lot of trouble and went so fast, I was left wondering if it was worth it.
JanetC
July 26, 2010 at 5:52 amWhile I was looking at the pictures, I was becoming hungry and got a little bit more motivated to try these recipes.
I have been a semi vegetarian for 20 years now and I’m proud to say that I never struggled with my daughter when it comes to eating veggies.
These recipes you have shared will definitely be a a new fave at home.
Thank you and will be back Susan
Hannah
August 4, 2010 at 11:28 amMy mom and I normally roast canned chickpeas with sea salt and aleppo pepper. It’s a great combination if you can find the pepper. I’m planning on making some at college in order to resist the chips and pop tarts.
Liz
September 11, 2010 at 9:11 pmMost people who dislike kale never ate kale after it has had a hard frost. It turns sweet and tender. I found this out when I had a garden in the north. Now I won’t buy kale unless it was grown where it gets cold because it is bitter and tough. I even once harvested kale covered in a layer of ice. It was delicious. Brussel Sprouts also do not taste good until they have been through a hard frost. The reason they are sweet is that sugars act as anti-freeze and the plants produce them as cold protection. Once you eat the good stuff there is no going back.
Marilou
September 12, 2010 at 7:57 pmSo interesting! I agree with Susan about kale chips until now … but since I live in Montreal (always freezing cold, here!), I like the idea of trying “frosted” kale. How do you know the kale you’re buying has been through frost? It doesn’t get that cold here in the winter, and I’m assuming that most of the kale sold in Montreal is cultivated during summer…. any hints? (And gardening is not an option in my balcony-less building) Thanks!
SusanV
September 12, 2010 at 10:21 pmI just want to point out that I LOVE kale, just not kale chips. I think that kale chips are a waste of perfectly good kale. Do a search of my site for “kale” and you’ll find loads of excellent kale recipes, from soups to stews.
vegetablevalhalla
November 9, 2010 at 10:00 amCooking kale chips at a lower temperature– say 200-250 is key. Cook them at a lower temperature for longer. This will ensure the crispiness without the burniness. Also, you can dehydrate them with a dehydrator. Kale chips rule!
SusanV
November 9, 2010 at 10:06 amSome people like them, some people don’t. I fall into the latter category, unfortunately.
Sarah
December 26, 2010 at 1:27 pmSo I found this page by searching for a roast chickpea recipe. I did the curry one and I didn’t love it-despite how much I love chickpeas-b/c some of them were just too hard and crunchy vs crispy. But I tried the kale chip recipe (I normally don’t like Kale and only use it in green shakes) and I really enjoyed it. I just thought it was funny since it was opposite of you with the kale but a similar experience with chick peas (something I normally like, but didn’t like them like this)
Azahara
January 6, 2011 at 11:26 amI finally got around to making the chips, and I loved them! As a health freak it’s been years since I last ate store-bought chips (back in my pre-veggie days, I guess), but this were not a disappointment, and totally guilt-free.
Thanks, Susan!
Azahara
January 6, 2011 at 11:27 amOops!, I meant “these were not …”
Ginger Kirk
February 4, 2011 at 10:03 amConcerning your microwave potato chips. They look really good and yummy. But if you don’t use a microwave because you feel that it changes the construction of the food placed in it (and therefore not good for you), is there any other way to make them? I have tried a few of your recipes and they have been VERY good. I especially like your zucchini muffins (when our garden was full of them).
SusanV
February 4, 2011 at 10:09 amYou can bake them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in the oven. Here’s a link to a recipe you can try: http://www.laaloosh.com/2009/02/02/weight-watchers-baked-sweet-potato-chips-recipe/.
Peggy
February 4, 2011 at 10:05 amI love the kale chips, I use olive oil, not oil spray and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. I’m a chip aholic so when I try to stay away from the junk food, kale chips make a perfect snack for me.
TJ
February 4, 2011 at 7:53 pmI just tried Kale Chips and they are delicious!! I use a teaspoon of olive oil instead of olive oil spray and I bake at 300 for 25min, they come out perfect! Thanks for the chickpea idea, i also bake them but I never knew they could get crunchy!! I will leave them in longer, Thanks!!!
Christine
February 5, 2011 at 10:19 pmI do love kale chips and roasted chickpeas 🙂 but I just got a mandolin slicer which was perfect to try out the microwave potato chips! They were great – I didn’t even think they needed any salt (which I forgot for the first batch). Makes a great little portion that’s enough to kill any chip cravings!
Janice
February 15, 2011 at 5:49 pmHi Susan,
Thank you for all the awesome recipes. I explore your site daily and have made lots of recipes. All winners! Just made the Kale Chips, DELISH!! Will be making these daily. Sprinkled with nutritional yeast, yummy. Will try the dehydrator next time. Thanks again, You Rock!
Cheers!