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.
Get Skinny, Go Vegan.
Have to print these out asap!! My hubby always loves the “Punjabi Mix” and and “Wasabi Peas”. Think the Chickpeas look great. I make Kale chips in the dehydrator, so no worries about “overcooking”. I would make them everyday, except I don’t have a Kale Patch!! Hate to pay 2.49 for a bunch of Kale just to cook it down to so little. When my Kale garden is thriving though, Hopefully will have Kale chips everyday!
Gloria
What is the shelf-life for canned chickpeas that have been crisped in the oven?
SusanV
If there’s any moisture left in them, I would keep them in the refrigerator and eat them within 1 to 2 weeks.
Alysa (InspiredRD)
I love all of these ideas! I have made roasted chickpeas a couple times, and I like them best when I leave them in long enough to get really crispy. We also like kale chips, but if you think they are too bitter, you can also try salad savoy chips. So good! http://inspiredrd.com/2011/01/salad-savoy-chips.html
Susan DeLisle
I have just finished my second batch of the microwave potato chips. I have to say, that while I stood there watching the microwave plate slowly turning and the little slices of heaven turning such a beautiful golden brown, I almost cried. I thought back over all the years of wasted potatos and wasted microwave time, wasted bags of snacks handed over to my kids as they were growing up. Well, let’s just say it was a mixed feelings kind of moment. My husband was recently diagnosed with gallstones and does not want to give up the old gallbladder just yet. So, we have gone low fat to no fat around here and have already drop pants sizes. It is amazing the amounts of fat in food that we can think of as “good-for-you” food. Of course I have counseled my hubby that we can’t replace fats with carbs either, but, when the man was missing his favorite snack, I found your recipes. So from a woman who loves good food, I now think of you as a Goddess! Thank you! My kids (grown but still kids) say thank you and give you big thumbs up, (actually, my 17 year old Son was hovering over my shoulder during the making of the second batch and announced the chips were done and was actually pacing while I was painstakingly removing them from the parchment with many helpful hints as to getting them out faster) 😉 AND my Hubby…Well, if he could I think he would give you a huge bear hug right now. I think he is the happiest I have seen him in……EVER! Who knew a simple potato chip could stir up so much emotion in one little group of people! Well, on to batch number three as my daughter wants to take some with her to work to show her friends.
SusanV
Susan, your message brought tears to my eyes. I’m so glad the potato chips made your family happy. I wish your husband the best of luck and health with his gallbladder!
Breanna Joy
You didn’t massage your kale. That’s the most important step! Massage the kale with olive oil after removing the stem. Be sure to massage until glistening and dark green. Salt and then bake!
Massaging your kale is not only therapeutic, but it breaks down the cell walls making it tender and more easily digestible.
JessE
Brianna, good to know….I was trying to do this with as little amt as oil, so I baked on a silpat, and used an oil mister for the olive oil. hubbs and I really enjoyed the outer leaves, but the inner parts. they still seemed to be a little fibrous and didn’t chew well. But, the thin outer leaves were very good!
@stampylisa
don’t like kale chips plain. uck. I mix up a dressing which I blogged last year and I marinate the kale 45-60 mins or more in a bowl, you need to really massage the kale to rid it of it’s bitterness once you’ve dressed it. then I dehydrate them til crispy or you can bake them. Please try my recipe and see what you think! Let me know 😉 http://cupcakebreath.com/ and search Kale Chips -It’s the Marinating Kale chip
LOUISA
My absolute new favorite snack is popcorn cooked the good old way , which for me is a medium sized pot with lid , a generous drizzle of olive oil and approx. 1/2 a cup of corn [ two servings ] , before putting in the corn put the pot with olive oil on the stove at medium heat for a minute . Once the corn is in and the lid is on , stay put and gently shake the pot very so often [ to prevent the corn from burning and sticking . As the corn is popping I melt about a tablespoon of butter in microwave , when the corn is finished popping I add the melted butter , a nice shake of sea salt and then I really shake up the pot . I divide the popcorn into brown lunch bags , then …….. Here comes the outrageously delicious and oh so healthy part , I shake very , very generously over the contents , nutritional yeast it is so good for you and so yummy and so inexpensive , you can purchase it at your local health food store [ in the bulk food section ] I keep mine in a glass jar with a shaker lid . My daughter and I came across this snack while attending fiddle camp in Maine where it seemed to be a very common snack . Enjoy ! p.s. I have noticed that if you cook the corn at a slower rate the popcorn really get’s bigger and puffier and there are just about no 1/2 cooked root canal makers in the batch .
Sarah
Here is a kale chip recipe I like:
1 – 12 oz bunch of kale stems removed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
In small bowl whisk oil, lemon juice, and sea salt. Pour mixture over kale. With your hands rub mixture into kale. Add nutritional yeast and toss well. Spread kale onto dehydrating trays without overlapping. Dehydrate @ 105 degree for 2 -4 hours or until dry and crisp. Cool completely.
You could probably still cook them in the oven, I am not sure if they turn out the same or not.
ZJP
Hi Susan,
Thanks a lot for these yummy ideas, will try them and hope my fussy girl enjoys these with her meals! Full of nutrition and healthy, not just full of empty calories! Got to your site so late, but better late than never, right?
Z
rita gasparro
what is a mandolin or v- slicer, and where do I purchase them.
samantha davies
for a lovely frozen treat on a hot day, or just for a sweet treat throw a few bananas in the freezer yummy! they taste almost a bit like banana toffee chewy cold and a low fat healthy sweet treat..(you can also dip in a low fat chocolate and freeze, just dip one end, open top end dip in chocolate sprinkle with chopped nuts or coconut or both! wrap back up and forget about them until that time we all know will come “comes”! open and enjoy) i have them when i feel a bit left out (when watching my weight also i have a daughter who cant have wheat or gluten ) and everyone is having ice cream , they are also really yummy if you put a split down the middle stick a few chocolate buttons inside (leave skin on) wrap with silver foil and place on the BBQ yummy .. or just left intact no splits in skin put on the BBQ keep turning until almost all black pop it on a plate open up eat with a little low fat cream from a squirty can some yummy fruit like strawberries and a few shavings of chocolate (so you feel like your being really naughty!) eat and enjoy .. the banana get all caramelised inside, sticky and feel very indulgent (im not sure of the cal’s fat and so on but im pritty sure it lot’s better for you than any other sticky puddings you can get ) BBQ banana is a winner with everyone from kids teens adult and the elderly, you can try so many different toppings, sprinkle with chopped nuts, well what ever you fancy! yummy
lakey
I love to do my kale chips in the dehydrator. I toss them with olive oil, bragged liquid aminos, and sprinkle with nutritional yeast then dehydrate for approximately 2 hours or until light and crisp.
Debra
I make kale chips in the microwave. Take the leaves off the stem. Wash big peaces in vinegar and water. Run kale through a salad spinner. Spray olive oil on microwave safe plat, place kale on plate until covered, spray a little oil. I use Mrs. Dash or sea salt. On high 3min. I have two big rubber made plastic bowls I made two weeks ago and they are still crispy. This is the only way I can get my family to eat kale. PS I dry herbs and flavored sugars this way to.
Corinna11
Hi! I dont have a microwave. How can I make the chips in a regular oven? And will other root veggies work as well?? Thanks!!
Helen
Susan, I found your entry here searching for vegan potato chips. I received a mandolin for Christmas, and plan to christen it with this recipe. Thanks!
As for liking Kale, have you tried a Green Smoothie? Give it a chance, seriously. It tastes like the banana. I freeze both the banana AND the kale. Yes, kale freezes beautifully , loosely stacked in a ziplock (note: does not lie flat in freezer, and that’s what you want). Here’s the recipe, from Allrecipes.com:
Green Smoothie
1 banana, thickly sliced, frozen
2 cups chopped kale
1 tablespoon flax seed meal (optional)
1 tablespoon coconut oil (optional)
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup orange juice
Place the banana, kale, flax seed meal, and coconut oil into a blender, pour in the milk and orange juice. Cover, and puree until smooth; serve.
p.s. I ‘ll add a few ice cubes, which might firm up the coconut oil. Leave out the latter, no worries.
Cheers,
Helen in Denver
karen mcintosh
My daughter is undergoing many weeks of radiation on a brain tumour. Because of the strong meds she has to take to tolerate the treatments, she has gained 25 pounds. She stays in a motel near the hospital and has a small fridge and microwave in her room. Any suggestions for snacks that I could make for her to take back to the city would be very much appreciated.
Thank you for your website and information.
Sincerely Karen McIntosh
Susan Voisin
How about popcorn? She could use a microwave popper or a plain brown bag to pop it in the microwave. Without added oil, it’s a healthy snack. I also recommend lots of fruit and baby carrots with hummus or another dip. I wish her a speedy recovery!
Jenn
words do not describe how much I love these chips. I tried making them in the oven… gross/chewy. microwave is the way to go. I even upgraded my mandolin after I tested them on my cruddy one. Thanks Susan!!
michele
Wow, Susan, you are genius. I just made a batch of microwave potato chips with a dusting of salt & black pepper. Delicious! Soooo much better than any fat-free chip on the market. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Kristy
Posts like this make the inrtenet such a treasure trove
Avery
Frozen bananas on a stick make a wonderful snack/dessert!! And of course there’s the classic raw frozen nuts or guacamole and chickpea dip 🙂
Sara
Has anyone tried Potato Chips in a food dehydrator?
Lynda Waldron
I bought the round thing to cook my beloved microwave potato chips also, with less than stellar results.
Can’t wait to try these!! Thank you a million times!
susan
try spraying liquid amines on the kale….and/or garlic powder. maybe lacking flavor with just salt and olive oil.
also try roasting on a higher temperature….400-425
thanks for all your goodies.
Marisa
I love all of these ideas! I have a feeling kale chips are just better when you use a dehydrator. The ones I buy at Whole Foods are always delicious and the one time I tried to bake some myself, I must have undercooked them because they were chewy. I am wondering though, do you use the microwave a lot for your cooking? Is there a way to make the chips without the microwave? We don’t own one because we don’t want to zap all the goodness out of our food so I wanted to see what your opinion was on that!
Susan Voisin
Marisa, there are a lot of myths out there about the unhealthiness of microwaves, but they’ve been scientifically proven to be untrue. There are even studies that show that microwaving preserves more nutrients than some forms of cooking. I want to give my daughter the most nutritious food I can, and if I thought there was any truth to the scare stories about microwaves, I would throw mine out right away.
Of course, if you don’t want to use a microwave, that’s your right. I’ll bet you could use a dehydrator and make potato chips that way. If you do, please let me know how they come out.
Johanne Bertrand
Thank you so very much for these. Just when I was craving salty after my morning workout. Another snack that I like is seasoned seaweed. The last time I got it from Costco for a very reasonable price. Also edamame beans. I alwas have these in the freezer ready to microwave.
Dean
I made several batches of the potato chips and when I finished I thought of something. Store bought chips wash the starch off before cooking but your recipe doesn’t say anything about that.
Elaina
These were amazing! I used very thinly sliced potatoes for 4 minutes + 1 minute, and they were perfect. Then I tried sweet potatoes, and they took a little longer: 4 min 30 sec + 2 min. They were great, and I will definitely be making many more of these batches!
Cassie @A Little Treat
I made this for the first time tonight! thank you for sharing it! I have shared it on my blog check it out if you have a moment! http://alittletreat.weebly.com/1/post/2012/02/microwave-potato-chips.html
Charissa
Edamame!!! Yummy
Jenny
We tried the Kale with the same results! I burned it and then when I was satisfied with the texture it was way to bitter for us. I happened to find out by accident that if you put a little extra salt on the kale it helps counteract the bitterness! After I added extra salt it was actually pretty yummy. I had trouble curing mine, so it got a little squishy. 🙂 I plan on keeping at it, sometimes it pays to be a stubborn woman.
limefish studio
Just wanted to share that this has been featured on our SMITTEN: SPRING 2012 GUIDE!
http://limefishstudio.blogspot.com/2012/03/smitten-spring-2012-guide.html
Katy Rule
Try sprinkling garlic and onion powder on top of the kale for some added taste that almost masks the bitterness.
Courtney
What a great blog entry! I love, love, love the chickpea idea!
Amani Bromley
I really like and appreciate your blog post. Fantastic.