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.
Sharene
April 19, 2012 at 5:06 pmI can’t wait to try these, the Kale I’ve done but not the others.
Thank you for you set.
Sharene
HS
April 21, 2012 at 8:54 amDelicious! Tried the chips today with provencal herbs (Tyme, Oregano,…), pepper and salt: very nice!
Bit searching for the perfect time (4 minutes is too long for me), but my boyfriend is eating them all right now. 🙂
Marie-M
May 29, 2012 at 12:33 pmSounds very tasty!
I tried kale chips for the first time recently, and by soaking them water along with grated garlic and grated ginger, put them on parchment paper still wet and sprinkled with nutritional yeast.
They were not great, but they were nice, definitely not bitter, and satisfying 🙂
Don’t make the mistake I made though: I left some in the fridge, and they completely lost their crunch.
Phyllis
June 7, 2012 at 3:21 pmWhy do dry chickpeas, soaked and then roasted have more protein and fiber than canned chickpeas that are roasted?
Susan Voisin
June 7, 2012 at 4:07 pmBecause they’re different amounts of chickpeas. If I took 1 cup of dried chickpeas and cooked them in water, they would yield about 2 1/2 cups–1 cup more than the curry-roasted chickpea recipe uses, but the same number of servings. So I’m really using more chickepeas in the dried chickpea recipe.
Patty Jones
June 19, 2012 at 6:09 pmNo matter how many times I tried the potato chip recipe they were not quite right using wax paper. They’d stick to the wax paper. So I gave up and used a plate (paper free). Had to do many adjustments, but that’s OK, they are WONDERFUL.
Also, I don’t turn my Kale chips over? I just put them in the oven at 350 for 15 mins. and enjoy to my hearts content. (LOL, was trying to get OFF potato chips so I tried the Kale)
The chickpeas are my next adventure on your page. 🙂
Doris
June 29, 2012 at 12:36 amI love the potato chip idea, but would it work in a regular oven? I don’t do microwaves anymore. If oven would work how long would it take? Thanks
Sharene
June 29, 2012 at 9:12 amYou may have to experiment with the oven method. The Microwave is so quick and easy. I adore these chips, we make them all the time.
Lisa
June 30, 2012 at 2:24 pmMy family and I did not like the kale chips either. I love micorowave chips too!
MrsOgg
July 3, 2012 at 10:26 amWhat a useful post! My husband is constantly complaining that there is nothing to snack on in the house because I try to cook from scratch and only buy whole foods…also because he doesn’t consider fruit a snack. Though he will snack on certain snacks I think sometimes he just craves that carby crunch (who doesn’t) I will be teaching him to make these potato chips ASAP. Also gives me an excuse to finally buy a mandolin slicer!!!
Oh, and we did try roasted chickpeas before I read this…my toddler loves them plain, I love them on a salad and my husband just can’t like them, BUT you asked about the kale chips and that was our first foray into veggie snack…we love em! I just wish they didn’t take so long to make! Has anyone ever experimented with making them in the microwave??
Angie
August 6, 2012 at 10:24 amI just started making kale chips. A friend told me the quick version of cooking them, but someone at their Raw Foods store told her the best way is to basically do a longer, more of a dehydration process so all the nutrients don’t get cooked away. He told her 4 hours at 180 degrees, I was going to try this, seeing as I started them in the morning, but when I got to about 1 hour and 50 minutes, I found they were perfect for me. With only turning them once during cooking. I just ripped the leaves off of the thick vein in big chunks tossed in a bowl with 1-2tsp of olive oil and a bit of kosher or sea salt then spread on a cookie sheet. It has worked for me these past 2 times that I have made them now.
Gina
August 8, 2012 at 7:07 pmI’ve made the potato chips twice now and I am amazed how much they taste like kettle chips out of the bag–but without the oily-ness! They are delicious and SUPER easy to make! Perfect salty snack. Thanks!!
Lisa
August 9, 2012 at 9:32 amHi Susan, just wanted to let you know my favorite F/F way to make Kale chips. I don’t use any oil or even oil spray. I lay the pieces out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spritz with Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and dust with Nooch(nutritional yeast). Bake in a 350F oven for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning once. YUM! I hope you try it and let me know if you like it. I also wanted to let you know that I am thoroughly enjoying your blog, you are my “go-to” site for any recipe, and I just voted for you in the Favorite blog category!
Myra
August 15, 2012 at 6:14 amI was wondering if you can substitute the russet potato with a sweet potato for the salt and vinegar potato chips?
Radhika Sarohia
November 11, 2012 at 7:23 amLooks good! Wonder if this would work with zucchini slices….
Amanda
January 2, 2013 at 12:21 amThese are all awesome recipes! I’ve been eating frozen grapes for a long time, but definitely want to try out your chickpea recipe!
Carol Edwards
January 8, 2013 at 7:12 amI don’t use a microwave… please tell me how to use the oven for the potato chips and the kale chips…thanks CAROL
sherry
February 2, 2013 at 5:40 pmfavorite low fat snacks: frozen unsweetened cherries and/or frozen bananas!
sp
February 3, 2013 at 12:22 amUnfortunately, kale chips are best in a dehydrator. They turn out okay in an oven, but a dehydrator works amazingly well. To mimic a dehydrator I bake mine at a much lower temperature – 150- 200 (depending on the oven) and for a longer time of course so that they dry out more than they bake.
I think that’s why so many raw companies have them (and I believe initially created them) is because they use dehydrators.
They’re also tastier if you season them with some more flavoring. I make a dressing with tahini, lemon, garlic, and nutritional yeast that gives them a cheese-y flavor, and massage it into the kale before baking. They take a little longer in the oven, but are sooo good. I kind of made my own recipe from based on the one from Tao Organics who make the most amazing kale chips ever!
Catherine
February 28, 2013 at 11:22 pmWow! Thanks for the great advice! I can’t wait to try making chips.
cindy
May 24, 2013 at 9:54 amI apologize if I’m duplicating, but haven’t the time to look through the comments.
Thank you so much for your post…..I love these snacks for great healthy alternatives, especially the chick peas, probably my favorite snack. I am a salt & vinegar fanatic so I have soaked the chick peas in cider vinegar and then roasted them, oh the smell when they are cooking! I love it but if you are not a fan of s & v then you won’t like it.
On another note, I have done my ‘chips’ almost the same way only they go in the oven on a large cookie sheet with parchment; brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and then into the oven at about 425F. They will cook fast and crisp nicely. I do have to flip them over though. (I have a convection oven so I can throw in 2 or 3 trays at a time). But like you said you have to keep your eye on them….. Yum! Making them yourself is great since you know what just went into them! And my boys are thrilled that we can make them at home. They are great clean eating treats!
Whitfield
June 10, 2013 at 2:53 ami don’t have an oven, can i make chickpea snacks crunchy in a frying pgn or microwave?
thanks
george
Susan Voisin
June 10, 2013 at 7:49 amNo, They will explode in a microwave and probably won’t get crispy in a skillet.
Melissa @ The Mediterranean Lifestlye
June 27, 2013 at 2:03 pmThese looks great, thanks for sharing. I love kale chips!
SweetPea McGee
August 8, 2013 at 9:40 pmHave you tried cooking your kale at 250F for 1 hour on the centre rack ? Crunchier and more room for forgiveness
Becky
August 28, 2013 at 1:28 pmYou might have better luck dehydrating kale chips instead of baking them. The first recipe I found for them were also baked, and they were ok, but when I tried dehydrating them, I was amazed how much better flavor they had! I usually add lemon juice, onion and garlic powder, and maybe nutritional yeast to what you have above.
Rawmazing
August 28, 2013 at 1:58 pmI have a bunch of fresh chick peas in the fridge! Can’t wait to try your recipe!
Charlotte
August 28, 2013 at 2:03 pmWhy won’t this save to my recipe box? I am logged in.
Susan Voisin
August 28, 2013 at 2:31 pmSorry about that! I thought that a recent software update might have caused problems, but I just tried saving it to my own recipe box, and it worked. If you have another browser, you might try seeing if you can save it from there. I wish I had an answer for you, but I’m at the mercy of WordPress, which has its quirks.
Charlotte
August 29, 2013 at 6:20 amI will give that a try. Thank you.
Linda Dale
August 28, 2013 at 9:35 pmSusan, your kale just needed to be embellished before baking. I mix some nutritional yeast with lemon juice and a bit of water, and mix in some mostly-ground raw sunflower seeds. Put the washed, torn kale pieces in a really big bowl, pour the mixture over, then mix super-well with your hands for a good five minutes. Put in a single layer on baking sheets and bake for at least 1 hour at 225 degrees. (Check after one hour – sometimes they take longer.) I’ve never had a bad batch.
karoline
September 10, 2013 at 10:48 pmMy family wouldn’t have anything to do with kale or kale chips, until I tried making nacho kale chips. For about a bunch and a half of kale, I blended together a cup of cashews, a teaspoon each of nutritional yeast, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and enough water to make the mixture thin enough to coat the kale without big clumps. I then put the kale (tossed with the nacho mixture) on a baking sheet and baked at 300 for about 40 minutes. I think that the nacho stuff would cover any bitterness in the kale better than plain olive oil would. (-:
vegobsessionchick
September 13, 2013 at 1:23 amThank you for the chickpea recipe!
My daughter and I LOVE those baked garbanzo beans!!!!
Lindsaykelson
October 27, 2013 at 2:59 pmI love your recipes, but this was way too long to cook then,they’re shriveled little beans . I’ll try less next time but thanks for pointing me in right direction, it stops me buying the commercial versions out there
Cathy Todd
January 4, 2014 at 6:35 pmTo make great crispy kale chips use lacinato kale they are less curly and bake more evenly. Cute the stems out, slice in two inch pieces, spray with olive oil, sprinkle with salt. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Single layer on a plate. They will crisp without burning. If some are not crispy just microwave 30 seconds more until crispy. Easy and good. Also can I use sweet potato instead of potato for the potato chip recipe?
Joe
February 2, 2014 at 4:28 pmI just tried the potato chip recipe. It is a great recipe. I love potato chips and these are quite good. I do wish I had a huge microwave so I could make 50 at a time
Cristina
February 6, 2014 at 1:16 pmThese are perfect! I’ve been looking for some awesome healthy snacks that I can take with me to the crag when I’m rock climbing. I’ll have to try these out once the weather gets warm enough to get back outside. Great post 🙂
Robert
February 17, 2014 at 1:34 amWhat are the chemicals, and processed ingredients you will avoid by making at home? (Three Guilt-Free Snacks)
Lou Lou
August 30, 2014 at 2:06 pmI am with you on the “kale chip” divide. I love kale, and can eat it cooked or raw; I often toss it into breakfast smoothies using my Nutribullet. But the kale chips just never did it for me. They just seemed to disintegrate so that the “crunch” was barely a whisper. I’m going to totally try your potato chip recipe, though. Thanks for re-posting.
Lou
Lou Lou
August 30, 2014 at 2:08 pmOne question, though – how do you store your potato chips and how long do they last?
L
Susan Voisin
August 30, 2014 at 3:06 pmSorry, Lou Lou–I’ve never stored the potato chips. I eat them as soon as they’re cooked!
PJ Cannon
September 5, 2014 at 4:17 pmI’m curious. Have you ever tried making them with a dehydrator. I saw a few recipes on line, and I’m thinking of purchasing a dehydrator. I trust YOU and YOUR recipes because of all the success I have had with following them. AND I love your blog.
Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you.
Alicia
February 26, 2015 at 9:25 ami found with the dried chickpeas that the longer you soak them before putting in the oven the better…mostly because i’m lazy and when i soaked them it was 3 days later before i decided to roast them
Jorge
April 2, 2015 at 7:35 pmFrozen grapes are my favorite! 🙂
Nancy
July 1, 2015 at 6:08 pmPampered chef makes a wonderful potato chip maker for the microwave! There are 2 sections that stack one above the other. They come out wonderful.