Healthy food can be tasty! Chips Edition

Who said some of your favorite foods can’t also be healthy? It’s just as easy as modifying a few of your favorite recipes. 

Potato chips are a popular snack among both children and adults. However, chips can be made out of more than just potatoes. Zucchini chips are a cheap and convenient alternative! 

Potatoes are a rich source of fiber and many vitamins and minerals. However, because they are a starchy vegetable, they are higher in calories, as compared to zucchini. Zucchini, on the other hand, is a healthier alternative that is much lower in calories. It is just as rich in fiber, and vitamins, like B6, riboflavin, folate, C, and K, and minerals, like potassium and manganese. 

To be prepared as chips, potatoes are often deep-fried and heavily salted, which increases their calorie count. Baking zucchini eliminates the unhealthy fats of frying but still produces a crispy chip.

Zucchini chips only take 30 minutes total prep and cooking time. You can modify this recipe by using some of the spices used to make some of your favorite potato chips, like paprika, cumin, salt and vinegar, or cajun spices. Feel free to refer to the previous blog post, Spice It Up!, for some inspiration. Below is a sample recipe:

Baked Zucchini Chips

• 3 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4-in rounds
• 2 tsp olive oil
• Pinch of Salt
• Choice of spices

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place cut up zucchini in a bowl. Drizzle olive oil and choice of seasonings zucchini and stir to coat. Spread coated zucchini onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle salt over coated zucchini.
3. Bake in preheated oven until zucchini are tender (about 15 minutes).

Be sure to eat this snack, like other foods, in moderation. Let us know what you think of this recipe. Feel free to comment below any other questions you have.