I’m a chronic snacker. I love crunchy, salty finger foods that keep calling my name even though I said I’d only have one. Once you pop you can’t stop, right?

Some time ago, I realized that if something is sliced thin enough, you can basically glaze or mist it with olive oil, stick it in the oven, and VOILA! You have chips. I mean, chips are thin sliced, fried/baked potatoes. So why not try other fruits & veggies that have more substantial nutrients?

Now the fun part is that you can use any seasoning you like, though some will taste better on one thing than they may on another. These are a few of my tried & tested favorites.

Kale Chips

You’ll need..
-Kale
-Olive Oil*
-Garlic Powder
-Salt

Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse & dry kale VERY well (so it doesn’t steam & stay soft), then tear into bite size pieces. Mist or brush lightly with olive oil, then spread pieces out on a cooking sheet (I use stoneware, so I can’t speak for other material, but I’d wage any should work). Dust with salt & garlic powder (or your seasonings of choice), set in the middle rack of the oven & bake for 10 minutes or until crispy.

Tortilla Chips

You’ll need..
-Tortillas (Flour, wheat, corn, whatever you prefer)
-Olive Oil*
-Curry
-Cumin
-Chili Powder
-Salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mist tortillas lightly with olive oil, then cut into strips or triangles. Spread pieces out on a cooking sheet. Mix the dry spices, then dust tortilla pieces evenly, set in the middle rack of the oven & bake for 10-15 minutes or until crispy.

Other Suggested Veggie & Spice Combinations

Make sure to slice veggies super thin (mandolins are great for this), and let them sit on a paper towel for about a half hour to dry them well. Beet chips tend to be a little softer in general, so make sure to dry them well before spicing and baking. Otherwise, the directions are the same as tortilla chips.

Sweet Potato Chips
Paired with smoky spices like paprika and a pinch of cumin, this is the cure to the common barbecue chip.

Carrot Chips
Add a little bit of cinnamon & brown sugar for a sweeter treat.

Beet Chips
Parmesan and fresh ground black pepper make beets a savory snack, even if you’re not a big fan of beets in the first place.

So there you go! Don’t limit yourself – any root vegetable should do, so get creative and tell me about your creations!

*I used the Temecula Olive Oil Company’s garlic olive oil, which is absolutely delicious, but you can use whatever kind you like. By the way, they’re amazing and you should check them out.