Everyone knows that regular old chips (crisps) aren’t going to get you the physique or fitness levels that you want; there’s too much fat, too much salt, and nowhere near enough nutrients. But what if you could enjoy a crunchy, delicious crisp-like snack that was full of nutritional value? Good news – stick with this article for the next few minutes and we’ve got a quick recipe that’ll do just that.
What do you mean by vegetable crisps?
OK, in all fairness the potato is a vegetable, so by definition all crisps are “vegetable crisps.” Today, though, we’re talking about using different types of vegetables to create your favorite snack.
Why try vegetable crisps?
Since vegetable crisps can be made from a wide variety of vegetables, you’ll be getting access to a huge variety of different vitamins and minerals. In other words, you’ll be eating something really healthy disguised as something that looks and tastes like a regular delicious snack!
What vegetables can you use?
Realistically, you can use pretty much anything; you’re only limited by your imagination. Here are just a few examples:
Sweet potato: If you love the idea of trying something new but you’re still attached to the potato, then this is exactly the thing for you. Not only does sweet potato taste sweeter (duh), it’s also packed full of vitamins A and C, as well as plenty of fiber. They’re also slightly lower in calories than their original potato counterparts.
Parsnips: Packed full of Vitamin C as well as magnesium, these Christmas-time favorites are great for vegetable crisps. They’re also a good source of potassium, which helps with hydration and water balance.
Beetroot: These are an awesome source of nitric oxide, which has been shown to help with developing stamina. They also include plenty of vitamin C as well as iron, which helps boost your energy levels as well as your immune system.
Carrots: Bugs Bunny’s favorite snack contains loads of vitamin A, especially beta-carotene, which converts into retinol and is widely known for helping to protect the membranes around your eyes.
How to make your crisps
1. Start by getting a good selection of vegetables. Feel free to try a wide variety and see what works.
2. Wash and if necessary peel your vegetables.
3. Slice your vegetables into long, thin strips. I recommend overestimating how long the pieces should be, as they have a real tendency to shrink once they’re in the oven.
4. Put all your pieces onto a couple of baking trays.
5. Heat up your oven to about 150 degrees Celsius and add the baking trays.
6. Depending on the type of vegetable, you’ll probably need to leave them for between 20 and 50 minutes. I recommend checking every 10 minutes or so, just in case. Nobody wants burnt crisps!
7. Serve up and sprinkle them with a selection of seasoning. A good start would be fennel seeds, salt, and some chilli seeds.
8. Enjoy!
Fat: How Much is the Right Amount? >>
Pro tip: If you’re trying to build muscle and add weight, you can easily make these higher in calories by drizzling olive oil over them along with your seasoning. I’ve also been known to melt some cheese on them and eat them with sour cream dip. Have fun and do some experimenting!
Have you made them yet?
