What’s up, Doc? How about healthy snacking on delicious baked carrot chips?

Carrot chips are the newest addition to my baked-chip family. They’re much smaller than, say, sweet potato chips, but still have a crispy bite with a rooty texture. This recipe is as straightforward as it gets — you’re just three ingredients away from a healthy, guilt-free snack.

Carrots not only provide you with a hearty vegetable chip-worthy experience but also with quite a few nutrients. Carrots contain a a compound, almost exclusive to the vegetable, called falcarinol, which is a cancer preventative. The root veggie also improves vision with its high vitamin A and beta-carotene content, prevents heart disease with its carotenoids, lowers blood cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of stroke, nourishes the skin, helps slow the process of aging, and contributes to dental health.

Start chipping away!

Crispy Baked Carrot Chips

Ingredients

• 3-4 large carrots
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Slice the carrots into thin, although not transparent, circular pieces.

Toss in olive oil and using hands, make sure that each piece is covered evenly. Lay out the sliced carrot on a baking sheet so that each has its own place. This will ensure that they cook evenly and have room to bake to a crisp.

Pop them into the oven for 15-20 minutes, but keep an eye out, because depending on how thick you cut the carrots, the cooking time will be different. Once the carrots begin to brown slightly and curl up is when they are ready. You don’t want to burn them, just to notice a slight discoloration.

Allow the carrot chips to cool before serving. Eat them plain or try serving with a homemade dip.

 Photo Credit: GlowKitchen

 Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Snack Away with this Crispy Baked Carrot Chips Recipe appeared first on EcoSalon.

Green your snacks.

We love kale. This versatile veggie is a good source of potassium, calcium, and vitamins A and C. Making a kitchen sink salad or sauteing it with some garlic are some standard ways to enjoy kale. Sometimes though, our eyes are bigger than our stomachs and that big bunch of kale is starting to look a little wilted. So is it time to throw it out? No way! Instead, make a healthy snack for when you’re on-the-go. Kale chips are easy to bake and super tasty, but don’t just take our word for it — try it yourself!

Ingredients:

• A bunch (or two!) of kale
• 1-2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil (depending on batch size)
• Sea salt
• Cookie sheet(s)
• Parchment paper
• A mixing bowl

Directions:

This post originally appeared in Sierra magazine.

Sierra is the magazine of the Sierra Club. Our motto: Explore, Enjoy, and Protect the Planet. Follow Sierra magazine on Twitter.

Image: Well of Health

The post How to Make Your Own Kale Chips appeared first on EcoSalon.

When thinking of a healthy french fry, think zucchini. When thinking of eating this at a McDonalds, wait for pigs to fly.

French fries seem easy enough – just a matter of potatoes and frying oil, right? Wrong. The kind of fast-food fries we’re used to aren’t as straightforward as they seem. McDonald’s French Fries contain the likes of natural beef flavor (wheat and milk derivatives), citric acid, dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate, hydrogenated oils, stabilizer tertiary butylhydroquinone, and anti-foaming agent dimethylopolysiloxane. Many of these artificial ingredients are dangerous in large quantities and overall toxic in your body.

One medium serving (117 grams) of McDonald’s French Fries packs 380 calories, 19 grams of fat, 270 milligrams of sodium, and 48 grams of carbohydrates. With one serving accounting for nearly 30 percent of your daily value of fat, the 5 grams of dietary fiber and vitamin C calcium, and iron quantities, albeit scant to begin with, are vastly overshadowed. The carbohydrate count isn’t doing any favors to your waistline either.

With these stats, there is room for a serious makeover. To lower the fat, this recipe requires baking the fries, which are lightly coated with olive oil. I also used zucchini as the base to slash the carbohydrate load. Zucchini won’t crisp quite like a potato when baked, but it will firm slightly and taste absolutely crave-worthy. The corn flour helps to achieve a crispy brown coating, but if you want a firmer fry, replace the zucchini with a sweet potato or white potato. Regardless of how you alter the base vegetable or ratio of spices, you are bound to end up with a healthier alternative to the Micky D’s classic.

Spicy Zucchini Fries

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

• 1 large zucchini
• 1/4 cup corn flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut off both ends of the zucchini and slice it along its length into 1/2-inch pieces.

Set aside one of the rounded edge slices and turn zucchini onto its side so it is lying flat. Again, slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick pieces to create French fries shapes.

In a medium bowl, toss zucchini strips with corn flour, salt, pepper, turmeric, oregano, red pepper flakes, and olive oil until each fry is evenly coated with the spices and oil.

Lay fries out on a baking sheet so each has its own place.

Bake for 45 minutes or until browned and slightly crisped. Serve with herbs and ketchup!

Bon Appetit!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Nutritional Breakdown: Revamping the McDonald’s French Fry appeared first on EcoSalon.

Create a new summer food staple to add to the family recipe archives.

Zucchini is a summer staple in my kitchen. It’s light and versatile. I like to pair it with Italian flavors, such as goat cheese, tomatoes, and basil, and create unique variations of antipasti. This recipe bakes zucchini slices and rolls them around in basil and sun-dried tomato while being mixed into soft goat cheese. The result is a poppin’ appetizer or snack.

And you’re getting more than just a delectable, bite-sized treat. Zucchini is a powerhouse of nutrition. It contains only 36 calories per one cup and improves digestion, prevents cancer, lowers cholesterol, is anti-inflammatory, reduces blood pressure, and contributes to vibrant and glowing skin.

But, don’t take my word for it. Incorporate zucchini into your diet and see for yourself – starting with this recipe!

Zucchini and Goat Cheese Sliders

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchini
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Dash of sea salt
• 3 ounces soft goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Dash of salt and pepper
• Dried mint for garnish

Directions:

Slice along the length of the zucchinis, cutting pieces 1/4-inch thick. Layer them on a greased baking sheet, season with sea salt, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes or until the zucchini is elastic, able to bend freely without falling apart. You could alternatively grill the pieces, cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side.

While the zucchini is cooking, in a small bowl combine the goat cheese basil, and sun dried tomatoes. Mix until evenly combined.

When the zucchini has finished cooking, place 1-2 teaspoons of the goat cheese mixture on the end of each piece. Roll the zucchini unto itself, starting with the goat cheese side.

Serve with a garnish of fresh or dried basil, mint, or oregano. Enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Recipe: Zucchini and Goat Cheese Sliders appeared first on EcoSalon.

Skipped the bagged version and add some dill.

During the summer season, there’s always room for a light appetizer. Instead of putting out a bowl of chips or a junky bag at your next dinner party, make your own.

The mustard and dill dressing is a classic Swedish recipe that I often use for fish and boiled potatoes, but used on these chips, it gives them an extra kick; they’re oily, salty and just a little sweet. Pair with a glass of bubbles and you’re on your way to a good evening.

You can make this recipe without the dill and mustard, simply coat the potato slices with oil and sea salt and bake.

Mustard and Dill Potato Chips

Ingredients

• 1 russet potato
• 1.5 tablespoons mustard
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• pinch sea salt
• pinch pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/4 cup cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped dill

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Thinly slice the potato, into about 1/8″ slices and set aside.

To make the dressing, mix mustard, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar in a bowl.

Add oil in a slow and steady stream, whisking quickly the entire time. If oil is added too quickly in the beginning, it will separate from the rest of the sauce.

Once oil has been added and sauce has been mixed, whisk in dill.

In a bowl, combine potato slices and mustard dressing and mix until potatoes are well coated.

Place on a baking sheet, preferably on parchment paper or a Silpat.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown, turning the potato slices over about halfway through.

Remove from baking sheet and let cool. They will harden as they cool. Serve immediately.

Want more food inspiration? Check out the rest of our Sunday Recipe series.

The post Sunday Recipe: Mustard and Dill Potato Chips appeared first on EcoSalon.