Easy DIY Chips

DIY: Potato Chips

It is very easy to make potato chips yourself and you might even be surprised when you see that it is cheaper as well. You can flavor your chips however you like with spices. For example, for a touch of spice add chili powder, and for an exotic touch try curry powder.

Instructions:

1. Peel potatoes and cut them into thin slices.
2. Put them on a skewer to make the chips crispy.
3. Put the skewers on a large soup bowl so that the potato slices do not touch the bottom.
4. Cook the chips at 750 watt for 6-7 minutes in the microwave. Each microwave is a little bit different so if the chips turn too dark, take them out early.
5. Take the chips off the skewer and you are done! You can then flavor the chips with whatever you want.

DIY: Apple Chips

Depending on which type of apple you use, the chips will taste a little different. Apples with bruises should not be used.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 70˚ Celsius/ 160˚ Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Wash apples well and remove the cores.
3. Cut apples with a vegetable slicer into thin slices. The thinner the slices, the crispier the chips.
4. Distribute slices on the baking sheet and bake for 3 hours. To allow the moisture to escape, open the oven from time to time for short periods.

Tip: Make sure the oven is all the way preheated when you put them in so the apples don’t go brown. Additionally, you can drizzle some lemon juice on them.

DIY: Banana Chips

Store bought banana chips are extremely high in calories because they are fried in fat and then sweetened with sugar. DIY chips are the lower calorie alternative.

Instructions:

1. Peel the banana and cut it into thin slices.
2. Lay the sliced bananas on a lined baking tray and put them into the oven.
3. At 60˚ Celsius/140˚ Fahrenheit, the chips must roast in the oven for 6-8 hours. At a higher temperature, the sugar and the chips can burn and caramelize.
4. In between, always observe the drying process and remove individual chips to test them. When the chips are done, they should feel firm and leathery.

Advantage: Since the chips are baked at such a low temperature they barely lose any vitamins.

Disadvantage: This is a very time-intensive process. It pays to make a large batch at once and then store the extra chips.

DIY: Vegetable Chips

Vegetable chips may be the best DIY chips. Unlike potato chips, they contain virtually no carbs and a lot less sugar than apple or banana chips. This makes them the perfect snack for relaxing in front of the tv.

For vegetable chips, carrots, parsnips, fresh beets, and kale are perfect.

Instructions:

1. First, peel the vegetables or clean them thoroughly.
2. Cut the vegetable into thin slices or rings. The thinner the slices the crispier the chips will be.
3. Put the vegetable slices in a bowl, add some salt and let them sit for 20 minutes. The salt will pull out some of the moisture in the veggies.
4. Then rinse the vegetables with water well, so that the chips are not too salty later.
5. Pat the veggies dry with a kitchen towel. Then mix them with a little olive oil.
6. Distribute vegetable slices on a baking sheet and bake at 180˚ Celsius / 350˚ Fahrenheit in a convection oven until the chips are brown. The baking time depends on how crispy you like your chips.

Tip: When you first put the chips in the oven, leave the oven open so the moisture can escape. 

A great EAT SMARTER recipe for Vegetable Chips can be found here.

DIY Chips: Storage

If you don’t eat all the chips right away, store them in an airtight container so they remain crispy. However, the chips should not be kept for too long since they do not have any preservatives in them.