In our home, we LOVE snacks. My husband, Jordy, is a huge fan of chips and salsa, which come with a ton of empty (enjoyable) calories but may leave you feeling heavy and bloated. He never seems to have a problem with it, but I LOVE finding alternatives that provide nutrients while also providing a good time!
Jordy has always loved making guac, so we’ve included our favorite homemade guacamole recipe.
These zucchini chips make a great alternative to tortilla or potato chips. Plus, in the summer months this vegetable grows out of control! So it’s nice to have another way to prepare it.
Note: For this recipe we usually use a food dehydrator instead of the oven and let our chips run overnight (or about 12 hours). It’s easy to let it run and leave it while we tend to other things. The oven is quicker and more accessible to the majority. We also use a mandolin slicer for our zucchini – it makes the process much easier and gets us thin slices! Thinner slices ensure your chips don’t turn out soggy.
Recipe:
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Bake Time: 2 hours | Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes |
Serving Size: About 50 thin chips
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini (green or yellow)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (or olive, avocado, etc.)
- Sea salt (for sprinkling. Note: do NOT over-season your chips, they shrink and will get very salty.)
- Pepper or favorite no-salt seasoning (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225°F (adjust based on oven power).
- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Slice zucchini into thin slices (1-2mm thickness) with sharp knife or mandolin.
- Dab slices with a paper towel to soak up excess water (this helps keep the zucchini from getting soggy).
- Line up the zucchini tightly on the baking sheets, try not to overlap as the zucchini will stick to one another as they shrink.
- Brush coconut oil (or other pressed vegetable oil) on the zucchini rounds. If you don’t have a pastry brush, you can place zucchini and oil in a large bowl and mix with your hands or a spoon.
- Sprinkle salt and optional seasoning over the zucchini.
- Bake for 2+ hours or until golden brown and crisp.
- Let cool before serving. Place leftover chips in an air tight container or jar. These will keep for a few days, so enjoy them soon after preparing.
Our favorite Guacamole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (we also love to use garlic salt in a variation of our favorite)
- 1 Tbsp of fresh lime juice (or lemon juice)
- (Optional) 2 Tbsp to 1/4 cup of minced red onion or thinly sliced green onion
- A dash of freshly grated black pepper
- 1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped
Instructions
- Cut the avocados in half. Remove seed. Slice and scoop out the avocado and place in a bowl.
- Mash avocados with a fork. Be careful not to overdo it, you’ll want some chunks left for the guac!
- Add salt, lime juice, and pepper.
- Add the chopped onion and tomato. Adjust amounts based on your taste!
- Cover container with lid to store in the refrigerator, if you have any left!
