Imagine this:
You just completed your workout, mastering your routine for the first time ever! Feeling so accomplished, your stomach starts crawling. Hungry and in need of food, you drive to the nearest place you find, trying to make healthy choices about what to eat. However, you get a view of a perfectly delicious bag of potato chips, coming in every variety of flavors to satisfy your cravings - "salt-and-vinegar," "sour cream and onion," "barbecue," and more! You cannot resist, no matter how much you want to try to make healthy choices. You grab a bag and dig in. Honestly, we have all been there, but there are many alternatives that can come to satisfy your chip cravings. One (8 oz) bag of potato chips has about 1,200 calories and contains more than 79grams of fat, making it a hard pass when it comes to going for a post-workout snack. These starchy snacks are a favorite for all, but there are healthier ways to satisfy your chip cravings. Here are four healthy alternatives to chips:
Baked Pear Chips
This baked pear chips do take some time to make, but they are so satisfying and delicious! Perfectly sweet due to the natural flavors of the pear, blending with a warm added spice of the cinnamon, these baked pear chips are the ultimate snack for anyone with a sweet tooth!
Gather Together
- 2 Ripe Asian Pears
- 1/2 Teaspoon of Cinnamon (or Spice of Choice)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degree Fahrenheit (93 degree Celsius).
- Slice pears very thinly from the top of the pear to the bottom, creating thinly cut slices or chips. If you have a mandolin, it is suggested to use one. Remove any seeds that may have been stuck to the slices.
- Lay the pear slices on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or a silicone mat. Sprinkle each slice with cinnamon or spice of choice.
- Bake for an hour. Remove from the oven and flip. Then bake again for another hour. Remove from the oven and flip again, baking one more time for another hour. Turn off the oven and allow the chips to cool completely to dry out (about another hour).
Nutrition Facts
Serves - 2 | Serving Size - One Pear
Per Serving:
- Calories: 52
- Total Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 0mg
- Carbohydrate: 13g
- Dietary Fiber: 5g
- Sugar: 9g
- Protein: 1g
Added Nutritional Benefits
- Potassium: 148mg
- Iron: 0%
- Vitamin A: 0%
- Vitamin C: 8%
- Calcium: 0%
Oven Roasted Spicy Lime Chili Chickpeas
These oven roasted spicy lime chili chickpeas are a great snack on their own but can be used in a variety of ways such as topping soups or salads, or on top of grain bowls! They are very satisfying with the right amount of crunch, making it the perfect go-to for an after workout snack!
Gather Together
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil Ripe
- 2 Cans (14 Ounces) of Garbanzo Beans (Reduced Sodium) - Drained, Rinsed, and Patted Dry
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons of Chili Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon of Cumin
- 1/4 - 1/2 Teaspoon of Chipotle Powder - To Taste (Add More Or Less Depending On How Spicy You Want It To Be)
- 1 Lime - Juiced
- Salt - To Taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degree Fahrenheit.
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the spices with the olive oil. Add lime juice.
- Add the chickpeas to the bowl, ensuring to coat all the beans evenly.
- Spread the chickpeas evenly across the baking sheet, placing the chickpeas in one single layer.
- Roast the chickpeas for 30 - 40 minutes, or until browned and crunchy. Check halfway through cooking and stir to prevent burning.
- When done, sprinkle with salt, to taste, if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Serves - 8 | Serving Size - 1 Serving
Per Serving:
- Calories: 77
- Total Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Carbohydrate: 7g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 1g
- Protein: 2g
Jalapeño Cheddar Sweet Potato Puffs
If you are looking for something spicy but completely satisfying, these sweet potato puffs are made for you! Delectably cheesy, these easy to make snacks will surely fulfill your chip cravings.
Gather Together
- 1 1/2 Cups of Mashed Sweet Potatoes - (Made From About 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 3/4 Cups of Cheddar Cheese
- 3 Tablespoons of 2% Plain Greek Yogurt
- 3 Strips of Bacon
- 1-2 Jalapeño Peppers - Minced and Seeded
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit.
- While the oven is preheating, peel the sweet potatoes. Add the sweet potatoes to a pot of boiling water, cooking for about 20 minutes or until they are fork tender. Drain from the pot, and then mash with a fork or spatula. Cool slightly to move forward.
- Combine the remaining ingredients with the sweet potatoes, mixing until well incorporated.
- Grease the walls of a mini-muffin tin. Scoop mixture into muffin tin, and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Allow puffs to cool slightly before serving.
The recipe should make about 18 puffs.
Nutrition Facts
Serves - 6 | Serving Size - 3 Puffs
Per Serving:
- Calories: 170
- Total Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 3g
- Cholesterol: 84mg
- Sodium: 354mg
- Carbohydrate: 18g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 4g
- Protein: 10g
Added Nutritional Benefits
- Potassium: 306mg
- Iron: 4%
- Vitamin A: 6%
- Vitamin C: 23%
- Calcium: 16%
Salt and Vinegar Zucchini Chips
Looking for a chip that is packed with so much umami flavor and consistently will satisfy your hunger! These chips are the perfect match for you. They are light and crisp, made with malt vinegar to bring in a little added sweetness. If you want something a bit more sharper, you can substitute the malt vinegar with white vinegar or a cider vinegar.
Gather Together
- 1 (7oz) Zucchini - Cut Into 1/8" Slices
- 1 Tablespoon of Malt Vinegar
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons of Olive Oil
- 1/8 Teaspoon of Sea Salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degree Fahrenheit.
- Combine the zucchini in a bowl with the malt vinegar and olive oil, coating evenly. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
- Place the zucchini on two lined baking sheets, and then sprinkle evenly with the sea salt. Bake at 200 degrees for 2 - 2 1/2 hours until dried, crisped, and lightly golden. Flip the chips halfway through baking to ensure no burning. Remove from the oven to cool completely.
Nutrition Facts
Serves - 6 | Serving Size - 3 Puffs
Per Serving:
- Calories: 57
- Fat: 3.9g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Carbohydrate: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0.0mg
- Sodium: 158mg
- Calcium: 26mg
- Sugars: 4g
Added Nutritional Benefits
- Iron: 1mg
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-Patrick
