Ways to enjoy chips while watching carbs

I don't know about you, but I love chips. I could eat a huge bag in one sitting. They are so depressing when you read the nutrition section on the bags. Way too many carbs to be eating for a low carb diet. Bummer!! Well, here are some carb friendlier choices you can make.

Low Carb Tortilla Chips

1 1/2 cups 170 g part-skim shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup 56 g almond flour

1 tablespoon golden flaxseed meal

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper liners.

Melt the cheese in a double boiler or microwave. If you’re using the microwave, place the cheese in a large glass bowl, microwave it for 1 minute, and then in 15 second-intervals after that, checking and stirring until it’s melted.

Once the cheese is melted, use a fork to mix in the almond flour, flaxseed meal, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to knead it a bit until it looks like dough. (If the dough cools too much, you may need to microwave it for a few seconds so it’s easier to work with.)

Divide the dough into 2 equal balls. Spread or roll each ball of dough out onto the prepared baking sheets until each is a rectangle about 8 by 10-inches. Cut each into square or triangle-shaped chips. Spread the chips out on the baking sheets so they’re not touching.

Bake until golden brown on both sides, about 10 to 15 minutes, flipping the chips once halfway through.

Serve, or store the chips for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. To re-crisp the chips after the first day, bake them for 5 minutes at 350F.

Low-Carb Crispy 

Zucchini Chips

10 cups thinly sliced zucchini

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Onion Powder

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 medium lemon, juiced

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes

Habenero seasoning OPTIONAL for EXTRA SPICY

Toss zucchini slices with all seasonings, olive oil and lemon juice. Taste and adjust as needed.

Arrange seasoned zucchini slices in a single layer on dehydrator trays

dehydrate at 125 degrees for up to 24 hours or until completely dehydrated and crispy.

Store in an air tight container at room temperature for several months.

Crispy Cheddar Cheese Chips

4 cups cheddar cheese, or Mexican blend (depends on your size baking sheet, should form a single layer.)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp chili powder

Preheat an oven to 400F

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, leaving a little extra on the side to make it easy to pull up and out of the pan when you’re done.

In a bowl, combine cheese and spices.

Spread out over the baking sheet and form into a rectangle with as straight edges as you can.

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until visibly crispy.

Remove from oven.

Lift the cheese out of the pan with the sides of the parchment paper and place on a cool countertop. (If your cheese is extra droopy, it needs to be cooked longer.)

After about 1 minute of cooling, you should be able to use a pizza cutter and cut your rectangle of cheese into triangles.

Low-Carb Parmesan Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale 

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese or other Italian hard cheese

salt to taste

Preheat the oven to low, 210 °F (fan assisted), or 250 °F (conventional). Wash the kale thoroughly and make sure you drain it completely (paper towel works best). If you don't dry it enough, it will get soggy. Remove the stems and tear or chop into large-bite-sized pieces. Don't make them too small, they'll shrink a bit while baking.

Place the teared kale into a bowl and add a pinch o salt and olive oil. Mix well with hands to allow the oil everywhere. If you don't want to get messy, simply place the kale into a plastic bag, add the seasoning and shake well.

Add half of the grated Parmesan cheese and mix well. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and put in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until crispy, checking frequently. Remove from the oven and when still hot, sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan cheese.

Place on a serving plate and enjoy!