|  I have never had much of a sweet tooth, always preferring the salty & crispy goodness that describes potato chips, tortilla chips and the like. As I have attempted to eat healthier, I have really had to cut this category out of my diet, as even the "light" chips still pack a ton of fat and calories into a very tiny portion. Because they lack fiber, these types of snacks never really fill you up, hence why so many people eat an entire bag in one sitting, when a bag may contain 16 servings or more! I have looked at some of the chips with the "fat alternatives" such as Olestra, but quite honestly the thought of the possible side effects (cramping, bloating, diarrhea) makes them slightly less than appealing. And even the most "low-fat" chips still tend to have 6-7 grams of (bad) fats in a one ounce serving. I have created a recipe for a snack that satisfies my cravings for chips without blowing my eating plan. In fact, depending on how you make these, they are quite healthy indeed! So without wasting any more time, lets take a peek at how to make these chips in a matter of five minutes... What You Need2 Low-Carb Wheat Tortillas 2 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese 1 tsp garlic powder (optional) 1 tsp onion powder (optional) 1 tsp salt (optional) 1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil or 1 can Pam Cooking Spray Making The Chips I started off here with some Tumaro's Multi-Grain Low-Carb Tortillas (two of them to be precise). These tortillas are great to use for this as they pack a ton of fiber, and don't have any saturated or trans fats.  First, cut the tortillas in half.  Now fold the two halves over on top of each other...  And then cut the tortillas into chip-shaped pieces.  Place the pieces single-layer on a cookie tray lined with some parchment paper and place in the preheated oven for approximately 5 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the baking process.
The tortillas are now looking nice and crisp - remember not to overcook them as they are going to go back into the oven one more time! Either spray them lightly with some non-stick cooking spray or brush them with the olive oil (just a little bit of oil goes a long way here).  In a small mixing bowl, toss lightly with the salt, garlic salt and onion powder until evenly coated.  Now place the chips back onto the lined cookie sheet, and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese lightly over the chips. Put them back in the oven for 2 more minutes, and viola...  This rather modest portion will actually leave you quite satisfied, unlike the same portion of potato or tortilla chips. Flavoring VariationsThe sky is really the limit here, you can experiment with different flavors of tortillas (spinach, sun dried tomato, etc) as well as virtually any spice combination. I like to sprinkle nutritional yeast on them , giving them a very cheesy flavor, as well as a boost of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and protein. I personally prefer these with the extra virgin olive oil, gives them a really nice crunch, as well as some healthy fats - and if you stick to the smallest amount you can get away with (a pastry brush dipped in oil once will be more than enough for this batch size), you will only add about 30-40 calories to the recipe, as seen below. Nutritional Data
I'd love to hear any comments you guys have on this recipe, or any additional flavor ideas. | Comments |
Comment Posted By Guest (Unknown Location) On Tuesday, November 4th, 2008 - 8:50 am