Who loves that heavy, bloated feeling that often comes after one too many trips to the chip bowl?!  Here is a much better alternative – homemade veggie chips that you slather with dip, or eat on their own. They’re better the real thing, we promise!

Kale

You love it in your salads, side dishes, and smoothies, but what about your chip bowl? Kale can make for a killer oven-baked chip, turning crisp and lightly golden in the oven. We tend to snack on plain kale chips, but feel free to sprinkle on other toppings (like nutritional yeast and a hit of garlic salt).

Ingredients
1 bunch kale
Parchment paper or cooking spray
.25 teaspoon kosher salt
.25 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Rinse kale and pat dry. Remove and discard thick center ribs and stems from each leaf. Tear or cut leaves into small bite-size pieces.

Place kale in a large bowl, drizzle over olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt. Massage leaves slightly to soften and coat with oil and seasonings. Arrange kale in a single layer on prepared baking sheets and bake until leaves are crisp and slightly browned, 12-15 minutes.

Sweet Potato

Sweet and hearty with a beautiful bright orange hue, sweet potato chips are always most people’s favorite in a store-bought bag of veggie chips. So, why not make a batch of your own, and without the deep fryer? These are a snap to prepare and we like to eat them plain. By the handful.

Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
.25 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Place a rack in the center of your oven, then preheat to 250°F.

Rinse potatoes and pat very dry with paper towel. Using a very sharp knife or a mandolin, slice potatoes as thin as possible.

Place potato slices in a large bowl and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle over kosher salt, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Bake until crisp and golden, flipping halfway, about 2 hours total. Once brown, remove from oven, and set aside for 10 minutes to crisp up.

Beets

No longer are beets a purely boiled vegetable. In fact, they make terrifically crisp chips that maintain a bit of sweetness.

Ingredients
2 pounds large beets, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° and line 2–3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice beets as thin as possible. Add slices to a large bowl and toss to coat completely with olive oil. Sprinkle over salt and toss again.

Bake until crisp, rotating halfway through, 25-30 minutes total. Use a paper towel to remove any excess oil and top with additional salt, if desired.

Zucchini

Zucchini turn crisp and golden when baked, and we can’t get enough of their smoky-sweet flavor. Make sure to keep an eye on these to make sure they don’t burn!

Ingredients
1 large zucchini
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 225° and line 2–3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Slice zucchini as thins as possible. Add slices to a large bowl and toss to coat with olive oil. Sprinkle over salt and toss again. Then, spread zucchini on a baking sheet, arranging in a single layer.

Bake until lightly browned and crisp, 1 hour 45 minutes.

Banana

Sliced thinly and baked until crisp, banana chips make for a delicious homemade sweet treat that won’t have you feeling like you just wolfed down a piece of chocolate cake.

Ingredients
2 to 3 ripe bananas
Lemon juice
Cinnamon (optional)
Kosher salt (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 225°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice bananas into thin slices. Add banana slices to baking sheets and brush with lemon juice. Sprinkle over a little cinnamon and kosher salt, if desired, and bake, flipping halfway through until dried out and dark golden, 2–3 hours.