I never made homemade chips before and thought it would be a breeze. There were only two things standing in my way: (1) my fear of the mandolin; and (2) a temperamental oven.
Regarding the former, years ago my husband wanted to buy an industrial strength mandolin for no apparent reason. We brought it home and during the first use, he cut off the tip of a finger. We promptly shoved it in the far reaches of a remote cupboard. Then a few years later, I had the bright idea to give it another try and I, too, sheared off part of an appendage. Although the mandolin comes with a safety guard, not all vegetables have the proper shape to make using it feasible. And once you start slicing those veggies really fast, before you know it you’re hitting bone.
I resolved this time to leave at least 3 inches between me and the slicing blade, so my big, fat, 1-plus foot long carrots fit the bill perfectly. I’m happy to say no blood was shed during the making of these chips.
Regarding my oven, there’s a reason I don’t bake. Aside from the lack of patience and culinary precision required to be a good baker, my oven is fussy. Hot spots, cold spots, hot flashes that could put a dragon to shame (when the gas kicks off and on). I supposed I could invest in a new oven, but why do that when I could just avoid baking? Due to this equipment-induced handicap, you’ll have to take my suggested baking times with a grain of salt. Know thine oven well!
For those following Dr. Fuhrman’s Eat To Live program, this complies with both the weight loss and life plans. The minimal amount of oil used is to prevent sticking/burning. I also use a very small amount of salt in the hummus. Use your discretion whether you want/need to use these ingredients.
Ingredients (serves 4 – 6)
1 medium sweet potato
1 large-diameter carrot
1 medium beet
cooking oil spray (optional – I used coconut oil spray)
Hummus Ingredients
1 can garbanzo beans (rinsed well and drained)
2 – 3 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup chopped onion
1 large garlic clove
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
½ cup chopped parsley (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Set the mandolin blade to the thinnest setting. I like to set the mandolin legs on a rubber grip (used for opening jars) to ensure it doesn’t move during slicing. Slice the carrots and sweet potato first. For slicing the beets, you’ll want to lay down a layer of paper towel to catch beet juice drippings and prevent staining.
3. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper, lay veggie chips – not overlapping – on sheets (one sheet for beets, one for carrots and one for sweet potatoes) and lightly dust with a thin coat of cooking spray. Note: I tried baking these using sheets lined with parchment, unlined, and inserting a cooling rack for full circulation of heat, and found that cooking on the parchment paper gave the best result. But my oven is picky, so test your oven to see what works best.
4. Set a timer for 30 minutes and then rotate the sheets for even cooking. The smaller chips will cook faster and may need to be removed before the others. I also found that the sweet potatoes cook the fastest while the beets take the longest. Re-set the timer at 10 minute intervals, removing chips as they cook and before they burn. It takes approximately 60 minutes for all chips to fully cook.
5. Place cooked chips on a rack to cool and crisp up.
6. While chips are baking, prepare the hummus by placing all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Let chill in the refrigerator.
7. Serve with chilled humus after all chips have cooled and become crisp.
cheri says
Hi Amy, I’m afraid of my mandolin too, these chips look wonderful though, time to get over it. Happy Holidays!
cheri recently posted…Festive Rosemary and Toasted Caraway Shortbread
Amy says
I’m so glad I’m not the only one with mandolin-based fears! Thanks, Cheri.