Oven Crisps

I think its pretty ironic that I don't have much of a sweet tooth given the fact that I run a bakery.

My weakness lies with crunchy salty things. Crispy French fries, potato or vegetable crisps, cheese curls, corn chips ...... you get the idea. This near obsession with crunch means I have to have that textural element in most foods I have. I have been know to put crisps inside my sandwiches. This gets me a lot of odd looks but I am used to those....

This addiction is an unhealthy one. I know that. I have been working on making better food choices in the last year and I can finally satisfy my addiction at home and with a few substitutions, make this healthier.

To make your own crunchy, crispy snacks, you will need:

• A mix of: white potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, beets etc. You can choose 1 or mix in any combination you like.
• Olive oil to coat
• Salt and cinnamon powder to taste

Directions:

• Peel and slice your vegetables as thinly as possible. I find this is easier with a mandolin slicer. Please use the guard that comes with the slicer. These gadgets are very very sharp - I learnt that the hard, painful way
• Lightly coat the slices with olive oil and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet
• Bake in oven set at 350 degrees F till crispy. This should take about 30 minutes if the slices are very thin.
• Season with salt and cinnamon powder and enjoy

You can fry these crisps as well. However, that would defeat the healthier option purpose.  Make a lot of these if you have company over so people do not shorten your ration. You can also serve this with a dip of sorts. Try my amped up mayonnaise. That will work a treat.

Enjoy!!!

Something's Popping - New Post on BellaNaija

My fun take on popcorn and movie days is up here: http://www.bellanaija.com/2014/10/31/bn-cuisine-with-uzos-food-lab-somethings-popping-cocoa-popcorn/

Please read and comment.

Enjoy!!!!

Cucumber Dip

There is nothing like a nice dip that can be made in a jiffy to serve when guests come over. Or as movie watching food at home. Or just to have in the fridge to make snack time more interesting. Or if you open the fridge wondering what to eat with a teaspoon in hand, you can scoop some into your mouth just because.....

 

This cucumber dip has only 4 ingredients and is summer yummy and healthy too.

 

To make 1 cup of dip, you will need:

• 1 cup of Greek style yogurt: Greek yogurt is quite pricey at the stores that stock them in Lagos and I use a lot of yogurt for dips, smoothies and for snack time. I use the locally produced yogurt in the white tubs that cost less than N400 per tub which works just as well as the pricier alternative
• 1/2 cucumber: seeded and chopped into fine pieces. I do not mind the skin of cucumber - more fiber but peel the cucumber if you prefer
• 1 tablespoon of sweet chili sauce
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

 

 

 

How to:

• Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine
• Serve with potato chips, pretzels, breadsticks or even rice cakes
• This can also be a nice spread for sandwiches and burgers

 

 

Enjoy!!!!