Tag Archives: snacks

Homemade Chips!

Posted by Diana in Uncategorized and tagged with , , , ,

I was visiting with my best friend and her foodie hubby in Toronto this past week when she shared with me this amazing homemade potato chip recipe that her husband’s been making on occasion. It was so simple that I just had to try it for myself. Here are the delicious results:

The original recipe used a regular white potato but I decided to be slightly more adventurous and used sweet potato seasoned with freshly ground black pepper and a little bit of sea salt. I think it would work well with a range of vegetables… parsnip, zucchini, beet, turnip. I really want to try it with apple next!

The recipe:

Thinly slice your vegetable (or fruit of choice). I used a mandolin slicer on the second thinnest setting. Then toss with 1-2 tsp of olive oil. Put a piece of paper towel on a large plate and place a single layer of the sliced vegetable on the paper towel. Place in the microwave and set for 6 minutes. Keep an eye on your chips as they will turn from perfect crispness to brown and burnt in a matter of seconds! Mine were perfect at about 4:10 but I imagine that results will vary depending on your selected vegetable, your microwave, and how thinly you’ve sliced your chips. Remove from microwave (careful as the plate will be hot) and allow to cool for about 30 seconds. Carefully peel chips from the paper towel. Repeat with remaining sliced vegetables. Season to taste with herbs, spices, and/or a little bit of salt. A quick and healthier alternative to store-bought, deep-fried chips.

UPDATE:

Don’t bother trying the apple chips. They just get all floppy.

One meal is never enough

Posted by Diana in Uncategorized and tagged with , , , , ,

More than once I’ve had people say to me that they eat healthily. More than once these same people will also admit to skipping breakfast and sometimes lunch as well. Just because the food that you’re eating (when you’re actually eating) is healthy this doesn’t mean that you’re eating healthily. Eating a healthy diet is about more than the foods you eat. It’s about when you eat them, how much you eat of them, and what you’re not eating. Like many other dietitians I’m fond of the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. I know that many people don’t feel like eating first thing in the morning but it’s essential to your metabolism to eat something in the morning. It doesn’t have to be right after you wake-up, some research has indicated that if you’re attempting to lose weight it’s actually beneficial to wait to have breakfast after a morning workout. I’m always hungry in the morning but if I’m exercising first thing then I’ll just have some water and eat after my workout. If you’re not a big breakfast eater try having a smoothie, include fruit, protein (e.g. yoghurt, milk, or nut butter), and even a grain like oats. Liquids are often more easily tolerated than solids. Or keep a stash of breakfast items at work so that you’ll have a healthy choice on-hand when you get there.

Timing of meals is important. If you go to long without eating you’re far more likely to overindulge and/or choose unhealthy (e.g. energy-dense, nutrient-poor) options when you do finally eat. Try to get yourself on a schedule and have something to eat every 2-4 hours.

Variety is an important part of healthy eating and if you’re only eating one meal a day odds are that you’re not getting enough variety in your diet. Eating smaller portions frequently throughout the day will help you to get all the nutrients you need from different foods.

One meal a day is not enough. Eat up!