Craving Chips and Fries?!! Here's some HEALTHY alternatives to try out!

Who doesn't like chips and fries?! And now that summers been around, you probably find yourself at the parks... parties... BBQs and what do they have? Even the smell of fries is really tempting, but what can you do to still have your fix and stay healthy? 

YOU CAN HAVE VEGGIES as an alternative! WHAT?! Yea... and they're actually quite delicious! These are different in a sense where they are baked instead of fried. So it leaves behind a lot of the fat that you would get from chips and french fries from a fryer. Just have those sit on paper towel and you'll know what I'm talking about. Or just look at your fingers after handling them. YUP... FAT! But some of the best prepared veggies chips are packed with more vitamins than your standard potato. They take a little time to prepare but it's a snack that'll take away that salty or crunchy craving that you're having without feeling guilty.

Here are some ideas on what you can do!

KALE CHIPS
Packed with a ton of crunch and so many different variations you can do to bake these! One of my recipes calls for drizzling the kale with olive oil and baking the kale chips at 400ºF. I bake them for about maybe 10-15 minutes.. depending on the oven and how long it takes to crisp up. Then once they come out of the oven, I sprinkle parmesan cheese and lime juice and it's DELICIOUS!! Not only is it packed with flavor, it's low in calories, high in fiber and packed with iron and vitamin K!

ZUCCHINI CHIPS
Also a lot of variety you can use for zucchini chips as it's like a blank canvas just like kale. Dip the zucchini slices in milk and cover with whole grain breadcrumbs. Season with some parmesan cheese, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in with the breadcrumb mixture). Then bake for about 15 minutes on 425ºF. (from skinnyms.com)

Beet Chips
With a little bit of salt, they become the ultimate sweet and savory treat. They're a great source of magnesium, fiber, iron, and vitamins A, B, and B. Bake them in the oven for about 30 minutes, flip em over and bake for another 20 minutes on 400ºF. You can use any seasonings you desire as well! Keep it simple and use salt and pepper and brushing each side with olive oil.

Sweet Potato fries
Healthier alternative to the white potato as it is less starchy. This is more of a complex carb and by itself tastes great! Cut them into medallions or slices just like regular french fries! Bake them until crispy and you can sprinkle some parmesan cheese or even some cinnamon! Delicious!

Eggplant Fries
Awesome source of fiber and Vitamin B. This is slightly on the sweeter side, so a little bit of salt would be great with it. Let it sit with some salt before roasting to help soak up some of the natural moisture this veggie has! and enjoy!

Brussels Sprout Chips
Loaded with Vitamins K, C, B, fiber, and magnesium

Parsnip Fries
Recipe for Curried Parsnip Fries
Oven on 420ºF. Season with olive oil and curry and bake for 30-40 minutes. Packed with iron, Vitamin A and C and Calcium!!