When you decided to start cleaning up your diet you probably made a list of foods that were off limits. One of those foods was probably potato chips. Luckily, it doesn't have to be that way.
First, there's nothing wrong with white potatoes. Potatoes contain carotenoids and flavenoids, along with a decent array of vitamins.
Carbs? Listen, if you're a lifter you need carbs. Low-carb diets are for sedentary obese people, not people who train hard. Along with oats and rice, potatoes have always been a staple muscle-building, workout-fueling food for bodybuilders and athletes. Only couch potatoes should avoid potatoes.
The problem is how we usually eat them, usually in French fry form or out of a bag you shame-purchased at the convenience store. It's not the potato that's the problem, it's how it's prepared: fried or baked with bad fats and soaked with extra calories. Here's how to make your own shame-free chips.
- Using one of those mandolin slicers (or some good knife skills), thinly slice a white potato. The second-to-thinnest setting on most slicers is perfect. Too thin and they'll burn, too thick and they won't get crispy. You'll figure it out.
- Salt and pepper them. No oil required.
- Here's the magic. Cook them in the microwave on high for roughly 10-14 minutes. Just keep an eye on them. It'll take a while before they start to crisp up, and when they do just take them out when they get to your preferred level of doneness. Unlike the oven, the microwave will cook off the moisture, ensuring crunchy chips.
Note: This doesn't work as well for sweet potatoes, so stick to a white-ish variety: russet, red-skinned, gold, etc.
Add garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, or a shot of vinegar after cooking.
A Quick, Healthy Dip
Grab a soft avocado and mash it in a bowl. Now mix in a spoonful of unsweetened, plain Greek yogurt. Add a squeeze of lime, a pinch of salt, and any herbs and spices you like.
- Use organic potatoes.
- Use iodized salt.
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