Baked Zucchini Chips

Overview:

So lately I've been loving Target's buffalo wing potato chips that I actually bought for my siblings since they demanded "snacks." However, it turns out that they did not like this flavor too much as it was "too spicy"for them. That being said, I have found myself munching on these bad boys by myself. Now, these are definitely not clean, but I am by no means a fully clean eater. I don't consider myself to be on a diet of any sort. Instead, I just enjoy eating a variety of things and things being healthy is an awesome bonus.

Nonetheless, I decided to health-ify this popular snack food by using a vegetable! So the star of today's show is the zucchini! I actually had a bit of trouble finding this at my local grocery store since they were labeled as "Italian squash." You learn something new everyday right? Anyways, these are definitely not as crispy as regular chips, but they are definitely addicting.

Just a warning, these chips take a while to bake. And by a while I mean 2+ hours. It'll be worth it though!

This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. I added some cheese to the final product but if you omit the cheese, these chips are also vegan and paleo. 

This recipe serves 1-2 people as a side dish or snack.

 Ingredients:

2 zucchinis

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2-1 tsp salt

olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 230 degrees.

2. Wash your zucchini and slice into very thin slices. It is crucial that your chips be as thin as possible or else they won't crisp up. You may opt to use a mandolin slicer.

3. Coat all chips with olive oil, not too much and just enough.*

4. Add your garlic powder, pepper, and any other seasonings you prefer.

5. Lay your chips on a (greased) pan. I didn't have a large enough pan so I had to pile the chips on. You ideally do not want layers of chips so that the heat can crisp up the chips more effectively.

6. Place in the oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the chips are to your desired crispness.

7. You may periodically take out the chips after the first hour to flip the chips over to their other sides.

8. Take the chips out of the oven and sprinkle some feta or parmesan cheese on top for extra flavor.**

9. Enjoy immediately. The chips will moisten if left out for too long and become less chip-like.

Notes:

* The chips will probably turn out just fine without the oil if you wish you omit it. You should skill grease the pan however or use some kind of tray covering.
** If wanting a vegan option and still want some extra flavor, try some nutritional yeast.