How to Make Your Own Potato Chips

January 6, 2015 by francis

It’s no secret that kids love to snack on potato chips, but they certainly aren’t the healthiest food in the world. Making potato chips at home cuts down on a great deal of saturated fat and sodium, and it’s much easier than you might think. Here are three delicious homemade potato chip recipes that your kids (and you!) will love.

Sweet Potato Chips [preschoolers.about.com]
Add a bit of sweet flavor to the usual potato chips by using nutritious sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. This recipe takes only three ingredients and 25 minutes to make, and you can season it however you prefer.

Oven-fried Potato Chips [simplyrecipes.com]
If your little ones love the crispy, fried flavor of store-bought potato chips, this recipe will help you to mimic that in a healthier manner. Use them as a side dish or pack them in their lunch boxes for a delicious, homemade surprise.

Oven Baked Potato Chips with Sour Cream and Onion Dip [pbs.org]
The classic combination of chips and dip gets a nutritious (and still kid-friendly) makeover in this simple recipe. By using reduced fat sour cream in the onion dip you get all of the flavor with half of the fat and calories.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/jeffreyww

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: Chips, Cooking, Food, Recipes

Make Salsa 4 Ways With These Spicy Recipes

May 6, 2014 by francis

Whether you eat it with tortilla chips or use it as a topping on your favorite Southwestern dish, salsa is a healthy and flavorful dip with a variety of different uses. These simple salsa recipes are welcome alternatives to your usual store-bought jar, and they come in a number of unique flavors that you may not have ever experienced.

Restaurant Style Salsa [Pioneer Woman]
No matter which brands you buy at the grocery store, salsa just never tastes as good at home as it does at a restaurant. This expert recipe will show you just how your favorite Mexican restaurant creates their crave-worthy salsa.

Crunchy Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa [Rick Bayless]
Combining the cool taste of avocado with flavorful tomatillos, this authentic salsa recipe is one for the books. It’s ideal for those who love spicy foods because it is simply full of hot green chilies, but this recipe can also be toned down to become more family-friendly.

Mango-Tomato Salsa [Food and Wine]
Perfect for pairing with crunchy fish tacos or other summer dishes, this sweet salsa incorporates mangos for a unique flavor. It’s truly simple to make, and it even looks just as good as it tastes.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde [Simply Recipes]
Give the traditional red salsa a rest in favor of something greener and uniquely flavorful. The tomatillo gives this sauce its green color, and a dash of lime juice adds a juicy flavor that’s truly refreshing.

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/Mike65444

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: Cooking, Food, Recipes, Salsa

Plan Tonight’s Dinner With These 3 Nutritious Pork Recipes

March 4, 2014 by francis

While we’ve all had a classic pork chop, most people aren’t aware of the many other recipes involving pork. If you want to expand your at-home culinary creations without ruining your healthy diet, these delicious and nutritious pork recipes from the NIH will help you do just that:

Pork Chops in Warm Cherry Sauce
Add a sweet, tangy update to the usual pork chop with this simple recipe. By cooking the meat in red wine, cherries and a few common spices, this dish is both elegant and quick enough to prepare after a long day at work.

Pork Mignons With French Applesauce
Continuing the fruity flavor trend, this pork dish uses applesauce to add taste without adding fat and calories. These pork mignons add up to only 250 calories and a full 26 grams of healthy protein, with a cinnamon and apple flavor that’s perfect for fall or winter dinners.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin
The lean pork tenderloin has a texture similar to chicken, which makes it simple and quick to prepare. Seasoning with garlic, soy sauce and fish sauce helps the dish take on an Asian flavor that tastes much more complex than it actually is. At only 8 grams of fat, you really can’t go wrong with this unique pork recipe.

For more pork recipes and other healthy eating tips, visit the NIH website.