Microwave Potato Chips

You read the title correctly.  Yes, you can actually make crunchy chips in the microwave.  I was watching a Dr. Oz episode and was inspired by one of the kitchen gadgets he was showcasing.  Being the frugal person I am, I thought, "Why spend the money on the gadget?"  Who needs another gadget cluttering up their kitchen, anyway?

Slice the potatoes paper thin.  If you have a mandolin slicer already, that is the perfect tool used on the thinnest slice setting.  Place a reusable non-stick silicone baking sheet in your microwave and turn off the turn table to keep it from spinning.  Place your potato slices on the sheet making sure to not over lap.  Sprinkle with a little sea salt, then nuke on high for 2-3 minutes.  The time will vary based on how thin your slices are and the power of your microwave.  If they turn out a little chewy and not crunchy, your chips are either cut too thick or it needs to cook a little longer.  If they are cooked a little too long, they will taste a bit burned.  Play around with a few small batches until you get it just right.  They are delicious, light & airy, and much healthier than any fried chip.

You can also try this trick with a variety of veggies & fruits like sweet potatoes, apples, pears, or other root veggies like parsnips, beets, etc.  Check out some of the variations you see in the snack aisle for inspiration. You will probably have to play around a little to find the perfect cook times for each type.  I found with apples, and other items that have a higher sugar content, the sweeter they were, the more likely they had a tendency to be a bit more chewy than crunchy, but they are still delicious.  With the apples, I found putting them in for 1 minute and 50 seconds, flipping them, then putting them in for another 30 seconds came out the best.

It's much quicker than a dehydrator, so you can make them fresh whenever you get the craving.  I haven't tried it yet, but I would think they would store for a few days at room temperature in an airtight container or baggie. I'm sure you could also do the same thing in the oven on a low bake setting, but when you don't want to wait or heat up your kitchen, try this instead.  Imagine the possibilities!

Break the Fast Food Habit

Are you busy running all over town with the kids, running errands, or off to work, then trying to squeeze all your other duties in on your lunch break and after work before you crash from exhaustion?  Getting hungry? Boy, it would be easier to run through the drive through and grab a quick bite to eat, but....  STOP!!!!  DON'T DO IT!!

Before you get to that desperate moment, plan ahead, just a little bit.  Keep a healthy, protein-filled snack in your car or purse that you can grab instead.  A small palm sized handful of raw almonds, or lightly or unsalted peanuts in a zip-lock baggie can get you over that impulse and help you drive right by.  The protein and fiber found in nuts will give you just enough to take the edge off your hunger and keep you feeling content until you can make it home and grab a much better meal option.  It will save you money and is much better for your waistline.

Looking for some quick and healthy ideas for meals so you don't get home and think, "Now what?" Check back on my blog on a regular basis and I will be sharing some delicious, easy, money and time saving recipes to simply your life, improve your health, and help keep more money in your pocket.

Happy New Year 2012!

Hope you all had a fun and safe new year's eve.  I am not the type to go out and party to ring in the new year.  Too many crazies on the road after all the celebrations.  I'm more of a make the party at home type of person.  Make lots of great food, great drink, and great friends and family.  Turn on a little Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year with Ryan Seacrest, a few bottle rockets and sparklers, and try to keep your eyes open long enough to see the ball drop. 

I wanted to share an easy recipe I whipped up yesterday that came out awesome.  If I do say so myself.  You may have to adjust the ingredients slightly, since I sometimes tend to cook by instinct and feel.  I can give you rough amounts of what I put in, but I don't always measure with measuring spoons for spices and stuff like that.  Yesterday, I wanted to make some black eyed peas to bring some good luck for 2012, but just winged it on the recipe.  I already had a feel for what basically should go in and just went for it with a few healthy additions.  It does have a little kick from the chilies in the Rotel, so taste it before adding the pepper.  Here it is:


Hoppin’ John (Black Eyed Pea Soup)

1 - 16oz. bag of dried Black Eyed Peas
1 smoked ham bone (I had frozen the ham shank bone from Christmas dinner)
Filtered Water
1 Large Onion – diced – I used a yellow onion, but any kind will do
1 - 10 oz. can Original Rotel or other similar diced tomato and chili mix
Leftover smoked ham, diced (I used roughly 2 cups of ham)
2 large hand-fulls of roughly chopped fresh kale
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt to taste depending on saltiness of ham (I used about 2 teaspoons)
Pepper to taste (I added about a ¼ tsp.)
1 large bay leaf

Soak dried black eyed peas in 8 cups cool filtered water min. 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse beans well.

In a large crock pot, add 6 cups of filtered water to beans, add ham bone, and set crock pot on low. After beans soften, in about 2-3 hours, remove the bones and any chunks from the bone that aren't good to eat, add the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for an additional couple hours, or until flavors are blended nicely. Check for taste before serving to adjust salt and pepper.

I just realized I forgot to snap a photo.  I'll add one after I warm up a bowl of left overs. :o)  Enjoy!

Hope you all have a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2012!!

As promised... Here's the pic.  It's even better the next day!  Yummy, yummy! :o)

What to do with those too soft bananas?

I don't know about you, but when my family goes to the grocery store or veggie stand, those beautiful yellow bananas call out to them.  You buy a small to medium sized bunch with the best of intentions to eat them all up before they get too soft.  After they are around for a few days, the small brown spots turn to medium brown spots. Maybe some even large brown spots show up.  At this point, most of the time, everyone will pass over them when looking for a snack.  What to do?

My personal favorite is throw it in the freezer instead of the trash.  Peel and all, it takes only a second to get it off the counter and on to bigger and better things later.....

If you have an extra minute, before you freeze them, peel them, cut them in half, stick a popsicle stick (available at most dollar type stores in the craft dept) in the wide end, stack the on top of one another in a gallon sized baggie and throw the whole bag in the freezer. In a few hours you will have your own version of banana babies, a frozen healthy treat on a stick.  Out of the freezer, a little magic shell syrup and back in the freezer for a few more minutes, maybe even roll it in some chopped nuts, gives a little more variety to these yummy treats. Tip: If you do coat with the magic shell make sure to re-freeze them without touching or they will stick together and the coating will fall of when you separate them.

Do you get those evening cravings for something cold and sweet?  Most grab a bowl of ice cream.  A healthier solution is to grab one of those not so pretty bananas out of the freezer, easily slice the peel off with a paring knife, chunk into bite-size pieces, and maybe even drizzle a little Hershey's syrup on top.  This makes a yummy naturally creamy frozen treat. 

These frozen bananas are also a perfect addition to a breakfast smoothy in your blender.  It adds great flavor, lots of healthy vitamins and minerals, and a creamy consistency.  Vary amounts to your taste.  Way cheaper than the frozen fruit when you consider you would have likely tossed it in the trash anyway, so it's really kinda free.

Instead of freezing, they will also make a great banana bread, banana muffins, or the like.  Even frozen, if you let them defrost a bit, they are ready for these type of recipes in no time.  These quick breads and muffins also typically freeze really well.  This way you will always have a quick travel friendly breakfast or snack handy right out of the freezer, if they last long enough to even make it to the freezer.

When you come across a great sale or marked down bananas because they are looking a little brown in your local veggie stand or grocery store, keep these ideas in mind.  Maybe even buy some extra.

Hope the next time to encounter some bananas a little past their prime, you remember some of these great tips.  Do you have any additional ideas or great recipes you would like to share?  I'd love to hear them!