Americans love their potato chips - but they are one snack packed with fat and calories. Is there a way to get that salty crispiness we love while eating healthier? Yep! I've already taught you how to make homemade potato chips that aren't fried, but you can take it a step further and make chips from other, even more healthy veggies.

Not long ago, I looked at the pile of zucchini that came from our garden and pondered what to do with it all. Making zucchini chips was the best idea I'd had in a long time. They were a cinch to make and so, so yummy! Better than store bought chips.

To make zucchini chips, wash the zucchini and cut off both ends. Slice the vegetable into rounds about 1/4 in. or less thick. For best results keep them about the same thickness; a mandolin helps here, but careful cutting with a knife works, too. Season. Toss into the dehydrator on 135 degrees F. until dry and crispy. Or make them in the oven: Put the vegetable slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and pop in a 325 to 400 degree F. oven until completely dry and crisp. Or use the warming drawer of your oven, as I did for my first ever batch of apple rings. Or use the microwave, as I recommend for potato chips.

How you season the zucchini chips is a matter of personal preference. Just salt and pepper works fine. My husband prefers salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I prefer Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb. Some people like to spray them with a little olive oil first - especially if using a method other than a dehydrator. Others love putting Parmesan on their chips, or Cajun spices, or...Experiment! There is no wrong way to season them - especially since zucchini is so mild in flavor.


But you don't need to limit yourself to zucchini. Many other vegetables lend themselves well to this technique, including:

* Cucumbers
* Sweet potatoes
* Beets
* Carrots
* Parsnips
* Kale
* Collards
* Spinach
* Radishes

This is such a simple project - and the results are amazingly delicious. Give it a try!