Make your own “Zapps” Potato Chips?

Before I even start, I have to say—this was entirely my husband’s idea. 

Somewhere, on the interwebz, without even having a Pinterest account to get addicted into, my husband found a blog about making homemade potato chips…in the microwave. And they’re actually pretty healthy…. less than 75 CALORIES per serving.

Mind = blown.

I refer to them as “Zapps” because you “zap” them in the microwave.  Get it?  Get it???  I know, I’m friggin’ hilarious.

And of course because, as you already know since they feature frequently on this blog, Zapp’s are the very bestest potato chips on the planet, made right in Gramercy, Louisiana.

And thankfully, a few places outside of Louisiana are starting to realize how awesome they are, because there are now THREE eateries right here in Springfield, Missouri who actually carry Zapp’s.  Do you realize how awesome this is?  Probably not, but that’s probably because you’ve never had to try to smuggle a bag of potato chips in your luggage without pulverizing them or having them pop on the plane.  Seriously.  Not fun.

But as much as I love Zapp’s chips (okay, okay, ANY potato chip), they are generally NOT GOOD for you. Lots of fried fat, lots of salt, lots of preservatives, lots of artificial mono-di-gly-whatzahoozits and Yellow 5 (seriously, it’s in everything). 

But How does THIS look in comparison?

1 serving of Zapp’s Cajun Crawtator chips (1.5 oz) = 220 calories, 12 g fat

1 serving of our homemade chips (1/2 potato, or about 2.8 oz) = 72.5 calories, 2.2 g fat

Seriously.

(yes….I use the word “seriously” WAY too much.)

ANYWAY… without further ado…. let’s make with the chips.

Ingredients:

1 potato, washed, skin-on (Yukon Gold was recommended, but we used a large red potato), sliced thin with a mandolin (or the long skinny side of your shredder)

Olive oil cooking spray (or olive oil in a hand-pump mister, like this one that I love) 

Your favorite seasonings (we used cracked black pepper & sea salt on half, and Cajun seasoning on the other half)

 

Directions:

Step One: Let your husband do all the work, because you’re holding the camera. :D

Step Two: Lightly spray the WELL-CLEANED* glass turntable from your microwave (because that thing gets gross, yo) with olive oil, and then evenly place your sliced potatoes on it.

Then lightly spritz the facing-up-side of the potatoes with olive oil as well. 

Step Three:  LIGHTLY season the facing-up-side of the potatoes with your seasoning of choice (I think one of those multi-flavor popcorn seasoning shakers could really come in handy for a snack like this). I say lightly because we accidentally overdid it on some of our chips.  Better to underseason now, and then if they’re a little bland after cooking, you can dip them in something, or sprinkle on some extra seasoning.

Step Four:  Place turntable back in your microwave & nuke your potatoes for 2 minutes & 30 seconds.

 

Step Five: Remove turntable, flip the slices, LIGHTLY season the opposite side, and then place the turntable back in the microwave for 2-4 minutes, or until the chips start to brown & get crisp. (Go for 2 minutes to start, then additional 30 second increments as needed.)

 

(The closeup above shows some of the overseasoned chips.  Go lighter than this.)

Step Six: Let cool for a bit, then CHOW DOWN!

I was actually really surprised.  There were a couple slices that were still a little chewy, but for the most part, they were totally crisp & crunchy.  Really delicious.  And since they’ve got just the slightest amount of olive oil on the outside (figure about 10 calories worth of oil per spray, if you’re using a pump mister), they’re pretty low fat!  Opt for salt-free or low sodium seasonings and you’ve got yourself an afternoon snack that hardly anyone could turn down.

 

I totally want to try this again with some sweet potatoes and a little cinnamon sugar.  YUM!

 

NutriFacts:

Calories 72.5

  Total Fat 2.2 g

  Saturated Fat 0.3 g

  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g

  Monounsaturated Fat 1.7 g

  Cholesterol 0.0 mg

  Sodium 290 mg

  Potassium 373 mg

  Total Carbohydrate 13.7 g

  Dietary Fiber 1.3 g

  Sugars 0.5 g

  Protein 2.1 g

 

 

*That’s for you, JoJo.

Snack time!!!

 

The hubs & I were in dire need of caffeine & sweets, so we whipped ourselves up a pretty fabulous lil’ snack the other day:

Our beverage of choice? 1/2 Mt. Dew Voltage, 1/2 Diet Mt. Dew.  (And it just happens to be our wedding colors!)

And our snack of choice?

1 graham cracker

8 mini marshmallows

1 fun size Reese’s PB cup

+ 1 microwave (about 20 seconds)

= BEST. SMORES. EVER!!!

Homemade kolaches!

 

Since I busted out the biscuit recipe last week, it got some gears turning in my head about making some kolaches at home.

What’s a kolache (co-lah-chee) you ask?  Think “savory stuffed donut”.  Or, “giant pig-in-a-blanket”.  We used to buy them by the dozen from Home Cut Donuts in Lafayette, LA (conveniently located one block from my old office).  A pretty darn tasty way to start the day.  Available with cheese, jalapenos…yum.

So I took the biscuit recipe from last week, & mixed it up a bit—rather than using straight all-purpose flour, I used half AP flour, and half wheat pastry flour to give it a lighter texture.

RECIPE: (makes 4 kolaches)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup wheat pastry flour

1/2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cajun seasoning

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup shortening (we used light margarine)

1 egg white

1/3 cup milk

2 smoked Polish sausages, casing removed

4 slices cheddar cheese

 

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then cut in the shortening until crumbly.  Add the egg & milk and then stir until the dough leaves the side of the bowl.

Turn onto a floured surface, and  knead gently, about 20 strokes.  Then roll or pat out to about 3/4 inch thick, then cut into 4 strips.

Once the casings have been removed from the sausages, wrap a piece of cheese around the sausage, and then wrap a strip of dough around that.  Pinch the seam closed, and place seam side down onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 450F for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Now THAT’S a tasty bite.

 

NutriFacts:

Calories 398

  Total Fat 25.1 g

  Saturated Fat 10.1 g

  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g

  Monounsaturated Fat 2.6 g

  Cholesterol 80.4 mg

  Sodium 674.3 mg

  Potassium 47.1 mg

  Total Carbohydrate 26.1 g

  Dietary Fiber 3.7 g

  Sugars 3.1 g

  Protein 18.9 g

Crawchos!!! (aka Crawfish Nachos)

This is an invention of my cousin Primo’s, that he dreamed up back in the day when we were still roommates in Lafayette.  Of course, back then, it was just an idea, a loose concept.  But since that time, Primo’s had a chance to perfect it into a pretty tasty dish.  And while I was down in Louisiana for work last week, he was cool enough to teach me his recipe.  This makes a pretty big batch, so it’s great for a party, and a great way to use up leftover crawfish tails after a boil!


Ingredients: (this has been slightly health-i-fied from the original)
32 oz block of Velveeta (2%), cubed
8 oz fat free cream cheese, cubed
14 oz can sweet corn, drained
2 tbsp jalapeno slices, diced
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
10 oz can of Mexican Rotel, drained
4-6 oz light beer (I’ll recommend Abita Light to keep it Cajun)
1 lb crawfish tails (preferably leftover from a crawfish boil so they have some good spice)
1 tbsp dry Crab Boil seasoning
Tortilla chips
Sliced green onions or cilantro (optional—we didn’t have them, but I think it would make a nice garnish & add another pop of flavor)

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the corn over medium-low heat & season with the Cajun seasoning.  Stir occasionally.  This is to pull some of the moisture out of the corn, to give it a crunchier texture.  After about 5 minutes, add the jalapenos & continue to stir.

P.S.  Now’s a good time to have one of these:

(My favorite time of year—Strawberry Lager season!)

And of course, what’s an episode of FeauxCajun Kitchen without some canine sous chefs?

(“Furreals Dad…just ONE piece of cream cheese.  But don’t try stickin’ that heartworm pill in there again. I’m on to your schemes.”)

In a large pot, combine Velveeta, cream cheese, rotel, crab boil seasoning, and beer over medium heat. 

Stir periodically until smooth & creamy, then add crawfish & corn mixture.

Continue to cook until crawfish are heated through, stirring frequently to make sure the bottom doesn’t scorch.

Arrange your chips on a plate and then pour the crawfish cheese sauce over the chips.

Proceed to chow down!!!

Nutrifacts (makes 12 servings):

Calories 370.2
  Total Fat 13.7 g
  Saturated Fat 6.3 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 2.9 g
  Cholesterol 88.0 mg
  Sodium 1,869.9 mg
  Potassium 359.8 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 34.0 g
  Dietary Fiber 2.4 g
  Sugars 8.1 g
  Protein 26.7 g

Southwestern Style Baked Eggrolls

Do you love Chilis?  Because I love Chilis.  I’m not sure why…there’s very little there that could constitute a “healthy” meal…but it’s all so friggin’ DELICIOUS!

And Chili’s Southwest Egg Rolls are my Achille’s heel. My Pandora’s box.  My Kryptonite.  My Vader.

However, an entire plate of these bad boys (3 whole egg rolls) will set you back about 800 calories.  Which is a little more than half of the calories I normally try to eat in a day…that’s a bit much for one meal.

And since the Irish egg rolls I made a while back went over so well, I figured I could try my hand at this treat too.  The result?  Completely delicious, crispy, Chili’s-wishes-they-were-this-awesome eggrolls with HALF the calories of the original.

Ingredients: (makes 12 egg rolls)

1 cup sweet corn

1/2 can (about a cup) canned black beans, rinsed & drained

1 link spicy smoked turkey sausage (optional—you could also use grilled chicken; we added meat so it would be a more complete item to eat as a meal)

5 oz chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed dry (we actually didn’t have this in the house, so I improvised with some chopped cabbage.  Definitely not the same, but it works in a pinch.)

2/3 cup light shredded cheese, mexican blend if you can find it

2 oz (about 1/4 cup) diced green chiles, or diced pickled jalapenos

1 tsp dried green onion or chives

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 package of egg roll wrappers (12 wrappers)

light cooking spray (like Pam)

 

Directions:

Heat your oven to 425F.

In a large skillet, combine the chopped cabbage and sausage (if you’re choosing to include these items…if you have frozen spinach and/or are not including meat, you can skip this step).

 

Once the cabbage is softened & the meat is warmed through, remove from heat & add the remaining ingredients, minus the egg rolls.  Toss to combine.

Lay an egg roll wrapper on a clean, dry plate, and place a small cup of water off to the side, to use when sealing the edges.   Spoon about 1/4 cup of filling into the center of the wrapper. 

Fold the bottom triangle up, then roll the two sides in, and then roll up toward the top triangle.  Wet the edges of the top triangle to seal. (see the photos in my Irish Egg Rolls entry if you’re having trouble getting the rolling down.)

Grab a metal cookie sheet and lightly spritz with cooking spray.  Place your egg rolls on the tray, and then lightly spritz those as well (it helps them get nice & golden while baking).

Bake for 10 minutes on one side, then flip, and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until golden brown & crispy.

 

And of course, you’re going to want to dunk these in something, right?

Try this out:

1/2 pack Ranch seasoning

1 cup fat free sour cream

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

Or, if creamy sauces aren’t up your aisle, go with your favorite salsa.

Makes 4 servings, 3 egg rolls per serving.

Let’s see how it compares, shall we? (Bear in mind that the Chili’s version doesn’t have meat in it.)

 

NutriFacts: (per serving)

Calories 368.0

  Total Fat 7.0 g

  Saturated Fat 2.9 g

  Polyunsaturated Fat 1.2 g

  Monounsaturated Fat 1.2 g

  Cholesterol 38.4 mg

  Sodium 1,198.2 mg

  Potassium 438.6 mg

  Total Carbohydrate 57.2 g

  Dietary Fiber 7.4 g

  Sugars 3.2 g

  Protein 22.6 g

 

Calories in the ranch dip (2 tbsp): 30 (0.4g fat)

Bacon-Wrapped Peppadews

I have been in LUUUUUUUUUUV with peppadews since I worked at Martin’s Wine Cellar in New Orleans.  Because when you work in the gourmet foods section, you have access to the OLIVE BAR.

Sweet precious baby Jesus, I LOVE olive bars.

Oddly, I didn’t really like olives much until I started working at Martins.  Well, scratch that.  I liked martini olives, because I used to chow down on them when I worked as a bartender in college (hey, free snacks!).  But I didn’t think much of the rest of the olive community.

And then I met wine-soaked kalamatas, and jalapeno stuffed queen olives, and giant cerignola’s in a garlic & lemon brine.

(My friend and fellow former gourmet foods expert Kathy refers to these as “sex olives” because they’re THAT good.)

Our olive bar also had the delicious tiny cornichon pickles, and peppadews, the “piquante African sweet pepper”.

As a snack or lunch, my coworkers & I frequently made “peppa-shoes”, which consisted of goat cheese, wrapped in thinly sliced proscuitto, stuffed inside the peppadew.  YUM.

(These are a few of my favorite things…)

However, I no longer work at a deli & prosciutto is EXPENSIVE. 

Ergo…we have BACON!!!

Ingredients:

8 peppadew peppers

2-3 tbsp soft goat cheese
4 pieces of low sodium bacon, cut in half
toothpicks

Directions:
This is pretty similar to the jalapeno recipe I did a while back.  First, scoop goat cheese into a ziploc baggie, then snip a small hole in one corner, to use it as a piping bag.  Then pipe the cheese into a peppadew:

Then, wrap with a half strip of bacon & secure with a toothpick.  I baked these in a muffin pan to make sure they stayed upright.

(Ignore that one on the lower right…he’s shy.)

Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes or until the bacon gets crisp.  Then serve!

Makes eight peppers.

NutriFacts: (per pepper)
Calories 84.5
  Total Fat 8.0 g
  Saturated Fat 3.3 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 0.2 g
  Cholesterol 15.4 mg
  Sodium 98.0 mg
  Potassium 0.9 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 0.5 g
  Dietary Fiber 0.0 g
  Sugars 0.0 g
Protein 2.2 g

Shared on 33 Shades of Green's Tasty Tuesday & Grateful Belly.