Beet and Sweet Chips

I have been trying to appreciate beets for two years, and I finally found a way.

Baked beet chips.

How do they look?

I love how some of the chips carmelized into shimmering candied bites. Beautiful and delicious!

Beets are wonderful for our bodies. They have antioxidants and phytonutrients that are unique to a small group of plants, they are anti-inflammatory, and give your liver a boost. Go here for some specific nutritional info.

Beet and Sweet Chips

What you need:
beets
sweet potatoes (the potatoes with light brown skin and orange flesh)
mandolin or good chefs knife
EVOO

What you do:

*Important note: Before you begin, realize that beet juice is a very potent natural dye. It can stain your kitchen equipment and clothing, and temporarily stain your skin. Take any precautions you need to keep your special/expensive kitchen tools, cutting boards, etc. free of deep red stains, and if working with children, get out the play clothes and painting smocks. I sincerely apologize to those of you who tried this recipe before I posted this warning!

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Get out your largest baking sheet.
Wash and peel the beets and sweet potatoes. Using your mandolin or knife, cut them into thin slices, keeping the thickness as uniform as possible. Arrange the slices in a single layer on your baking sheet. Using a clean pastry brush (I like the silicone kind), cover the slices with a layer of extra virgin olive oil.

Put the baking sheet full of chips in the oven, set the timer for twenty minutes, and go about your day. When the timer goes off, pull the sheet out and check on them. Depending on how thick you've cut the chips, they may take upwards of forty minutes to cook, so don't feel like you've failed if they need more oven time. They are done when the edges are starting to crisp, and if you're lucky, the beet chips look shiny and have a chewy bite like taffy. The sweet potatoes don't turn shiny but their color will darken. Both kinds of chips will be soft when you take them out of the oven, but they'll crisp up as they cool.

Eat them right off the baking sheet for a delicious, nutritious snack. If you give them a fair chance, I think you'll really love beets prepared this way. A sweet treat from a roasted root vegetable. Who knew?

Storage: I put the chips in a plastic Snapware container with the lid on overnight and they softened a bit. I kept them in the refrigerator that way for several days. For best texture, eat these on the same day you bake them up.