It is no secret that I have a hearty appetite; but, thankfully, maturity has provided me with the wherewithal to know when to stop. Despite this I very rarely snack; and when I do it’s often nuts or veggies- simple stuff, really. But lately as my professional life has been getting busier, giving rise to stress; I find myself having urges for snacky things. There are only so many handfuls of nuts one woman can eat, before she goes, well, nuts.

I’ve obviously turned to kale chips to quell my cravings in the past; I wouldn’t be a natural foods chef worth my salt if I hadn’t. But, again, I grew tired of kale chips; which I didn’t think could happen- but it did. Then, while rifling through the depths of my cupboards, I saw my underused mandolin slicer; and it dawned on me, vegetable chips.

Beets seemed like the natural choice for vegetable chips; and they were what I had on hand. I wasn’t complaining, as these cerise colored gems are highly touted as a liver tonic and blood purifier; a staple in the juicing and smoothie crowd. And although beets are high in sugar, having been lambasted by the low carbohydrate posse, their sugar content is insignificant unless you are really, really, REALLY sensitive to sugar.

Rosemary salted beet chips are sure to be a crowd favorite; as the rosemary salt balances the natural sweetness of the beets. If you have a mandolin slicer, then this recipe is even easier than easy, if that’s possible; if you don’t, then slice the beets as thin as possible- you may have to bake them longer depending on their thickness.

If you’re feeling peckish, then rosemary salted beets have got your number!

Rosemary Salted Beet Chips

3 large beets

¼ cup olive oil

½ tsp rosemary salt

Rosemary Salt

1 sprig rosemary

¼ cup sea salt

Preheat oven to 375^oF.

To make rosemary salt, in a blender (I use my blendtec) combine rosemary sprig and ¼ cup sea salt. Set aside.

Slice beets with a mandolin slicer to 7mm thick; if using a knife cut as thin as possible. Toss the beets with olive oil and rosemary salt. Line the beets on two racks on baking sheets.

Bake the beets for 15 minutes in the top and bottom third of oven. Rotate the racks and flip the beets; and bake another 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to crisp up.