What’s Cookin’? Healthy & Delicious Homemade Parmesan Carrot Chips

I am working on a story right now about the crazy cost of pre-packaged, "junk" food. Sometimes it's easy to look at vegetables, fruits, and meats, which are priced by the pound, and think "oh, that's too expensive." But, when you break down the cost per pound of a bag of Lay's? Holy Cannoli! Puts things into perspective.

Which is what this recipe also does, I think. I LOVE UK Cooperative Extension Office dishes for many reasons. Every year, they put out a calendar with a new recipe to try each month. Some are tastier than others, of course, depending on your preferences, but they are all easy and very affordable.

All of the recipes are developed with SNAP recipients in mind and can feed lots of mouths for cheap. This one for Parmesan Carrot Chips is sooooo good. You could easily serve it as a side dish with sloppy joes, burgers, or whatever you'd like. Or it could be a great after-school snack. Best part? Only 66 cents a serving. Take that, Lay's!

Parmesan Carrot Chips Ingredients

Here's what you need:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 bag (1 pound) carrot chips (or 4 large carrots, sliced 1/4-inch thick)
• 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder or cumin
• Dash cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Here's How You Make Parmesan Carrot Chips

Keep in mind, prep time is about five minutes, and cooking time is about 30-35 minutes.

1. Wash your hands with warm water and soap, scrubbing for at least 20 seconds.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. (Note: You might need two baking sheets to avoid layering the carrots.)
3. In a medium bowl, mix olive oil, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder or cumin, and cayenne pepper (if using). Add carrots and toss to coat.
4. Spread carrots out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 18 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and toss to coat all sides. Return to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until crispy and slightly browned.
5. Remove from oven and allow to rest several minutes before serving.
6. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

You could also throw them in the air fryer to make them crispier or add a dip on the side. Drizzle some hot honey, maybe, whatever you have on hand at your house. They are delicious just the way they are.

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Recipe makes 4 servings
Serving size: 2/3 cup
Cost per recipe: $2.64
Cost per serving: $0.66

Nutrition facts per serving:
140 calories; 9g total fat; 2g saturated fat; 0g trans fat; 5mg cholesterol; 160mg sodium; 13g total carbohydrate; 2g dietary fiber; 4g total sugars; 0g added sugars; 3g protein; 0% Daily Value of vitamin D; 6% Daily Value of calcium; 6% Daily Value of iron: 6% Daily Value of potassium
Source: Brooke Jenkins, Extension Specialist for Curriculum, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service