simply tasty: recipe series

if you know me, you know that i love to cook and bake.

there are many reasons for this.  first of all, i really enjoy the act and art of preparing food, and it is generally a great stress-reliever in my life.  since i am the type of person that really needs to see tangible results to be motivated, cooking is perfect because the results are pretty much immediate (as soon as its done cooking) and always delicious.  secondly, it is a God-given part of my role as a wife (good thing i enjoy it!).

thirdly, i like to cook/bake because it is less expensive and healthier than buying packaged, prepared food from the grocery store.  it is healthier because it is made without preservatives and hasn’t been sitting on the shelf for 3 months (or longer!!) before you buy it.  furthermore, you can control what goes into your food, allowing you to adjust to your own dietary needs.

it is also cheaper than buying already prepared food.  for example, a box of 6 granola bars will cost you about $3 at the store.  i can make a whole pan of granola bars (easy 15 or so) for under a dollar.  after i make them i wrap them individually in plastic wrap so that they stay fresh and are ready to go at any time when i need a snack on the fly.

i am passionate about cooking wholesome, delicious, inexpensive and healthy meals and snacks.  And I love to instill this passion in others as well (just ask my former apprentice teresa meyer!).

for this reason i am going to have a series of blogs of recipes that are tasty, easy and healthy.  our first entry will be home made tortilla chips.

one reason i prefer to make tortilla chips rather than to buy them is because store-bought fried tortilla chips are very unhealthy.  in fact they are one of the most calorie dense foods, with few other nutrients.  homemade tortilla chips are make with good fats, are lower in fat and sodium (because sea salt has lower sodium than table salt) and have the dietary fiber you need (about 15%DV in each serving).   also, they cost much less [buying pre-made tortilla chips costs about $4 per pound, give or take, depending on the brand.  this homemade and healthier version will cost you about 50 cents per pound]

Tortilla Chips

ingredients (i am not very specific with the amounts so that you can make as many or as few as you want):

1 package of corn tortillas

olive oil

sea salt (if need be you can substitute regular table salt)

drizzle ½-1 teaspoon of olive oil over each tortilla.  using a pastry brush, spread the oil evenly over each one.  stack the tortillas on top of one another, and using a large knife or a pizza cutter, cut them into fourths or sixths.

spread out the chips on a cookie sheet (use more sheets if necessary, so that the chips are just one layer thick), sprinkle with sea salt, and bake at 325 degrees, for 20-30 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown and the chips are stiff.

these can be stored in a large ziploc bag or plastic container for up to 10 days.

optional: for extra flavor, sprinkle cumin and/or lime juice over chips before baking. 

enjoy!

[if you make this recipe, comment and share with us what you think about it!]