Recipe: DIY Potato Chips

This is, by far, one of the most mind-blowing recipes I've come across. I'm giving credit to lovetolaugh54 who posted this in a recipe swap forum. I'm modifying it slightly by using my salt substitute .

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/3 pounds of potatoes (4 medium)  [Yukon Gold or Red variety are best] 
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. Morton's Salt Substitute

To Make:

• Scrub potatoes to clean, but DO NOT peel them -- the skin of the potato is where most of the nutrients are.
• Slice potatoes into thin rounds, about 1/8 inch thick. Try to get them all a uniform size -- it will help in the cooking process.
• Toss potato rounds in oil and salt substitute. I found it was easiest to do in a plastic bag, rather than a bowl. 
• Coat a large microwave-safe plate with Pam. Arrange some of the potato rounds on the plate (In a single layer).
• Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 2-3 minutes or until some of the slices start to brown.
• Turn potato rounds over and continue microwaving until they crisp and turn brown around the edges (Around 2-4 minutes) -- Check the rounds often to make sure they are not scorching
• Transfer the cooked chips to a plate to cool, where they will continue to "crisp up".
• Do additional batches, if needed

Serves: 4

Each Serving:  (12-14 chips) 130 calories, 26 g carbs, 2 g fat, 3 g protein, 925 mg potassium, 0 mg sodium

There you have it folks -- if you use a salt substitute -- you can make potato chips with NO sodium. This might be my new "salty" fix!

Happy Cooking!

The US has the Saltiest Fast Food in the World

I think we can all come together and admit that fast food is horrendously unhealthy for you. It's processed, has very little nutritional benefit, and has a ridiculous amount of salt. But is this universally true? Is fast food "better" for you in some countries than in others?

The Canadian Medical Association published a study in its journal on Monday which stated that not only does the salt content in fast food vary substantially depending on the type of food, the chain, and the country in which it is produced, but most alarmingly, that the US has the saltiest food in the world.

In the study, "The variability of reported salt levels in fast foods across six countries: opportunities for salt reduction", nutritional data on the sodium content of six international fast food chains in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, the UK, and the US was studied. Average salt contents were compared between chains, and between countries. 

The study found that salt contents across the surveyed countries varied drastically. For instance, while chicken products in the UK contained 1.1 g of salt per 100 g serving, the same portion of chicken in the US contained 1.8 g of salt. 

Even as a non-fast-food-eater, I found the results of this study alarming. A long term high-sodium diet is lethal, and can lead to high blood pressure, hypertension, heart disease, and kidney failure.

I do not like products with high sodium contents, so I opt to use Morton's Salt Substitute in place of salt in all my recipes. Instead of table salt, or sodium chloride, Morton's salt substitute is potassium chloride which is much better for your body, and tastes the same. 

I will be discussing more about sodium, (and potassium, my favorite macro-nutrient after protein) in later posts, but I'm curious what my readers think of this study.