Easy Beetroot Crisps

I have been making an effort to buy more organic vegetables lately. Besides being good for the family I like the idea of supporting smaller, local farmers... and their produce is fantastic! To make life easier I order a weekly veggie bag which I collect from a nearby organic shop every Wednesday and the kids love unpacking it to see what goodies we have for the week ahead.

Speaking of fantastic produce I must share a photo of what we got last week. Yes, I got so excited about these rainbow carrots that I took a photo of them. What can I say? They are pretty cool right? 

We often receive beetroot in our weekly haul and I usually just roast them and drizzle them with some balsamic vinegar. Simple and delicious, but I was getting a bit bored of that and wanted to do something different. The price of store bought veggie crisps make me feel as though I might faint in the snack aisle and I have been wanting to attempt a home made version for ages, so beetroot seemed like a good place to start. If you are wanting to make your own healthy snacks (and also have full control over the ingredients), and you don't mind pink fingers for a few hours then this is the recipe for you!

These beetroot crisps are incredibly moreish, but at least you don't have to feel guilty about enjoying them as a snack. They look gorgeous piled up in a bowl, almost like rose petals. I also love that you do not need a mandolin to make them - a vegetable peeler works just fine. I am quite keen to try some other vegetables now - maybe some rainbow carrot crisps are on the cards? 

I quite enjoy these crisps the simple way, with a little olive oil and salt, but I have tested out a few variations that you might like to try too:

• sweet dried basil (recipe below)
• flavoured salts  - I used NoMU Coriander Sea Salt
• add one teaspoon of dried cumin 
• add one teaspoon of dried rosemary
• you can adjust the amount of salt to your taste, or leave it out altogether

Yum. Lastly, I have some exciting news... next Monday (3 July) I will be returning to the SABC3 Expresso Show kitchen to share a few recipes using one of my favourite ingredients, dates! Keep an eye on the Cupcakes and Couscous Facebook page for more details and wish me luck! 

Cook's notes:

• My beetroot slices were small and were cooked in 30 minutes. I started checking the tray at the 20 minute mark and removing the ones that were done. If your slices are larger or thicker they may require more time in the oven. 

• If prefer to use the smallest beetroots I can find as it is easier to get a round shape with a vegetable peeler, but any size will do. 

• These crisps are best served fresh! 

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BEETROOT CRISPS

Makes 1 cup 

5-6 baby beetroots (about 200g), peeled
1 tsp olive oil
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp dried sweet basil

Step 1.) Preheat your oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Step 2.) Use a vegetable peeler to slice the beetroot into thin rounds.

Step 3.) Pop the beetroot slices into a bowl. Add the olive oil, salt and basil and toss well so that the beetroot is nicely coated. Arrange the beetroot slices on the baking tray in a single layer. They must not overlap so bake them in two batches if necessary. 

Step 4.) Bake the beetroot for 20-30 minutes or until lighter in colour and crispy. Allow to cool slightly then serve. 

NB. Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your slices so keep an eye on them! When checking them you can always remove the ones that are done and put the rest back for a few more minutes.