as someone with a huge sweet tooth and who is seriously committed to a "delicious veggies only" policy, these slightly sweetened parsnip chips are basically my best friend. they're just sweet enough to feel like a treat, but totally sinless because you're getting all sorts of great nutrition in the process! it's the best kind of win-win situation.
one of the best measures for how much i enjoy my creations is whether or not i'm able to make it through a photo shoot without eating the food i'm supposed to be taking photos of. i started my shoot with almost a full quart jar of these chips and by the end there were about 5 left... needless to say, i've always had a hard time keeping these babies around! i can remember the first time these were made, i don't think they even made it out of the dehydrator and into a jar. they just went straight into our mouths!
so... i couldn't be most excited to share this recipe with all of you wonderful folks today! parsnips are by far my favorite root veggie, and i don't think they get nearly enough credit for their incredible flavor and natural sweetness. plus, they can be pretty darn gorgeous - just look at these beauties!
these chips are, well, exactly as the title suggests! thin and crispy dehydrated slices of parsnips dusted with cinnamon and a bit of added sugar. unfortunately, there are two pieces of kitchen equipment required to make these super simply, but i can suggest some work-arounds. the two kitchen tools are a dehydrator and a mandoline (the slicing kind, not the musical instrument, silly!).
the mandoline: this makes it quick and easy to get really thin slices that will dehydrate evenly. if you have some super magical knife skills, you could try this without the slicer, and i will have the utmost respect for your skills.
the dehydrator: some folks like to make dehydrated foods in their oven, with the temperature set as low as it goes. i've never tried these that way as i'm pretty attached to my dehydrator, but you could definitely try! i would place them on a grate, or flip all the chips over every few hours so they dry evenly on both sides.
now, for the simplest recipe i've posted yet!
ingredients:
parsnips (i like to use the fattest ones i can find, for nicely sized chips!)
cinnamon
cane sugar
instructions:
first, slice your parsnips into thin rounds using a mandoline. they don't need to be paper thin, but you want them to be a millimeter or so thick. the thicker you slice them, the longer they'll take to dehydrate, and the less likely they are to get perfectly crisp.
now toss the parsnips with a bit of cinnamon and a bit of sugar. i like to do this using a big bowl and some quick layers. just toss a layer of your sliced parsnips in the bottom of the bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon and a bit of sugar (a tablespoon or less - you don't need much!). keep up the layering until you've used all your parsnips, then get your hands dirty tossing them all around. you want some cinnamon and sugar stuck to the outside of every parsnip!
once you've combined everything, cover the bowl and let the sugar dissolve with the moisture from the parsnips. i usually let it sit for an hour or two.
now, just spread the slices onto your dehydrator shelves and run the dehydrator at 135 for 5-6 hours. the length of time they take will depend on the thickness and how quickly your dehydrator works. for reference, i have the nesco snackmaster.
now, do your best to get them into an airtight container before eating them all!
if you can't fit all the slices you cut into your dehydrator, just place the covered bowl in the fridge, and dehydrate another batch when your first is finished.