Eat chips and lose weight?…..Yes you can!

It’s National Chip Week (Feb 20-26) and the good news for slimmers is you don’t need to give them up to lose weight! Here’s how….

Delicious home cooked chips and wedges, prepared in a healthy way, can happily be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. And they are quick and easy to make!

There are loads of benefits to the humble spud. They can provide protein, fibre, iron, vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals, and are a great source of complex carbohydrates.

If cooked with the skins left on, then they are even more handy for slimmers, as they can be really filling, and help keep your hunger at bay for a longer period of time.

But why stop at potato?

Substitute, or mix up your potato with other root vegetables. You can experiment with a whole host of different vegetables - anything from carrots to parsnips or sweet potatoes. Each one bringing its own distinct flavour and a host of different vitamins and minerals to your plate.

So if you fancy sitting down with a bowl, here’s how to do it:

SIMPLE POTATO CHIPS: BITES 1.7 (per large potato / 8 chunky chips)

Large potatoes (makes around 8 chunky chips per potato)
Fry Light low calorie cooking spray
Large baking try

1. Firstly, pre-heat the oven to 240°C/Gas 9

2. Next, peel the potatoes and cut lengthways into chunky chips (you can make around 8 chunky chips/wedges per potato)

3. Alternatively, to make wedges, first wash the potatoes then chop lengthways into chunky chips leaving the skins on.

4. Then place the chips or wedges into a pan of boiling water. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer for around 5 minutes to par-boil them.

5. Drain and leave to dry out a little for around 5 minutes.

6. Pour the chips back into the pan and cover with a lid before giving them a good shake.

7. Cover a large baking tray with Fry Light to stop them sticking, then pour the chips onto the tray.

8. Spread out the chips and then spray them all again with Fry Light, before baking them in the centre of the oven for around 25 minutes, until they are golden brown and cooked through.

9. Why not enjoy your chunky chips with some homemade dips, or topped with a poached egg or juicy beans.

If you are experimenting with other root vegetables:

For carrot chips – use recipe as above

For parsnips/ sweet potatoes / butternut squash – par-boiling and cooking times may need to be slightly reduced.

(Image credit: artemisphoto/ www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=2351)