Rae Udy

RECIPES: Rainbow Chips, Hummus, Roasted Vegetable Bruschetta

By Rae Udy

Appetizers and treats can be a healthy part of your holiday get-togethers but keeping costs down is on our minds this season.
Chips and dip are always a fixture at holiday parties, but they can be expensive to buy. Packaged chips can cost three or four dollars a bag, but you can make your own gourmet chips at home for a quarter of the cost.
Rainbow chips get their unique color and great taste from sweet potatoes, beets and potatoes. These vegetables are rich in vitamin A and one serving of these tasty chips provides 65 percent of the needed daily value.
Serve these crisp and colorful chips to dip up protein-rich Hummus. This easy to make dip provides 11 grams of protein in each serving and is also high in iron, potassium and B vitamins.
Roasted Vegetable Bruschetta adds a taste of Italy to your party for pennies per serving. This tasty appetizer can be made earlier in the day and put together when guests arrive. These crisp appetizers provide 56 percent DV of vitamin C and are a great source of thiamin, calcium and fiber.

MasterCook Deluxe for nutrition break downs

   

Rainbow Chips

2 large potatoes
1 large sweet potato
1 large beet
Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Wash and peel vegetables. Slice each vegetable into very thin chips using a sharp knife, mandolin slicer or vegetable peeler. Fill a deep saucepan one-third full of oil and heat over medium-high heat. Cook in small batches for 30 seconds to a minute until very crisp while turning chips with tongs or a long-handled spoon. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Season with salt. Place on a baking tray and keep warm in the oven while cooking remaining vegetables. Serves eight.

   

Hummus

2 16-ounce cans chick peas or garbanzo beans
1/4 (one-quarter) cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 (one-quarter) teaspoon salt

Combine chick peas, lemon juice, olive oil and salt in blender container. Process on chop until mixture is smooth. Serve at room temperature or chilled with chips, crackers or fresh vegetables. Yields two cups dip.

   

Roasted Vegetable Bruschetta

1 eggplant, cut into one-half inch cubes
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium red onion, sliced into thin wedges
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large clove garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper, as desired
1 loaf French whole wheat bread
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4 (one-quarter) cup toasted almond slivers

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Combine prepared eggplant, red pepper and onion in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with oil and toss until vegetables are coated. Spread vegetables in a single layer in a large cookie sheet or baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn vegetables and bake 10 minutes more, or until eggplant is tender. Transfer to a bowl and add garlic and salt and pepper. Slice bread into 5/8 inch slices. Place on cookie sheets and bake four minutes or until crisp and browned. Remove from oven and place on serving tray. Spoon eggplant mixture onto bread slices. Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes and basil. Garnish with almond slivers. Serve hot to twelve.