A Bright and Colorful Snack

I love beets. Crunchy red beets are my favorites. I can eat them raw or cook them any way I can think of; they are just great! I have been trying to get Rich, my husband, to eat beets but unfortunately, he hates beets... or does he?


I was at the farmers' market the other day looking for red beets. I couldn't find them but I saw beautiful golden beets that I couldn't resist. I got a bunch and brought them home. Then I thought to myself; "How can I get Rich to eat this?  Rich loves potato chips, he often eats them with his lunch. Bingo!  I'll make beet chips and while I'm at it, I'll throw in some butternut squash too; he'll love them."


A couple of days later, he was coming home for lunch and I prepared one of his favorite sandwiches - grilled cheese.  He says he likes my grilled cheese sandwiches because they have lots of cheese and they always have a surprise inside. This time I sautéed red onions and a couple of portabella mushrooms to put in with the cheese. I presented it to him accompanied with golden beet and butternut squash chips. At first he didn't know what it was. He started eating them and he said; "Umm, what are these? These are yummy." Although he ate more of the squash chips, he also ate a lot of the beet chips and he liked them! Which made me very happy because now I can buy them more often and we can enjoy a bright and colorful snack.

Butternut Squash and Golden Beets Chips
2 golden beets, peeled
1 small butternut squash, peeled
Enough oil to fry the vegetables (I used peanut oil but if not available, use another vegetable oil)
Sea salt to sprinkle over the chips

Using a mandolin or a very sharp knife, thinly slice the vegetables. Arrange, in a single layer, on a paper towel to dry. Meanwhile in a deep heavy pan heat the oil to a temperature of 375°F (if you don't have a thermometer you can test it by adding a small piece of dried bread. If it floats and becomes golden in 30-60 seconds the oil is ready).  Fry your vegetables in small batches to avoid cooling the oil too fast. Place a few slices in the oil and let them cook for 2-3 minutes turning them once; the beets take longer than the squash. They are ready when they start curving on the sides and they come up to the surface. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel or a paper bag. Sprinkle with sea salt while they are hot. Enjoy with your favorite sandwich or eat alone as a healthy snack.