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Sunday, April 14, 2013

Beet Chips inspired by Food Matters

I want to preface this post by saying that I am in no way dispensing medical advice.  I do not know the best option for you or your loved ones.  I am simply sharing with you what the gist of this documentary is.  These are very personal decisions, and of course you should explore each and every option.
Beet Chips | www.girlichef.com
Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food. -Hippocrates

If you've ever read any of my numerous "inspired-by-food" posts, you've probably noticed a trend.  Fun.  Light-hearted.  Fluffy.  They're a source of enjoyment for me (and hopefully for others).  Today I'm veering off that path for a bit to talk about a film that I think every single person in the world should see at least once.  I watch it about once every month or two, just as a reminder.

Food Matters is a documentary that looks at our (in the U.S.) overly toxic lifestyle, the lack of nutrition training in medical schools, and the benefit of changing our food choices to benefit a healthy lifestyle.    While modern medicine revolves around shoving pills into your face for every little ailment, if we reflect on the words of Hippocrates, we are reminded that food is really the best medicine.

Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, that can ravage an already weak immune system are not the only option.  And definitely not the best option.  High-dose Vitamin C therapy and high-dose nutrient therapy can actually arrest or reverse cancer - for good.  The film talks about the importance of bringing education on vitamins, nutrients, and food choices to the American population.  Teach America to be healthy and our healthcare costs will go down.  If we insist on super foods and organic foods, agriculture will grow, and we can work on returning the nutrients to the soil that we've stripped out of it.

This is a very brief overview of what Food Matters is about.  The great thing about the documentary is that it doesn't push a view on you - it presents you with facts.  Studies.  Proof.  It inspires me to be conscious of what I'm putting into my body and into my families bodies.  So go.  Watch it.  It's only 80 minutes long...a great one to throw in while you're cooking, doing the dishes, folding laundry, etc.
inspired by Food Matters | www.girlichef.com
So of course I had to make something healthy, nutritious, and crave-worthy.  That is exactly what these beet chips are.  Not to mention - the color!  You know you're putting good stuff in when the color is naturally bright and vibrant.  Two simple ingredients: beets and a drizzle of olive oil.  No salt necessary (at least, I don't think so).  Crispy, crunchy, with that sweet concentrated taste of a beet.  Use them to satisfy a snacking urge or eat them alongside something else as part of a meal (like I did with that Salmon Burger you get a glimpse of on the plate below - recipe soon).

Food DOES Matter.

Beet Chips
Ingredients (varies)
  • Beets
  • Olive Oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet (or two if you have more than one oven rack) with parchment paper.

Wash the beets, peel them, and trim off the tip and tail. Slice them thinly (1/16" - 1/8") - using a mandoline will be your best option. It can give you thin, consistent slices in a manner of seconds.

Drizzle the beet slices with a bit of olive oil, and toss them around so that the oil coats both sides. Line them up on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a half an inch or so between slices. Set another piece of parchment paper over the top of the slices, and set another baking sheet on top of that.

Slide into preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the top tray and sheet of parchment and continue to cook for another 10-20 minutes, or until slices have dried and lightened in color.

Repeat as many times as needed to bake all of your beet slices into chips. Once cool, store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a few days.
Beet Chips | www.girlichef.com
"We must make nutrition the primary prevention strategy for the population and be as zealous on nutrition as we are on global warming...you are what you eat...food can change your mood...the choices you make directly affect the outcome of your life."  ~Food Matters