Chips and Dips That Are Good for You

There are so many reasons to be channel surfing right now. The daily drama of the election aftermath, the fall return of our favorite TV shows and a football season when college and pro games are at the "must-win" stage. Because all of us armchair critics and quarterbacks need some lean, delicious snacks, I'm sharing my recipes for healthy — yes, healthy — chips and dips.

Sign up for the AARP Health Newsletter.

Chips and dips are ideal snacking food but many are addictively good and decadently bad. Oily potato chips and fat-laden French onion dip, for example. Then there are the good-for-you offerings — store-bought baked chips and fat-free dips — with impressive calorie counts but terrible taste and odd textures. My healthy dips and chips offer health and taste. These chips and dips are so nutritious you could feel good about enjoying them as dinner while watching your favorite team or show.

My Taste-Like-Fried Tortilla Chips are baked whole. They're more fun this way, plus you can break them into smaller pieces and scoop up more of the healthy dips. Baking your own chips also allows you to control the sodium. In fact, if you opt not to season the tortillas, you can enjoy crisp from-scratch no-sodium corn chips! To replicate the taste and texture of fried chips, brush the tortillas with minimal oil — it's only 1 teaspoon, or 40 calories, for a full serving of two whole tortillas.

All of the dips — Avocado and Toasted Corn Guacamole, Easy Black Bean Dip, Mango Salsa — are vibrant, varied and simple, each one nutrition in a bowl.

Tastes-Like-Fried Tortillas

Serves 3

This recipe easily doubles. Simply adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions and use 2 large cookie sheets, switching pans after about 8 minutes when turning over the tortillas.

6 corn tortillas

1 tablespoon olive oil

Kosher salt

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange tortillas in a single layer on a large cookie sheet. Brush both sides of each tortilla with oil and lightly sprinkle with salt. Bake until crisp and golden brown, turning tortillas over after about 8 minutes, until fully crisp and golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes.

Next page: Avocado and toasted corn guacamole. »