Humans are naturally attracted to the promise of Sweet & Salty. And attracted is putting it lightly I suppose, since sweet and salty snacks trigger a dopamine response that motivates us to seek more and more and moar. They’re addicting and “Big Food” has done their research. They know all about the release of dopamine that keeps us coming back. That’s why there’s an entire aisle of salty snacks, another of sugared soda water and candy and sweet treats fill every end-cap.
We have a physiological craving for them. We need essential minerals for cellular growth, (salty) and glucose is the bodies primary fuel, (sweet). And salty enhances sweet, so together they become doubly irresistible. Sweet and salty are actually good, it’s the Big Food conglomerates that aren’t. They take a natural human craving and use it to sell junk food.
Grocery and convenience stores are lined wall to wall with all kinds of sweet morsels, salty chips, cookies, candies and cakes. Snacks, snacks and more snacks. Most of them loaded with highly processed grains, toxic sugar and poisonous hydrogenated oils. And they all taste soooo good. We used to be junk food junkies, consuming Tostitos covered in salsa, Lays layered with onion dip and Pepperidge Farm, Macadamia Nut Chocolate Chip cookies by the bag.
“Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend.” ~ Lao Tzu
More recently, we’ve embraced a lifestyle that puts health and fitness before convenience and immediate gratification, which means we’ve removed almost all the junk food out of our diet. The cravings never go away though, so we’re constantly searching for healthy, nutritious snacks that fulfill our sweet & salty desires. There aren’t many options at the market however, so more often than not, it means making our own.
Sweet Potato Chips meet all the criteria for a perfect snack. They’re easy to make, with only three simple ingredients; a little time consuming perhaps but oh, so gratifying. Sweet potatoes, a bit of oil and a little salt and wha-la, a healthy nutritious snack. Really we’re talking about sweet potatoes here since they make up 99% of the final product.
Sweet potatoes are amazing. We search out foods that are highly nutritious but low in fat and overall calories. And Sweet potatoes are at the top of that list. Brimming with a dozen important vitamins and minerals, plenty of protein and fiber; and the cleanest of carbohydrates to fuel the body. We both grew up eating sweet potatoes once or twice a year covered in brown sugar and mini marshmallows, so it took us a while to get used to sweet potatoes being a superfood, along with their incredible versatility.
“My dream is to become a farmer. Just a Bohemian guy pulling up his own sweet potatoes for dinner.” ~ Lenny Kravitz
Sweet Potatoes aren’t just for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner folks. We’ve made French fries, Gnocchi, Soup, Tacos, Mac & Cheese, Waffles, Budha Bowls, Breakfast Bowls, Brownies, Fudge and even Ice Cream. Exploring the possibilities of Sweet Potatoes has been an exciting adventure so far and we look forward to becoming even more familiar with this amazing superfood.