One of my favorite snacks used to be tortilla chips “with a hint of lime”. You know the ones that were so salty it was borderline sickening but you couldn’t stop snacking on them? I assume they still sell those even though I haven’t shopped for them in ages. But one day it hit me: Why not make my own?

These aren’t made completely from scratch; to start you use corn tortillas, which you can get practically at any grocery store. They’re one of my new favorite things to pick up because they’re so versatile and naturally gluten-free. Besides that you just need some limes and a few other common pantry items.

Because they’re baked, they’re also a little healthier than your average tortilla chip. They’re flavorful enough to be eaten on their on, or go really well with salsa or guacamole.

Homemade Lime Tortilla Chips

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 10 6-inch corn tortillas
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Zest from 1 lime
• Juice from 1/2 lime(about 1 Tablespoon)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut your tortillas into halves and then thirds.
3. In a large bowl, toss all of the ingredients together until the chips are covered in juice.
4. Lay the chips out on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. They don’t need to be in a single layer but do your best to keep overlap to a minimum.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the tortilla chips turn golden and are crisp.
6. Remove them from the oven and pick the chips apart so that they don’t stick to each other. Serve hot with salsa or guacamole or on their own.

Next time I might add a bit of sugar to enhance the lime flavor since a little sugar is never a bad thing. Otherwise, I was really happy with these; they were extremely crisp and held up to dipping perfectly.

It’s impossible for me to say “salt and pepper” without finishing it up with an “Ah, push it. Push it good.” Anyone else? No? Just me? Never mind then.

These really are good. Maybe not push-it-good, but good nonetheless.

I’ve roasted a few pumpkins so far this season and every time kept the seeds. I really just want to throw them away because they feel like a hassle but why do that when you can make something delicious with them?

Salt And Pepper Pumpkin Seeds

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• Seeds from 1 large pumpkin
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper

Method:

1. Clean and rinse the pumpkin seeds to remain any lingering pumpkin on them.
2. Lay the seeds out and dry them on a paper towel
3. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
4. Toss the seeds with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
5. Lay the seeds out in a single layer on a baking pan
6. Roast until the seeds are dry and crispy, about 50 minutes depending on how wet your seeds are.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool before touching.

These are addictive on their own, but even better on a salad or mixed with popcorn for a savory snack.

As weird as it sounds, I don’t really like fruit. In fact, I’d rather have vegetables like roasted brussel sprouts for a snack instead of an apple. That’s just how my taste buds are. But I’m a sucker for a sale and had to buy a whole pineapple for $2.50 over the weekend since it was half off. But what to do? I’ve always been intrigued by the brown sugar cinnamon pineapple Whole Foods sells in prepared food and decided to try that. Fruit + more sugar? You really can’t go wrong.

Not only is this delicious, but it has an incredible depth of flavor for something that has just 3 ingredients and takes minutes to make. You could even make this for a party and grill it over the Summer, but it’s fine cold, too. Maybe I’ll start turning around to fruit(maybe…).

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pineapple Rings

Ingredients:

• 1 whole pineapple*
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar or turbinado sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

*You could also use canned pineapple. In that case, make sure to drain off all the excess liquid before using/

Cut off the ends and side of the pineapple so that just the edible parts remain.

Cut the pineapple into 1/2 inch rings all the way through. Cut out the firm core of each ring with a sharp knife(alternatively, you could switch the order of these two steps; I just didn’t have a knife long enough that would work).

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and toss the pineapple with the sugar until all of the rings have been evenly coated. Plate and serve or refrigerate until eating.

This is a great refreshing snack. I wouldn’t quite call it a dessert because it doesn’t have chocolate, but I guess in some circles it could pass as a dessert, too.