If you aren’t snacking at ten minute intervals, are you even quarantining?
I’ve been trying to stay {mostly} on track with healthy eating while sheltering in place & social distancing (although frozen pizza Fridays have become an official thing in our house.)
It’s all about balance. You’ve got to allow yourself a few treats here and there, but you can also find healthier alternatives to some of your favorite junk foods.
One of my biggest weaknesses are cheese crackers (cheese is my love language), but rather than keep boxes of processed temptation in my pantry, I decided to make a guilt-free version.
These are SO delicious–they have all of the cheesy crunchiness of Cheese-Its, without the added chemicals & carbs.
Bonus: they’re super easy AND cheap to make! All you need is some parchment paper and a pack of sliced cheese (just make sure it’s real cheese; the “cheese product slices” that you use on grilled cheese, etc. is not the same and will not bake properly.)
To streamline the cutting process, stack all of the slices on top of one another and cut them into triangle shapes.
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (if you don’t have parchment paper, you can use aluminum foil instead, or just lightly grease your pan if you don’t have foil on hand.)
Place the cheese triangles on the baking sheet (make sure they’re not touching; leave about a half inch between each chip.) Bake for 20 minutes, and let them stand for about 5 minutes after you remove them from the oven.
These store nicely in an air-tight container in the pantry for up to 3 days (longer if you refrigerate them; I just prefer them room temp rather than chilled.)
Life hack: try this recipe using different cheeses–Colby jack, parmesan & monterrey are all delicious options. Made with parmesan cheese, these chips make a yummy substitute for croutons on a salad, and the cheddar ones are SO good with tomato soup!
If you enjoy this recipe, I’d love to know! Post a photo on Instagram and tag me, @jennyperrybender!
Happy quarantine cooking, friends!