Healthy Banana Chips

As a child you believe that everyone eats the same foods you eat, does the same things you do, and goes to the same places you go. It's shocking when you first realize that this is actually not true.The first time I was really exposed to just how personal food is was probably college. For the first time in life you are surrounded by people who have had all different experiences and you see that not everyone eats what you eat, does what you do, or goes where you go. The second time I really had to get used to this was when John and I moved in together. We had been together a little over 2 years at that point so I knew him well but I certainly didn't know as much as I would learn from living with him. One snack that John loved but I had never had as a child was banana chips. I love bananas but I had never seen such a thing! Call me sheltered, I certainly was.

I always have bananas in the house because they are one of my favorite snacks. I also love baking with them, cooking with them, etc. I wanted to make some banana chips but I wasn't willing to dip them in sugar and deep dry them. To me that defeats the point of eating fruit! I decided to dehydrate them in the oven and it worked out perfectly. They weren't the hard, candy type of banana chips you buy from the store but man oh man are they good.

The hardest part of making these is trying to balance your oven door so that it stays open 1 inch. Mine seemed to be built to stay closed or 5 inches open, nothing in between. With careful practice it worked, but it took time. These banana chips would be great mixed in yogurt, eaten alone, or mixed into a snack mix like I made!



Ingredients:
2 bananas, ripe, unbruised, peeled

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 170.
2- Slice the bananas into thin slices.
3- Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, lay them out on the sheet.
4- Bake for 2 hours with the oven door opened about 1 inch.
5- Flip. Bake an additional hour or so. They should be slightly firm.

** 2 Weight Watchers points per 1/2 of the recipe