I happened to have all of these ingredients at home, so I made this as an appetizer when I had some friends over. Let me tell you..they devoured it like candy!  The beets and caramelized shallots are balanced with the tangy-ness of the goat cheese for a great mix of savory and sweet. Have you ever tried beet chips?  If you haven’t you are in for a treat!  They make the perfect snack, ultra crispy and sweet, and trust me, not that tough to make. They do however, take a watchful eye, if you’re a newbie I suggest doing a test chip. If you’re questioning its doneness, just spoon it out and wait for it to cool.  Remember when you cook them, you can always put them back in to crisp if they are under-done; but sugar content can cause them to brown pretty quickly after the moisture has evaporated during the frying process. So go for it, after making a few chips you will feel like a pro!

A Healthy Alternative to Chips and Dip

Ingredients

 5 oz goat cheese

2 Tbsp warm water

4 shallots

6 beets, medium size, thinly sliced*

1 cup + 1 tsp coconut oil

Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Take goat cheese out of the refrigerator and allow it to soften while everything else cooks.
2. Cut shallots in half, lengthwise, and slice to create strips.  Heat 1 tsp of coconut oil in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat.  Add the shallots, a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until caramelized, about 15 minutes.  Stir occasionally to cook evenly; turn off heat when golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 cup of coconut oil in a 2-qt saucepan.  When it reaches 325 degrees, add half the sliced beets and gently stir with a metal slotted spoon to spread evenly in the oil.  Cook until there are almost no bubbles coming out, about 8 minutes.  This means there is no moisture remaining and they will be crisp when cool.  If any turn brown before others, pull those out.  Place the chips on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.  Repeat with remaining sliced beets.
4. Place the goat cheese in a bowl and fold in the warm water to create a smooth dip.
5. Transfer the goat cheese to a serving bowl and top with the caramelized shallots.  Serve with the beet chips and enjoy!

*Several ways to slice your beets to make them thin, but not paper thin for this recipe.  Use a mandolin, slicer attachment on your kitchen aid mixer or food processor.

-Chef Alyssa