Salsa & chip - substitute?

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pixiechick8321
pixiechick8321 Posts: 284 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone,

So I really like making my own salsa (and geez is it low in calories!!) but I do NOT like eating it with vegetables. So what can I eat it with that is healthier than chips but still gives me that taste? I tried saltine crackers - but each one still has like 5 calories, so it adds up quickly. We make our own chips from tortillas, but because of all the flour (that's what they are, basically - corn or flour - bulk grain) it's still high. Is there any alternative I haven't thought of or should I just build the higher calories/salt/etc into my day?

Thanks!

Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    Toast Thomas's sahara mini pita bread, cut into pita wedges and make your own salsa. Homemade is always better than jared. You don't have to give anything up you just have to know how to modify it so you can still have it.
  • tmarie2715
    tmarie2715 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    Look for LaTortilla factory soft and delicious wraps. They come in flavors (like sundried tomato basil, I think is one) and are 120 or so cals for a huge mongo burrito size. There are a lot of low fat, low carb tortillas but I like LaTortilla the best.

    Spray with cooking spray or just cook 350 in the oven for a few minutes with no spray and they crisp up just fine.

    If you are good with moderation, Garden of Eatin blue corn chips are 16 chips = 140 cals, I think. Plus 2 tbsp of salsa at 10 cals is a reasonable snack / side dish.
  • jbucci1186
    jbucci1186 Posts: 440 Member
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    there are lots of low calorie tortillas out there that are whole wheat and have fiber in them. You could bake them to make them crispy? I've never tried it though, but seems like it would work to me!
  • Curvy1taliana
    Curvy1taliana Posts: 371 Member
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    Guiltless Gourmet blue corn tortilla chips! You get 18 for like 120 calories!
  • adellepuppy
    adellepuppy Posts: 130
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    Soy crisps or veggie chips
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
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    Terra sweet potato chips.. my fave *L*
  • EmilyAnn89
    EmilyAnn89 Posts: 564 Member
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    i use orville redenbacher's lime+salt popcorn! a whole mini bag is 190 calories, but i usually don't eat the whole thing in one sitting!
  • sblair77
    sblair77 Posts: 355 Member
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    I love chips and salsa and have put it on the back burner for now. They are my weakness
  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
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    Bake your own chips.

    I Use extra thin corn tortillas, cut them into chip size pieces, put on a baking sheet and spray with a little cooking spray and bake about 5-10 min on one side, flip them over spray with a little more cooking spray and bake them until they are crispy.

    Forgot to add it's only 80 calories for 2 tortillas, which gives me 12-16 chips depending on how I cut them.
  • LTRUITT3
    LTRUITT3 Posts: 205 Member
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    Quaker Mini Rice Cakes might work.....they have several diff flavors. On average 18 cakes for about 130 calories.
  • leomom72
    leomom72 Posts: 1,797 Member
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    can you send me the recipe ?? i would LOVE to save money @ the store on salsa :)
  • richiedbond
    richiedbond Posts: 58
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    I use Trader Joe's reduced guilt tortilla's 120 cals and 120 mg's of sodium but for 14 chips. That is way better then the norm. And yes I do count them out... HA
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
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    Bake your own chips.

    I Use extra thin corn tortillas, cut them into chip size pieces, put on a baking sheet and spray with a little cooking spray and bake about 5-10 min on one side, flip them over spray with a little more cooking spray and bake them until they are crispy.

    Forgot to add it's only 80 calories for 2 tortillas, which gives me 12-16 chips depending on how I cut them.

    This is what my husband does for me and they are wonderful.
  • eeeekie
    eeeekie Posts: 1,011 Member
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    Trader Joe's has white corn tortilla chips with no salt...and they are yum! You get I think 1oz or 14chips per serving for 140cals and 0mg of sodium
  • jaydian1
    jaydian1 Posts: 7
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    When I want chips and salsa I always use Special K cracker chips with sea salt. It's 30 chips for 110 calories. Plus they are pretty filling so I can never eat all 30 chips.
  • JenFerguson1
    JenFerguson1 Posts: 156 Member
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    I read through all the responses you got but personally I think mine is the best...

    Special K cracker chips! They come in sea salt and sour cream and onion flavor and they are absolutely delicious! They taste exactly like chips. and the best part is the serving size is 30 CHIPS!!!!! they are pretty big too! In 30 chips there is only 110 calories! Its honestly like a dream come true. I found them one day and I am in loveeeeee. I have been looking for a chip or cracker substitute for awhile now and everyone says to make my own. Why waste my time on that when I can easily buy them and get a way bigger serving size for less calories?!
  • pixiechick8321
    pixiechick8321 Posts: 284 Member
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    Thanks everyone! The Special K crackers look pretty good - low in sugar and sodium isn't too bad. I can also expand my search for healthier tortillas, since my are much higher in calories than most of you posted. I think it's also about control. I usually make and then gobble up all my salsa at once - and thus the need for lots of whatever to scoop it up - but if I can restrict myself to one jar at a time, I can probably have enough chips/crackers/whatever to eat it for a reasonable amount of calories.

    I'll explore that this weekend at the store.

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