Dried Pear and Apple Chips : a great simple little nosh

Try a great substitute for crackers or an addition to the cheese and cracker party: oven dried fruit. Low in calorie, non fat, no added sugar.  Pears especially  are abundant this time of year and with apples, make a healthy and really delicious addition with cheese or nut butters, added to cereal or a quick snack as is.

Realize by drying there are concentrated sugars naturally in the fruit, so even though they shrink and seem innocent to eat a lot (they are delicious) ..the serving of 5 slices of apple or pear is still a  1 1/2 carbohydrate exchange for Diabetics (25 grams) .

This recipe is a throw in the oven and forget it. Set the timer for 1 1/2 hours and then turn them over for another 1 hour approx. No mixer, no multiple ingredients, no stirring  and NO mess! The fruit becomes sweet without the added sugar and may take only 1 hour on each side. 

Here goes:

5 slices of dried apple:

80 calories and 25 grams of carbohydrate per serving and oven dried. 

4- 5 slices of  Pear 92 calories, 25 grams of carbohydrate per serving.

RECIPE:

2 apples sliced crosswise ( Pink Lady, Braeburn, Golden Delicious)

2 Bosc pears sliced lengthwise 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

2 tablespoons of coconut or granulated sugar (optional and will raise calorie count.)

Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice  pears lengthwise and apples sliced crosswise into thin 1/4 inch slices.  Remove the seeds.  Lightly coat in granulated sugar or coconut sugar (optional). Place on parchment lined cookies sheets and bake for 1 to 1/2 hours and flip over for another 1  hour . Fruit should be golden and slightly crisp. Remove from the oven. Will continue to crisp. Cool on wire racks for several hours and can be stored in a plastic container 4-5 days.