Whole Wheat Cinnamon Pita Chips

If you have followed any of my posts. you know how much I love my sweets.  I am in a constant struggle between satisfying my sweet tooth and my desire to eat clean and healthy.  I wish I were one of those people who can eat dinner and not feel the need to have dessert but as hard as I try I just cannot do it.  It's like my taste buds need to have sugar.  So, I have come to terms with the fact that I have to make room in my diet for treats.  I will not however, indulge on junk.  I don't pollute my kids systems with refined, processed, sugar-laden trash so I resolve to not subject my body to it either.  That leaves me with the task of finding healthy, nutrient dense goodies to quench my insatiable sweet tooth.

My favorite thing to do in the kitchen is to make over store bought treats and replace the unfavorable ingredients, like high fructose corn syrup and refined grains with their wholesome counterparts.  So while perusing the snack aisle at the Nugget the other day, I happened upon Stacy's cinnamon and sugar pita chips.  Now, I have been known to knock back a bag or two of those babies in my hay day, but those days are behind me now. I studied the ingredient list and knew I could make them healthier and probably cheaper too!  The obvious swap was using 100% whole wheat pitas.  By now we all know about the benefits of adding whole grains to our diets and the detriment that refined grains can have on our systems.  Refined carbohydrates have been stripped of all their nutrients, which is why products using them have to add nutrients back in.  The only other thing I did was increase the amount of cinnamon to sugar ratio.  Cinnamon, like most other spices has tremendous health benefits.  It has an amazing ability to regulate blood sugar, can boost cognitive function, and contains iron, calcium, fiber, and manganese.

These cinnamon sugar pita chips are so delicious and incredibly easy to make.  They only consist of 4 ingredients, most of which we all have in our kitchens at any given time.  Plus, by making them at home, you are in control of the amount of fat and sugar that goes in them and you get to enjoy them warm out of the oven!  Now the only obstacle you face is practicing enough self control not to eat them all in one sitting!!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Pita Chips

1 package 100% whole wheat pita bread
1/4 c granulated sugar  (may be more or less depending on your preference)
2 T cinnamon
2 T butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350.  Try to separate each pita into two, this makes for thinner, crispier chips.*  Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Place butter in bowl and microwave until melted. Working with one pita at a time, brush both sides with the butter.  Sprinkle both sides of the pita with sugar mixture and shake off excess.  Cut pita bread with a pizza cutter into wedges.  Continue with rest of pitas.  Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 6-10 minutes or until pitas are crisp. 

*  You will find that some pitas are more stubborn than others, and you are not able to separate them.  Not to worry, you will just end up with thicker chips and will need to increase cooking time to ensure crispy, crunchy chips!