This crunchy candy clocks in at 12 calories per serving
These candies are crunchy, super low in calories, gets sweeter as they dehydrate, and are addictive! We love creating unusual treats that are ultra healthy and won’t add inches to my waistline. Take these yummy candies to work or the movies and leave the guilt behind. I used NESCO American Harvest Snackmaster Encore Dehydrator for perfect dehydrated snacks.
Bell Pepper Candy
These healthy yet addictive candies are a great treat for when you are craving something sweet.
Yield 6 people
Serving Size 5 strips
Ingredients
- 2 red bell peppers remove seeds, core and membrane
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup less to taste
Instructions
- Rinse peppers and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Slice bell peppers into 1/2" strips, add to a mixing bowl, drizzle with maple syrup and toss to coat all sides. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
- Place pepper strips on dehydrator shelves without touching. Turn dehydrator to 125 F, and dehydrate approximately 24 hours or until bell peppers are crispy and brittle. Some strips may get crispy earlier than others, remove as they crisp.
- Allow to cool completely and place in a ziplock bag until ready to munch.
- Oven Directions:Β Preheat oven to 150 degrees F. Slice the peppers into 1/2" pieces, drizzle with maple syrup and toss to coat. Place a wire rack on top of a cookie sheet, cover wire rack with parchment paper. Place peppers on the parchment-covered rack, making sure they don't touch. Place the cookie sheet on the middle oven rack, leave the oven door ajar, about 4 inches. Allow peppers to dehydrate until crispy enough to snap in half, approximately 8 hours to 10 hours (depending on individual ovens.
- The dehydrator used for this recipe and all of our crunchy dried treats, NESCO American Snackmaster Encore Dehydrator.
Notes
It actually takes more calories to consume these candies than they add to your caloric intake, making them a zero calorie food. Read more aboutΒ Zero Calorie Foods.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 5strips | Calories: 21kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Sodium: 2mg | Sugar: 4g |
SmartPoints (Freestyle): 1
Have you made this recipe?
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Rates a 5 out 5 for optimum health, has a glycemic load of 1, and is a good source of: Dietary Fiber, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Iron, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Manganese.
could agave nectar be used for this?
Janet, Yes agave is fine.
Maybe even honey??
Pat, Honey works!
Would olive oil work if we wanted to dry them out but with no sweetness? Thank you in advance!
Cara, Olive oil without maple syrup should also work. Keep us posted. π
If you use an oven, do you still have to refrigerate prior for 1 to 2 hours? Thank you!
Pat, Yes.
I made a batch of these, and thought I got them too dry. Not enjoying them much to munch on, but I saved them, and the light bulb came on when I was making a red sauce for spaghetti! I broke up several strips and added it to the sauce – delicious! They really added a depth of flavor to the sauce and I'll be making this recipe again! Thanks!
how long do you bake them in the preheated 150 degree oven~
Elyce, Approximately 8- 10 hours.
you can't bake with the door ajar…??? Please advise… thank you
Elyce, Yes you can use rolled up tinfoil (shaped like a thick snake) to keep the door propped slightly open if it will not stay there on its own:).
I only have green peppers, so I’m going to try it with them lol!
How is the best way to remove the membrane please?
Leslie, Remove the membrane after you’ve cut the pepper into a few pieces, as you are getting ready to make slices. Use a sharp knife to cut/scrape it off or use the side of a spoon to scrape it.
Mine are sweet at first bite then still have that bitter taste that bell peppers have. Is that how they are supposed to taste?
Yes, they will still taste mildly like bell peppers. If you’d like to minimize the flavor, try cutting your slices a little narrower. Just keep an eye on them while in the oven, as they may dehydrate faster.
How long are these good for?
Nabeela, They should be good for about one week covered at room temp.
Really cute recipe, thank you for sharing. I must point out that all produce must be washed, not just rinsed before consumption, especially for raw/dehydrated purposes. GSE (grapefruit seed extract) is very good for disinfecting produce, has no side effects and is actually good for you, can be found @ most health food stores. 10 drops in a gallon of soak water, soak 10 mins, rinse again if necessary.
I learned through Pinterest, bell peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are sweeter are more suited for fresh eating ( 3 bumps good for cooking). You can try one of each! I like the idea of using them in spaghetti sauce as well.
Joan, Thanks for the tips! π
Could I us Jalapeno’s for this ?
Nancy, Hmmmmm…not sure but it should work. Keep us posted. π
I did it ! Not quite as “skinny” though ! I brought a simple syrup to a boil added the jalapeno strips & let them steep for a half hour . ( I was hoping to pull a little heat from the peppers SOOO hot this year) then put them in the dehydrator.they turned out amazing !! Then I boiled down the remaining syrup until thick & canned 3 half pints of syrup !
.
Nancy, A little sweet is fine. I love this recipe. Next time I’ll try it with a touch of date syrup.
So happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for the tips.
Is the β SmartPoints (Freestyle): 1β considered to be WW (Weight Watchers) type of points? If so, do you have other recipes that would be acceptable to those on WW? Would there be a special key word to use to locate that type of recipe?
Thanks, in advance.
Eileen
P.S. Canβt wait to try these. They look very interesting!
Eileen, Yes, those are smart points. All of our recipes have the smart points listed. You may want to
check out some of the WW Meal Plans.