If you click into this recipe, I know you. I have a weak spot for Doritos, too. I certainly don’t feel guilty about falling for them. I don’t even feel bad about the OCD-like impulse to finish up a whole bagful of them, not even the crappy feeling after I ate too much Doritos can stop me from doing it all over again another day.
Why I’m so shamelessly daring to admit my love for Doritos? Because the irresistible snack is a work of art by food scientists. From the flavour, mouthfeel to the alluring orange colour, everything about these little chips is carefully balanced by their creators to get your brain and taste buds hooked.
I also gravitate towards Doritos, or salty snacks in general more when I feel stressed. When we are under-stress and overworked , we seek for pleasure and comfort. In the report on “Why Humans Like Junk Food”, Dr. Witherly, a food scientist, reveals that the rich sensation created by fat triggers a nerve that directly sends signal to the brain’s pleasure centre.
Besides seeking for fatty food, stress also makes us crave salt. One small bag of Doritos (50g) exceeds 1/5 of daily sodium recommendation. Back when humans fought for survival in the wilderness, salt is an essential mineral to keep us alive. Yes, this might sounds a bit strange given the Heart and Stroke Foundation explicitly warned consumers that too much salt may increase one’s blood pressure and one-third of people are sensitive to sodium. True, however, we are programmed to enjoy salt when we are stressed out for a reason. Imagine after running away from a saber-toothed tiger attack, having enough salt in our body ensures blood can reach our vital organs and feed them nutrients and oxygen.
Unfortunately, this self-preservation program is not-so-helpful in the modern world. Prolonged stress lowers our ability to retain minerals. Along with sodium found in salt, we also loss potassium, magnesium and other minerals that are vital to our well-being. Lots of minerals have a salty/metallic taste, salt craving can be our body’s way of telling us we need to replenish with mineral-dense foods. Eating a bag of chips will not give us any other minerals that our body needs.
What if I still instinctively want to reach for that bag of Doritos when I’m stressed? Don’t worry, I have this covered. This cheesy, flavor-packed recipe is a perfect substitute for those days when you just need to snack on some Doritos. The ingredients are packed with stress-fighting nutrients and will help ease that crave for salty/crunchy food.
Stress-fighting ingredients in this recipe:
Quinoa
This nutty grain contain minerals magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. Help supplement mineral loss during high stress conditions.
contains small amount of omega 3 fatty acids and other heart-healthy fats
contains vitamin E, an antioxidant protects cellular damage from stress
Onion
contain flavonoids that reduces risk of cancer and protect against oxidative stress
Garlic
allicin (known for its distinct garlicky smell) protects against free radical damage in the body and boosts immune system.
Turmeric
powerful and safe anti-inflammatory agent that protects optimal organ functions
Himalayan salt
contains a small amount of minerals, which help to boost mineral intake during stressful times
Nutritional yeast
high in B vitamins which nourish the adrenal glands, where stress hormones are produced
More tips and healthy recipes to work with your salt craving:
Quinoa Doritos Crisps
Yields 32
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
45 min
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups Quinoa flour
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
2 tsp Nutritional yeast
2 tsp Coconut oil (save 1/4 tsp for greasing the cookie sheet)
1 cup Water
2 tsp Garlic powder
2 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Turmeric
2 tsp Cajun spice
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease with coconut oil.
Mix garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, turmeric, cajun spice together. Set roughly 1/3 of the spice mixture aside for coating.
Add 2/3 of the spice mixture, salt and water to the quinoa flour and mix till the dough is well formed.
Transfer the dough onto the greased cookie sheet and evenly flatten the dough to about 1/8 inch thickness.
Sprinkle half of the remaining spice mixture on top of the dough.
Grade the dough with a sharp knife into triangles.
Bake at 375 F for 15 min. Take out the dough and gently flip it. It might be easier to flip the dough in sections, half sheet at a time. Sprinkle the remaining spice on top the dough and transfer the dough back into the oven.
Bake for another 10-15 min till desired crispness. You will notice the edges starts to turn golden brown.
Cook for about 5 min and these warm quinoa Doritos are ready to enjoy!
