Baked Sweet Potato Chips with Avocado Dip

Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C) and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Wash and scrub 2 large sweet potatoes thoroughly. Using a mandoline slicer set to 1/8-inch thickness, carefully slice the sweet potatoes into thin, uniform rounds. If you don't have a mandoline, use a very sharp knife and try to keep the slices as even as possible.

Place the sweet potato slices in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until evenly coated.

In a small bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle this seasoning mixture over the oiled sweet potato slices and toss gently to coat evenly.

Arrange the seasoned sweet potato slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets, making sure they don't overlap.

Bake for 45 minutes, carefully flipping the chips halfway through. Keep a close eye on them during the last 10 minutes as they can quickly go from perfectly crisp to burnt.

While the chips are baking, prepare the avocado dip. Cut 2 avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl.

Add the juice from 1 lime, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, 1/2 finely diced jalapeño (seeds removed for less heat), 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the bowl.

If using, add 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast for a subtle cheesy flavor without dairy.

Mash and mix all the dip ingredients together with a fork until you reach your desired consistency – either chunky or smooth.

Once the sweet potato chips are done, remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes to crisp up further.

Serve the chips with the avocado dip and enjoy immediately, or store chips in an airtight container and the dip separately with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface to prevent browning.