Kale, Waiting for the Chips to Drop
I’m a HUGE fan of kale – in smoothies, salads, pasta dishes, soups.. basically anywhere and everywhere I can sneak it in. One of my favorite ways to enjoy the tasty, inexpensive, and nutritious vegetable is Kale Chips. Even though I love kale madly, when I first heard about the concept of Kale Chips, I can’t say I was overly enthusiastic (or hopeful).
Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised and have made Kale Chips countless times since.
You’ll love the simplicity of the recipe and… I promise.. the flavor.
What you’ll need for the Kale Chips:
- Start with a beautiful bunch of curly kale (like the one pictured above). Wash the leaves and pat them dry.
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 – 2 teaspoons Rachael Ray’s pink Himalayan Salt (or Kosher salt, table salt, sea salt… the pink Himalayan’s simply my own personal favorite)
Pre-Heat the oven to 350 degrees. After the kale has been washed and dried, cut the leaves into pieces. The size is up to you, but I generally aim for “Dorito” size or a little smaller.
VERY IMPORTANT: Cut around the thick spine that runs down the length of the leaves. I’ve yet to find any use for these spines. I throw them out in the yard for rabbits, racoons, and possums. They’re a hit with the critter crowd.
Put the prepared kale in a large bowl and add the tablespoon of EVOO. When you see the impressive amount of kale and the comparatively small amount of EVOO, you’ll probably think, “She’s nuts, it’s going to take a lot more than this!” – but once you add the oil and (using your hands), coat the leaves, you’ll find that the tablespoon is sufficient.
Lay the pieces of kale on a large baking sheet, in a single layer – make sure no one’s riding piggy back on anyone! Evenly salt each piece.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Be sure to keep a close eye on them – they’ll burn without a moment’s notice.
These delicious kale chips will amaze you. They’re so good! The crispiness, the hint of saltiness, and the unexpectedness of them will make them popular with everyone, even kids.
Fun Ways to Enjoy Kale Chips:
- I like to keep healthy snacks at the end of the kitchen bar – someplace everyone can enjoy a quick and tasty snack. Kale chips are ideal.
- When watching tv, we all get the munchies, don’t we?! Kale chips are tasty and fun to eat.
- Take them along on car trips to keep French fries from tempting you on the road.
- They’re a delicious, healthier option to traditional salad or baked potato toppings.
As with everything you make in the kitchen, be sure to experiment with different flavors and additions. Along with the salt, you could also add white sesame seeds, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper (I love black pepper on kale chips), garlic, or even Parmesan cheese. The possibilities are endless. When getting creative, though, I’d highly recommend just doing a few at a time the first time through.
Kale Chips: Not the prettiest girl at the dance, but what a personality!
You can find quite a few Kale Cookbooks (Amazon link) on Amazon. This superfood is a lot more versatile than most people think!
