Kale Chips

   
  My daughter wanted me to post this recipe for Kale chips since she has been craving them and bought a bunch of kale to make them. We have come to love Kale in the last couple of years. Kale is a powerhouse of nutrition! It is a great source of near –perfect protein, having the score of 92 out of 100, meaning it has almost all the essential amino acids. It is an incredible source of Vitamin K at 684%  and Vitamin A at 206% of the RDA.  It is an excellent source of Vitamin C, B6, manganese, and calcium and a good source of many other B vitamins, copper, potassium with some iron and magnesium. It is high in phytonutrients which fight cancer.  Kale has more calcium per calorie than dairy products and may be better absorbed.

Okay, now for making a tasty snack from this nutritional powerhouse. These chips are incredibly light, crunchy and have a hearty flavor. They remind me a bit of Nori paper but crispier. People really love these, even those who don’t normally eat kale. These have been compared to potato chips but the flavor is unique.

You really do need to try these!

Baked Kale Chips Or Kale Crisps for my British friends :-)

One big bunch kale

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea salt, to taste

Some people added ½ a tsp of chili powder or other spice or even 1 tsp vinegar although this may affect color

Preheat oven to 320°F. Rinse and dry the kale, (salad spinner is optimal- get them dry!) Use a knife to cut out and remove the stems and tough center ribs.

Cut into large pieces ( be sure it is uniform), toss with olive oil in a bowl, ziplock bag or container with lid- be sure every piece gets some oil. I like to massage each leaf, good for leaf and good for my hands J

Then sprinkle with salt, sea salt or kosher. Arrange leaves in a Single layer on a large baking sheet. If the overlap at all, use two baking sheets. They will not crisp up if they are not in a single layer.

Bake for 16-22 minutes or until crisp, may turn with spatula. Begin checking  at 14 minutes and check often.  They should be crispy but not brown. If some are getting done, gently remove them and finish off the rest.  Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.

Do not cover before they are completely cooled. I think they are best served right away. If they do lose their crisp, you can heat them a bit on a baking sheet.