Surprisingly enough, one of the questions I hear most from people, along with “Why don’t you eat meat?” and “How can I eat healthier?” is “How do you make kale chips?”  These green, crunchy snacks are causing a lot of people stress and disappointment in the kitchen, and also doing some damage on their wallet in the health food store, so I am going to give you the recipe that works for me.

If you haven’t heard of kale chips, or the thought of replacing your god-like potato chips with a veggie fills you with anger, take a deep breath, and give these a try.  They crunch (I promise), and when baked, the slight bitterness in kale that makes some people scrunch their face disappears.  Awesome, right?  And don’t forget all of the added goodness that you are getting from these leafy greens; kale is FULL of calcium and iron, high in antioxidants, contains vitamins A, C and K, has tons of fiber, and is a great detox food.  So try this recipe at home, experiment on your family and friends, and change the way people think and talk about kale 

The flavor is light and crisp, and the chips will take on the flavor of the seasoning you use, so get creative!  And get baking!

What you will need:

Kale Chips, fresh out of the oven.

1 bunch of kale

Olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Optional Additions:

Garlic powder

Garlic granules

Cayenne pepper

Nutritional yeast

Chili Flakes

Dried or fresh herbs

Spirulina (to give them an extra green boost)

Pre-heat your oven to 350.

Rinse and dry kale leaves.  Making sure they are dry is an important step, so using a lettuce spinner is ideal.  Damp kale usually means less crunch.

Remove the kale leaves from their inner stem and tear into bite size pieces.

Place kale chips into a bowl, and drizzle in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  *Trick:  I like to coat my hands in olive oil and massage the kale chips, ensuring that everything is lightly coated and not drenched.  Too much oil can cause the chips to be limp and greasy.  Sprinkle in some salt and pepper, and whatever other seasonings you are using, and continue mixing.

Place the kale chips in a single layer on a baking tray; using parchment paper is a great way to save a messy clean up and prevent the kale chips from sticking to the pan.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until crisp.  About 10 minutes in, you can toss them around so they bake more evenly.

You can also add more seasoning after they have baked for a stronger flavor.

Rock out with this recipe!  You’re going to love them!  Share your results!  And don’t hesitate to ask any questions…

with love and kale,

Amanda