Kale Chips

by lisa | 11 January 2013 15:51

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Kale chips are nothing revolutionary for most people, so chances are that if you’ve been eating paleo for awhile, you’ve already discovered the tasty goodness of kale chips. There are, however, new people discovering paleo (and the joy of vegetables) every day, and the things that I think everybody is already trying or that everybody already knows are new for some.

I’ve already written a whole post about kale and why you should eat it. You can read that here, in case you missed it. And in case you wondering if roasting kale decreases it’s nutritional value:

Oven-roasting won’t affect the vitamin K in kale—which is good for your bones and heart.  On the other hand, you’ll lose some of the beta-carotene and vitamin C. But kale is so high in these vitamins to start out with that it’s still a good source after it’s been cooked. More importantly, you’re likely to eat more kale when it’s prepared the way you like it best, so roast away!

How to Make Your Own Kale Chips

1. Strip the feathery part of the kale leaves off of the thick stem and tear them into bite sized pieces. Discard the stems.
2. Wash your kale in cool water and dry it thoroughly in a salad spinner. It’s really important to get your kale as dry as possible otherwise it will steam in your oven instead of getting nice and crispy. Blot with a paper towel after spinning if it still seems a little wet to you.
3. Toss your dry kale with the cooking oil of your choice. I use melted coconut oil because olive oil is not an ideal choice for high heat cooking. I use my hands to really make sure I’ve got oil rubbed all over my leaves.
4. Spread your oiled kale out on a cooking sheet. I’ve done it on both parchment lined and unlined baking sheets and it doesn’t really seem to matter.
   

   Ready for the oven

5. Don’t salt your kale yet! Salt pulls moisture out of the leaves, creating steam. You don’t want a lot of steam when you’re trying to get crispy chips.
6. Place in a pre-heated 350 F/ 175 C oven. Check on your kale at around 10-12 minutes and poke it to see if its crispy. If not, keep a very close eye on it until it is. I’ve burned many batches and it’s just sad. It’s done when it’s papery and crackly and still kind of green.
7. Remove and sprinkle with salt. You can also get creative and add other spice combinations if you like (garlic, red chili flakes, lime, cumin, cinnamon, curry—the possiblities are endless).

I’m currently doing a Whole30 and I am also doing my Whole30 nut free (I tend to snack on nuts way too much). When I feel like I just need something a little crunchy and salty, kale chips are a life saver!

Source URL: https://swisspaleo.ch/kale-chips/

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