Kale Chips
Kale has been the “it” veggie for some time now. This trendy green can now be found on everything from fast food menus to t-shirts. While there are new favorites rising to stardom (looking at you, gut-friendly foods and plant-based proteins), kale will always be one seriously nutrient-dense food.
Kale is loaded with fiber, which means 1 cup of raw kale only has 33 calories. Yet, that same amount of kale contains more than 100 percent of the Daily Value for vitamins A, K, and C (all of which are great for promoting healthy skin, among other benefits). It’s also high in powerful antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been researched for their potential ability to improve eye health.
But if you’re not very excited by the idea of kale salads, then now is the time to try kale chips. Kale chips are a super simple healthy snack that can be customized with your favorite flavors. Crunchy, crispy, and flavorful—they’re everything you want in a snack.
Next time you’re looking to switch up your snacks, give this kale chip recipe a try.
Kale Chips
Serves: 2
Prep time: 5-10 min Cook time: 20-25 min
Ingredients:
1-2 large bundles of curly kale, chopped into large pieces (or about 6-8 cups chopped kale) *I like to buy pre-washed and chopped kale to make this recipe even simpler
1 tbsp olive or avocado oil
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (or grated parmesan cheese for a non-vegan version)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Pinch of sea salt
Other seasoning ideas: cumin powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 225 °F (low temp and longer baking time is key).
If using a kale bundle, rinse and dry thoroughly (it’s important to make sure the kale is dry or else it won’t get as crispy). Remove any large stems.
Place chopped kale in a large mixing bowl with oil. Massage kale thoroughly so all pieces are evenly coated in oil.
Add nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, and salt (or seasonings of choice) to kale. Toss so that seasonings are evenly dispersed.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread kale evenly into a single layer over the two baking sheets.
Bake for 10 minutes and rotate baking sheets. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until crispy. If they’re not crisping as much as you would like, you can also try broiling for the last few minutes.
Let kale cool for a couple minutes before eating. The kale chips will continue to firm up.
