Move over, Kettle Chips! Today I’ve got a simple recipe for a way healthier version of this addictive treat. And this healthy version is seriously addictive too!
Unlike typical potato chips, which are deep fried in inflammatory oils and covered in unhealthy seasonings, these kale chips are lightly baked in healthy oil, packed with omega-3s and quality sea salt that provides necessary trace minerals to the body.
Due to the “addictive” tastiness I mentioned before, it’s actually quite easy to eat an entire bunch of kale in one sitting with these chips (without over stuffing yourself). I mean, come on! When else have you ever eaten that much kale before!? Kale is loaded with nutrients like vitamins A, K, and C, plus minerals and antioxidants that protect the body. So eat up with zero guilt!
Perhaps the most exciting part of kale chips… in my current life phase anyway… babies like them too! I literally had to compete with my 15 month old over who got the last handful in our recent batch. While I think it’s natural for babies to enjoy healthy foods, leafy greens can be a little bit tricky (they’re just harder for them to eat), so I’m stoked to have a recipe that Koda loves too and will give him a huge serving of kale.
I’m giving you TWO flavor recommendations today (sea salt + vinegar or lemon + nutritional yeast!), and the preparation process is the same for both.
Nutritional yeast has a cheesy flavor (think cheesy popcorn) and is fortified with tons of B vitamins (particularly vitamin B12, which is very important for babies) and gives us energy. This is a great health boost for everyone, and especially mamas eating a plant based diet who may want to take special care to get those B12 vitamins in.
Alright, I’ve talked it up enough. Let’s get cookin!
You can use just one bunch of kale, but I recommend using two (especially if more than one person is snacking) because chances are you’ll eat it up quick!
Ingredients
-2 bunches kale (ideally look for organic curly kale from farmers market)
-3 tbsp olive oil
-4 tbsp vinegar (like apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar) OR juice from 1/2 lemon
-1 tsp sea salt and/or 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (add your seasonings to taste)— I prefer to add both!
Directions
-Preheat oven to 400.
-If needed, wash kale and pat dry to remove as much excess water as possible.
-De-stem kale and quick chop into bite-sized pieces. Personally, I like it finely chopped but you can experiment with how you like your kale chips (know that they will shrink a bit when baking).
-Place chopped kale in a single layer on a baking sheet (you may want to use two sheets) and drizzle liberally with olive oil to coat. Drizzle with vinegar.
-Use hands to mix and massage kale so it is all covered.
-Sprinkle sea salt (and any other seasonings) on top.
-Bake for 10 mins then check. If they’re crispy and delicious— great! All done! Otherwise toss with tongs to separate any wet chunks within kale and return to oven to bake for another 4-8 mins.
-Taste test and add more seasoning if you like. Transfer to a bowl and bon appetite!
Store leftovers in an air tight container for a couple days.
Enjoy!
