If there was only one good reason to eat kale, these chips are it.
But of course, there are lots of good reasons to eat kale like the fact that it’s loaded with calcium, iron, and vitamins A, C, K. Kale is also high in sulfur and the phytonutrient sulforaphane which has potent anti-cancer activities in the body.
Whether you want the health benefits of eating kale or are simply wanting to upgrade some of your snacks, these kale chips are a quick and easy recipe to make that is loaded with real food nutrition. Unlike chips made out of that tuberous white veggie nutritionists love to hate, these kale chips get even healthier and an added flavor boost with the added toppings like olive oil, tahini, and spices. Awesome. So here it goes. . .
Zesty Kale Chips
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 bunch kale (lacinato or curly)
2 tablespoons tahini (or nut butter of choice)
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika (or smoked paprika or cayenne pepper)
½ teaspoon sea salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove kale leaves from stalks, discard stalks. Tear kale leaves into bite size pieces, wash, and spin dry in a salad spinner or pat dry with paper towels. Put dry kale leaves in a large bowl and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine tahini, olive oil, spices and salt and mix well. Pour spice mixture over kale leaves and massage spice mixture into kale leaves until each piece is coated.
- Spread kale onto baking sheets in a single layer and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate pans in the oven and bake for 10-15 more minutes. Repeat if necessary until all kale is baked.
- When kale is crispy but not browned or burnt, remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for at least 5 minutes.
- Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container.
Notes:
- Drying the kale chips is a very important step. If water is left on the kale, the chips will steam and get soggy instead of crispy.
- If you’d like to try a very basic and tasty version of these kale chips, try just adding 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon sea salt or seasoned salt (like Herbamare) to the prepared kale and follow the same recipe, skipping all ingredients except the kale.
Nutrition Information:
Recipe serves 4. Per serving: 100 calories, 5g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 283mg sodium, 463mg potassium, 11g total carbohydrates 2g fiber, 4g protein, 262% DV Vitamin A, 168% Vitamin C, 15% DV calcium, 13% iron.
Recipe adapted from: http://www.aspicyperspective.com/baked-kale-chips-recipe/2/ and http://ohsheglows.com/2014/03/12/6-tips-for-flawless-kale-chips-all-dressed-kale-chips-recipe/
Love it or want to leave a comment, go ahead! Let’s hear what you think.
I received a great question after posting this I wanted to share: I read that Kale is not so good for folks with thyroid issues. Have you heard that?
My answer: This is a great question and a big area of confusion for a lot of people. The bottom line is that daily consumption of cruciferous veggies like broccoli and kale are just fine for thyroid function and the benefits outweigh any downsides. Cooking helps reduce goitrogens in these foods, so try to eat them cooked versus raw most of the time. If you do have thyroid issues, I recommend not juicing with kale or other cruciferous veggies or doing so sparingly.
Here are two great resources to help you sort this out for yourself:
– Tom Malterre’s TEDx talk on Broccoli (https://wholelifenutrition.net/articles/detoxification/broccoli-food-superhero-dna-whisperer)
– An up-to-date look at goitrogenic substances in foods (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=250)