Kale Chips

I have been a recent convert to kale. And partly because it has not been as regularly available in South Africa as it is now and it has also veered on the far too healthy scale of the food spectrum for me. But I have been cooking with it quite a bit and was pleasantly surprised with these Kale Chips.

Kale is often referred to as the Queen of Greens. A member of the Brassical family (cabbage, broccoli etc), the veggie is super nutritious and packed with phytochemicals, fiber, vitamins A, C and K. It is also a good source of calcium, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus.

It’s winter and I have been adding it to vegan soups and love that it gives more substance to the soup as what spinach gives for instance. Check out this delish Kale Turmeric Coconut Soup I made. It has also featured as the main ingredient in a summery salad. Torn leaves rubbed with some olive oil, dressed in a zesty tahini dressing and sprinkled with spiced roasted chickpeas. A really good salad! I read somewhere that rubbing (or massaging as some call it) the leaves with olive oil removes the bitterness. Not sure if it is true but I’ve made a habit of doing it since.

The chips are a breeze to make and works perfectly in a low oven so there is no need to use a dehydrator. The most important part is to ensure the leaves are properly dried with a kitchen towel after washing otherwise you will end up steaming the leaves and they will not crisp up at all. Also make sure you place them in a single layer on the baking tray and not overlapping. If they overlap they will steam and not crisp. Keep a close watch and once they start to sizzle, test to check if they are crisp enough and be careful not to burn them.

I only add some sea salt flakes at the time of cooking. Add other seasonings once the chips have cooled down. You can get creative with the seasonings and use different kinds of salt and herb mixes. A dukkah would also be really good sprinkled over the chips. The chips will last for a day in an airtight container but they are at their best when eaten within an hour or so.

Enjoy! Get some more divine veggie recipes here.

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Kale Chips

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Ingredients

  

• Torn kale leaves fibrous ribs removed
• Baleia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• salt flakes
• other seasonings as preferred

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 150 degrees C
• Make sure the kale leaves are completely dry and rub the leaves well with some olive oil
• Place on a baking sheet making sure the leaves do not overlap
• Sprinkle with some coarse salt and bake for 5 minutes
• Rotate the tray and bake for another 3 - 5 until crispy but not burnt (the leaves should start to sizzle from the oil)
• Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack for a few minutes
• Kale chips are best eaten within an hour or so

** Disclaimer: Olive oil sponsored by Baleia Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I am proud to be associated with Baleia Olive Oil and use it whenever a recipe requires Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The cold press extra virgin Olive Oil is produced in the Riversdale area, has a whiff of fresh cut grass and aromas of green tomatoes, almonds artichokes and green apples.