Super Easy Kale Chips

I have always thought Kale chips sounded interesting and a fun way to get kale (which is not my favorite veggie) into my diet. Kale has multiple reasons to eat it. High fiber content (a dark leafy green) and vitamins that my body craves. Here are some interesting nutritional facts about raw Kale:
 http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2461/2

Personally, Kale always makes me think of working in a noisy, smelly, disgusting kids restaurant as a teen. We stuffed it between bowls at the salad bar, and would be required to pull the dirty leaves and replace them with clean ones if and when something from a bowl spilled. I did mention it was a restaurant that catered to kids right? There were many spills. It was a disgusting job, but someone had to do it. And for this reason alone, I never wanted to eat Kale.

Now that I'm an adult dealing with diabetes and multiple allergies, it seems to make sense to try vegetables which I am NOT allergic to, and which are good for me. So when we saw Kale on sale at the store the other day, I grabbed it up and announced we would be making "Kale chips" which sounded good to Patch, and she promised to make a delicious Kale salad which she learned from Roger, her friend at work who is a wonderful chef. So far, no salad has materialized, but my friend Jenn came over and we braved the chip making process.

Guess what?!?! It is not disgusting or difficult. In fact, it was so easy, I made more TONIGHT! I just couldn't even wait till someone was around to enjoy them with me and made a single serving size from a single Kale leaf. Below is the super easy recipe I used tonight, which makes one bowl of Kale chips. I ate them with almonds to add some healthy fat and protein. I recommend only making enough for one serving so that they are perfectly crisp and delicious. If you want more the next night, they are so easy to whip up that you can do it again like I did. Easy peasy!  Now ON to the recipe.

Super Easy Kale Chip Ingredients:
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 Kale leaf per person
1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Super Easy Kale Chip Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350
Tear popcorn sized pieces off the spine of the Kale Leaf/s
Wash the Kale and DRY WELL (it helps them be crispy for the chip like consistency)
Cover non insulated baking tray (cookie sheet) with parchment paper
Toss Kale in EVOO
Sprinkle with seasoned salt and mix
Cook at 350 for 8 minutes, then turn over and cook for 2-4 more minutes or until edges are brown

HINT: Make sure to take out of the oven when edges are brown and do not cook too long or I was told they will become bitter. I found if torn into popcorn sized bits they cooked up perfectly in about 10 minutes, turned once in the middle

At the turning point you can sprinkle on some Parmesan Cheese if you wish, but it's not necessary. We turned them with wooden tongs, which turned out to be perfect, but you could also simply flip them with your fingers if you're more daring (EVOO on the leaves will be hot)

Super Cheesy Kale Chips:
1 tablespoon EVOO (or 1/2 a tablespoon per leaf)
1 Kale Leaf per person
1 teaspoon dried garlic
1 teaspoon of basil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of Parmesan Cheese per leaf (or Vegan Parm if you are one of my Vegan friends)

Follow the instructions above!

You can change these recipes to your preference. You only need enough EVOO to coat the leaves and you don't want them to be overly coated, so I would recommend about 1/2 a tablespoon per leaf.

I used sea salt seasoned with garlic and rosemary and forgot to cut the amount down since I cut the recipe in half. Actually, I didn't measure just shaked it over the leaves, turned them and shook again. OOPS one shake too much They are VERY salty and I tend to avoid salt. But they are still delicious!