Sunday, March 6, 2011

Kale Chips ***

I couldn't find any kale at the store, but I really wanted to try these.  The kids and I are crazy about spinach, and since the OP mentioned in her review that spinach can be a good substitute, that's the route I went.  We all adored them!  I made them Saturday morning, and my five-year-old kept going back and sneaking bites all day long.  I did them with just salt at first, and I put way too much.  It just takes a pinch.  The second time, I just did olive oil and a sprinkling of grated parmesan.  I didn't have fresh, so I didn't add any salt to it.  That was definitely our favorite.  The only problem with the spinach, though, is that it stuck to the pain and was really thin once it cooked.  I'm definitely going to have to try the kale, since the crinkles in it would help hold it off the pan and keep its shape more.  Either way, this sucker was a huge winner for us!
 
Photo of similar recipe courtesy of Food.com

KALE CHIPS
(All notes are by OP ~ Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe)

1 bunch of Kale (about 6 ounces)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil*
Sea salt to taste***

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees**. Rinse and dry the kale. It is very important to get the kale totally dry - use a salad spinner or quickly wipe down each of the leaves with a paper towel after washing. Cut or tear the leaves off the tough center rib. Toss leaves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt to taste. (I also tried doing this in a large zip lock bag, which actually worked really well. You can rub the oil onto pretty much all the leaves very easily this way. But tossing in a bowl works fine, too.) Arrange leaves on a silpat lined cookie sheet (parchment would work, too) in a single layer. Bake for 26 minutes or until leaves are crisp to the touch, but still green.
*I tried using cooking spray (such as Pam), which actually worked pretty well. I like the taste of the oil better on the kale chips, but using cooking spray is definitely a good option if you are watching calories.
**I had the best luck with 275 degrees, but I also tried baking at a couple other temperatures: 300 degrees changed the bake time to about 20 minutes. 375 degrees changed the bake time to about 15 minutes.
***Other variations on seasonings I have used and liked:
Salt and Vinegar:
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Sea salt to taste
Seasoned:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
Parmesan:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Sea Salt to taste
2 Tablespoons of fresh parmesan

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