All Hail: KALE

I thought I didn't like kale because I had only tried sautéing it with olive oil. It turned out soggy and weird, and not tasting so great.  Unthwarted, I was determined to like the long, green, thick, leafy wonder.  Kale comes in red, purple, and green and in varieties like "curly" and "dino."  Plus, it has great nutritional value.  It has anti-inflammatory properties and is high in beta-carotene, lutein, vitamins K and C, and a fair amount of calcium.  What's not to like?

Kale is full of color and nutrients, too!

Baked and crispy

I then discovered kale chips while walking the aisle of Whole Foods.  Crispy, salty chips that also count as a serving of vegetables?  Yes, please.  I was not as excited about paying 8 bucks for a small container of chips, so I decided to experiment and make my own.  For my first trial, I picked up a beautiful stalk of green kale at the weekly Saturday morning Falls Church farmer's market. Since then, I've also tested the recipe with red and dino kale from the grocery store, and both turned out delicious. Red is my favorite.   

Kale is a hearty leafy green - it is a type of cabbage and in the same veggie family as cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts. It can be hard to eat raw unless shredded down to a smaller size or changed by heat. All the more reason to pop it in the oven to make a crunchy treat.

Before you start preparing the leaves to be baked, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Then, get to peeling the leaves. Pull the leaves off the stalk, wash them, and dry them off with a kitchen towel or a salad spinner.  (The first go 'round, washing seemed like it took forever.  Now that I've done it many times, it's quick and easy.)  I have learned over time that it’s essential to get the kale very dry before baking it. Otherwise, it stays soggy even when baked.

After drying, break the leaves up into smaller pieces. Spread the leaves out onto a baking sheet.  Sprinkle them with olive oil, or you can use an olive oil spray.  Toss on some sea salt (the big crystals gives them a nice salty crunch), powdered garlic, and cracked pepper.  Spice it up by adding different accents like cayenne pepper, flavored salt, rosemary, and other herbs.  You can even toss a sliced tomato on top and let that bake with the greens. Put it in the oven for 16-20 minutes, depending on how crispy you want it.

After taking it out of the oven, you can break it up more to make chips or leave it in its current size as a side dish. It makes an amazing side to any kind of meat or vegetarian protein and adds a fantastic texture to any meal. If you decide to make chips, store them in a bag or container. Before packaging, make sure the kale chips cool to maintain their crispiness. The leftovers can be great the next day as a reheated side or a cold salad. The texture changes a bit, but it's still delicious.