Kale, like brussels sprouts, can be a very controversial vegetable. Some people despise it in all forms. Others like it sautéed with tons of garlic but can't stand it raw in a salad. And I respect all of these kale related opinions. But I have to believe that even the fiercest anti kale advocate would like these crunchy, salty and cheesy kale chips.
Disclaimers:
- ~ This recipe makes about 1-2 servings. Why...
- It may be one bunch of kale, but it shrivels down to about a third of its original size.
- It is incredibly addicting, and half a pan disappears the second it comes out of the oven
- Ok, let's be real, it's only 1 serving.
- If you want to double the recipe (to be able to share the love), you will have to do multiple batches. So making this for a crowd can be a lengthy process.
This recipe is basically this one from the Minimalist Baker, with just the slightest change.
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch curly kale (aka not dinosaur)
- 1 T olive oil
- 2 T cashews
- 1 T sunflower seeds
- 2 T nutritional yeast (mmm cheesy) + extra to top
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 t garlic powder
- 1/2 t onion powder
- pinch cayenne
First cut or rip up your kale into nicely sized chunks. Ideally you would have washed it and let it air dry in advance. Of course, I rarely plan ahead when I cook, so I used a paper towel to dry off the leaves once they were all chopped up in the bowl. This actually served as a pre-oil massage for them, helping soften them. Then you add the oil and really massage it in to the leaves. I find this process pretty fun!
Dump your cashews, seeds, yeast and seasonings into a food processor. I used the littlest container on my magic bullet and just pulsed it awhile. This worked pretty well. Then dump that cheesy goodness into the kale and make sure it is all evenly coated.
Stick the kale on 2 pans so it does not overlap too much and sprinkle more nutritional yeast on top of it all.
At a 300 degree F oven, bake 15 minutes, stir, and then bake 5-15 minutes more. My bottom pan took longer than the top, so be sure to keep checking. This is another reason the end product disappears so quickly. You have to keep tasting it to test its crispness!
Then let cool completely before storing! But if we're honest...there may not be much to store.
Hope you enjoy this easy way to make your vegetables into a fun and addicting snack!
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| Mmm cheesy! |
