Weekends are most definitely for trying new things and for me it is recipe testing or trying something new in the kitchen. I am not much of a snack person but during the weekends I always get the munchies. Never fails. I do not crave big meals; I basically want to graze. Which is why I normally stick to healthy options. But sometimes I want the bad stuff: potato chips. And let's just say once I have a bag I cannot just eat one. Luckily I have other options like beets chips and sweet potato chips.
In my quest for chip alternatives one type has always evaded me, though. And that is kale chips. No matter what I try they always come out soggy and if they come out crispy they normally come out burnt. Not a good thing. That is until I discovered a trick by chance. I had a bunch of kale that I needed to use before it went bad and flavor wise decided to go with salt & vinegar, which is my favorite. And in that I found the magic tip: I decided to go with less oil than normal because I wanted more of the vinegar flavor. I think in the past I was using too much oil which probably made them soggy since they could not crisp. This time instead I used less olive oil and it worked beautifully.
One thing, in the photos below it looks like I added a lot of salt, but really I did not. Because I used a rock salt, I used a mortar & pestle to break it down, because I do like the crunch of a little salt. So when I sprinkled it, most of it rolled into the baking sheet and did not stay on the kale. Just had to clarify that.
This is such a simple recipe to make and it was so good. A delicious and CRISPY alternative to potato chips. The best thing is that hours later they were still crispy-- not soggy. Delicious! They were so good that a few "fell" on the floor and Jack gobbled them up. And did I mention how easy it was to make? Below is the recipe so you can give them a try if you so want to. Enjoy!
SALT & VINEGAR KALE CHIPS
by TheGoodLifeGrl
Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale
2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
salt to taste (use different types of salt for variations in flavor)
Steps:
- Preheat over to 300F.
- Remove the kale leaves from the stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and dry the kale. Do not skip the drying part or it will be hard to coat the kale.
- In a bowl whisk the oil and white wine vinegar, then add the kale. Using tongs or with your hands(my favorite method) coat the kale leaves then place in a prepared baking sheet. I like to use a silpat but you can also use parchment paper.
- Sprinkle salt over the kale and bake for 16 minutes turning over the leaves half way through the baking process.
- When they are done and crispy, let them cool in the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. I find that letting them cool in the baking sheet helps with the crispiness. Serve and enjoy.
// MENU PLANNING //
BREAKFAST
Egg White Scrambled Eggs + Turkey Bacon + Ezequiel Toast
or
Avocado Omelet
LUNCH
Sweet Potato + Chicken Breast + Strawberries
or
Green Smoothie
DINNER
Turkey Pattie + Yellow Squash/Broccoli + Salad with Feta Cheese
Garlic Balsamic Chicken + Wild Rice + Veggies
SNACKS
GNC Lean Protein Shake
or
Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips
or
Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips
or
Rice cake + PB2 + raw honey (add sliced bananas if before CrossFit)
I've never used vinegar in kale chips before. good idea!
ReplyDeleteIn your opinion, what type of salt tastes the best? All data taste more or less the same to me!
Hi Linda! I would use a Pink Himalayan salt. It is a finishing salt but I think it would work better with the delicate texture the kale takes when baked. If you are feeling adventurous see if you can find smoked Hawaiian salt. It has a smoky taste that I think would be interesting. That's my next try.
DeleteThis looks delicious! I have heard great things about kale chips...I gotta give these a try!
ReplyDeleteSalt and vinegar kale chips!!??!! You rule. I'm gonna make these as soon as I get back from this road trip. And I know I'm not going to be able to stop thinking about them until then. Good for your for trying new things (and good for us, too :)
ReplyDeleteYeay! Please let me know how you like them or if you have any recommendations.
DeleteI've also never had much luck with kale chips. It always looks so simple!
ReplyDeleteIt does, doesn't it? But like I mentioned: I think the trick was not soaking them in oil but rather lightly coating them. I also think the vinegar was key in making sure they dried and crisped.
DeleteThat sounds so delicious! I'm a huge grazer on the weekends, too... it's a hard habit to break!
ReplyDeleteWow I need to make some kale chips now!!
ReplyDeleteThose Kale chips look great! I am a grazer too and I'm always looking for yummy snack recipes that are healthy and clean. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI keep trying but my kale chips always turn out more chewy than crispy. ugh. Now I'm craving kale chips so maybe I'll try again. Any tips?
ReplyDeleteJill, my two main tips: make sure the leaves are not soaking in oil. Just enough to get a light coating. And second, let them cool down in the tray when they come out. The heat from the tray I find continues the "drying" process without burning them.
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