Perfect Kale Chips

I’ve always liked kale chips since trying them a few years back.  I even posted a recipe for some two years ago.  But today I tried baking them a new way and love them much more.  I feel bad because I saw this recently on a Facebook post from somewhere and can’t for the life of me remember where.  So there is a source out there that I’d give credit to if I could remember who it was.  I’ll be sharing the recipe as I made them here, but it’s the method I read about that I like.

You’ll never feel left out again when people around you are eating potato chips and you don’t have anything to munch on.  These are the answer.  Make them.  They are crunchy and a little bit salty, but they aren’t fried food with high carbs—it’s kale—a superfood.  They are so good and so good for you!

So easy to make—just tear the kale in to pieces—1-2 inches in size.  Wash them and spin them dry in a salad spinner.  Lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet, spray with a little non-aerosol olive oil spray, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and some parmesan (my favorite topping, but you can use endless spices and herbs).  Have the oven already preheated to 425 degrees F.  When you put them in the oven, turn it off and let them sit for 12-15 minutes.  I thought they were perfect at 14 minutes.  They were more light and perfect than the way I’ve made them before (in my other post), with no burned pieces.  A perfect, healthy treat, or side to your lunch, or as I made them—they were my lunch along with some fruit.

Perfect Kale Chips, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

1 bunch of kale, washed and dried, stems removed, torn into 1-2 inch pieces

salt and pepper to taste

1-2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely grated

*olive oil non-aerosol spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Wash and dry kale (salad spinner works best).  Remove stems and tear into 1-2 inch pieces.  Spread kale evenly on a baking sheet.  Spray with olive oil (*or lightly drizzle and mix with hands to make sure all pieces get oil).  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then parmesan cheese.

Put baking sheet in oven and turn oven off.  Let kale bake for 12-15 minutes (Mine was perfect in 14 minutes).  Let sit on baking sheet to cool slightly for a few minutes. Carefully scrape kale into a dish and serve.  Try not to eat it all in one sitting, but if you do—there is no guilt!

When they come out of the oven, they will look shriveled up, never fear, they are crispy and perfect. 

You’ll even fight over them with your kids.  Two of my four boys really like them.  The other two won’t even try them.  If you’ve never tried kale chips, you need to as soon as possible! ;)

Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Spiced Pecans Recipe and Oven Baked Kale Chips Recipe

We’re going light and healthy today.  I wanted to share this salad with you before I continue with my usual posts of goodies, baked treats and desserts.  I have been LOVING kale chips** lately.  I often make an entire baking sheet full, which is about 1/2 to 3/4 of a bunch of washed, torn kale and could easily eat the whole thing.  Problem lately is that I have two boys who have decided they like them, too, and any time my kids like a vegetable, I let them have as much as they’d like!

So I often have kale in stock and would never even have thought of it as an edible food until the last year or two. ;)  I’ve had it in some soups, but have never tried it raw in a salad, but decided to look around (on the internet) for any ideas and ran into this salad that not only had kale, but also another thing I had in my kitchen pantry that needed to be used.  I bought a butternut squash probably last fall—probably more than six months ago!  And it was still sitting pretty in my cupboard, but I decided that I should use it up.  So I went looking for something light to make with the butternut squash and kale and I found this recipe at Lisa’s blog, Lisa Is Cooking.  I followed most of the recipe, but since it called for raw red onions, of course, I left those out! ;)  I adapted a few other things in the recipe, but for the most part got it from the link to Lisa Is Cooking.  

I love this salad!  Of course, no one else in my family would even try it. grrrr  (Not even the kale chip likers.)  Didn’t bother me—I’ve been enjoying the salad for lunch and dinner for a few days now.  Even if you think you don’t like kale (or squash!) you should give this a try!

Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Spiced Pecans, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!, adapted from Lisa at Lisa Is Cooking

1 small butternut squash

2-3 tablespoons  extra virgin olive oil

1  cup pecans

1 egg white

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 bunch kale

3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place the whole squash in the microwave for about 3 minutes.  (You don’t have to do this, but it softens it just a little tiny bit so it is much easier to slice in half.)  Cut it in half and remove the seeds.  Cut each half into half and peel each piece.  Cut each piece into about 3/4 inch cubes.  Toss the cubed squash with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Lay the squash in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, until it is tender.  Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

In a medium sized bowl, whisk the egg white with the cayenne pepper, sugar and a pinch of salt.  Whisk until the egg white is foamy.  Toss the pecans in the mixture until well coated.  Place the pecans on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer (don’t dump the extra egg mixture on the baking sheet).   Toast the pecans in the 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until they are crisp.  Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet on a wire rack. 

Cut the ribs from each kale leaf.  Then tear each leaf into about one inch pieces.  Wash the leaves in a salad spinner or bowl.  Pick them leaves up out of the bowl so you’re not dumping the dirty water back onto them.  Spin them dry in the salad spinner.  Place the washed/dried kale in a large bowl.  Pour about three tablespoons of balsamic vinegar over them and massage it into the kale with your hands, squeezing it.  This tenderizes the kale.

Add the roasted and cooled squash and pecans to the kale.  Toss to combine.  Add another tablespoon or so of olive oil  and salt and pepper to taste to the salad and toss to coat.  Taste and decide if you’d like a little more vinegar and/or oil and adjust according to taste. 

  

I think this salad has gotten better with age.  I love the taste of the kale as it has softened a little over a day or two.  Kale just might be making an appearance in more salads around here!  As for the butternut squash, stay tuned next week for what I did with a half cup of it pureed!  See in the picture above the kale salad sitting on a plate next to another salad?  I’ll be sharing that soon, too.  It’s quinoa, mango, blueberries…….love it, too!

Now bring on those 4th of July treats! ;)

**Never had Kale Chips?  So easy—try these as a replacement to your favorite store bought potato chips.  You might not be sold at first try—but keep eating them and just like Lays, you won’t be able to eat just one.

Oven Baked Kale Chips, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

1/2 bunch of kale, ribs removed and torn into 1-2 inch pieces (washed and dried)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lay the kale on a baking sheet and toss lightly with olive oil and salt and pepper, sprinkle with optional parmesan cheese if desired (I love it!).  (As much in a single layer as you can.)  You can also just add the cheese as soon as you remove the baking sheet from the oven if you’d like.

Bake the kale for 12 minutes.  Check to see if all the pieces are crispy.  Bake another 1-3 minutes if they are not all crispy.  Sometimes I remove the ones that are and leave the ones that just need another couple minutes.

Put the warm, crisp kale chips on a plate and try not to eat them all!  Healthy!