Google Kale and you’ll find out that Kale is King.
At least, according to Healthline.com
Kale, a member of the cabbage family, is one of the most nutrient dense plants on earth. One single cup of raw kale provides Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C and Vitamin K. Then talk about the minerals…jeez, it’s a who’s who: Calcium, potassium, copper, magnesium and manganese…not to be confused with mayonnaise. But wait…did you know that Kale is great for the eyes because it also contains lutein! And who could forget, as with most leafy greens, Kale is a source for iron.
With all that goodness, it is hard to see why some people don’t like it? I, being a picky eater, had to figure out a few tips to make it not trigger the gag reflex- which is not an issue of taste but rather texture. When the fibrousness of the leaf hasn’t been broken down or cut out enough I can’t get it past the old built in gagger!
I learned a short time ago that you must massage your kale. I thought they were joking but they’re not! You are breaking down the fibers and cell walls of the tough leaf by rigorously crushing and squeezing it. Kale is a superfood after all so don’t underestimate it’s holding power. Not to worry though, once you get in there with some oil and sea salt…the tough exterior relaxes. That relaxed leaf whether in a fresh salad or baked into an addicting crunchy chip…. is outstanding in it’s taste and benefits. I’d put my money on Kale Chips over Doritos in a grudge match any day!
Personally, I like all kale in the form of chips. But as far as salad…I prefer very finely chopped curly leaf kale. It’s just my preference…it’s all interchangeable.
The 2 Keys to the Best Kale Chips:
Massage the leaves and cook them low and slow.
Outside of that, the “recipe” is more of a “guess-eipe” and completely up to your favorite flavor profiles. Do you like basics? Just use olive oil, salt, pepper…add garlic and onion powder for a little added zing. Do you want BBQ flavored chips? Smoked paprika, smoked sea salt; Tex/Mex…add chili powder… the options are endless.
The ones I made in the quick video were using the following recipe:
Easy Breezy Beautiful Kale Chips Recipe
Preheat oven for 200 degrees
Ingredients:
2-4 cups Raw clean, rough chopped Kale
1/8 – 1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 TSP Garlic Powder
1 TSP Onion Powder
Salt, Pepper to taste
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Instructions:
Mix all ingredients in bowl.
Massage leaves for a few minute to break down the fibers.
Place on parchment paper or on baking tray.
Cook for 25- 30 minutes at 200 degrees.
If leaves are still soggy, just leave in a little longer and turn down the temp a bit so they don’t brown.
Enjoy!
Hope this helps!
The Picky Eater Club 