May 26

May 26 A Crispy, Crunchy, Healthy Raw Snack: Spicy Nacho Kale Chips

My love affair with kale chips started a few years ago when I first encountered Brad's brand kale chips on sale at Whole Foods. With a crispy texture and flavor bursting from every nook and cranny, I couldn't put the bag down and wanted more. I have a rule though: I refuse to spend more that $3.99 on a snack. Store-bought kale chips are AMAZING, don't get me wrong. But $6.99 for a few ounces of snack food that I know I'll eat in 5 minutes is a bit much for my budget. (Yes, I'm aware that most of them contain 2 or more servings. Momma likes to eat!)

When you love something, but can't afford to buy it all the time, you figure out how to make it at home, right? So that's what I did. I've been making kale chips at home for a couple of years, and have developed a few no-fail recipes. Today, I'm sharing my "spicy nacho" variation. These are full of flavor, but also packed with nutrients. Did you know that one cup of kale, while only having 33 calories, contains 206% RDA of vitamin A, 134% RDA of vitamin C, and 684%(!) RDA of vitamin K, a very important nutrient for healthy bones? And, in chip form, who can eat just one cup, honestly? Kale is also very mineral rich, with calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and copper. This power-packed vegetable, previously relegated to "garnish" status, has become the go-to health food in recent years, and I couldn't be happier. It's cheap, versatile, and incredibly filling. Adding kale to one meal per day is a great way boost your diet.

SPICY NACHO KALE CHIPS

Equipment needed: Large bowl, blender, dehydrator w/non-stick sheets or oven w/baking sheet

2 large bunches Kale

2 stalks celery

1 small zucchini

2 medium carrots

2 dates (or 1-2 tbsp. maple syrup)

1/2 medium onion

2 garlic cloves

1 cup sunflower seeds (soaked for 1-2 hours, then drained)

1 cup filtered water

3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp. Bragg's Liquid Aminos, soy sauce, or tamari

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp chipotle pepper powder OR 1/2 of one jalapeño pepper (omit if you don't like spicy)

5 drops Liquid Smoke (optional)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional. Lends a "cheesy" flavor.)

To begin, wash the kale and drain well. Tear the kale leaves, minus stems, into bite-sized pieces and place in large bowl. Next, place all other ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. You may want to add a bit of sea salt or more seasoning at this point depending on your tastes. When satisfied with the flavor, pour the mixture over the kale pieces. Here, you're gonna have to get down and dirty, so make sure your hands are clean. Now, massage the sauce mixture into the kale until all pieces have sauce on them. Then, place the massaged kale onto non-stick dehydrator sheets in a single layer. (I usually have enough to fill 5 dehydrator trays.) Set the dehydrator at 115 degrees for 12-15 hours. Depending on the thickness of your kale, it may take more or less time. If you don't own a dehydrator, no worries! This can be done in an oven, as well. If you want your chips to stay "raw," you turn the oven on the lowest setting and prop open the door to achieve the same effect as a dehydrator. Again, 12-15 hours may be needed to dry them completely. If you don't mind cooking your kale, these can also be baked at 350 degrees until golden. (I have no idea how long since I only make mine raw.)

If you dehydrate your chips, they'll keep for a couple of weeks in a tightly sealed container, but mine never last that long. When baking the chips, they will begin to get soggy after a day or so, and may need to be crisped in the oven before eating. Either way, they're delicious, and will make a fabulous guilt-free snack. Enjoy!