Savory, Crispy, "Cheesy" Kale Chips

 

Kale chips; where to start? From a healthy eating perspective, they take kale (high in fiber, iron, vitamin k, a, and c, antioxidants like carotenoids and flavonoids, and calcium) and add even more flavor with a coating of savory vegan ingredients. From a snacking standpoint, they're addictive! I think of them as earthy cheeze-its; perfect for when you are craving a cheesy, crunchy, and salty snack.

I really only discovered kale chips about a year ago, spending a summer afternoon at "The Treehouse" home to A.'s aunt and uncle. Aunt J. is an amazing cook who always inspires me with her knowledge of good food that runs the gamut of local meat and veggies to raw and vegan cooking. Add to that my sister who has begun eating dairy and gluten-free, and I suddenly have new ingredients and cooking techniques on my radar. Kale chips (and all that goes into making them) are just one example.

There are a couple independent, organic, health food stores in my neighborhood where I could reliably find kale chips in a variety of different flavors and brands. One thing that they all had in common was their high price for a relatively small tub. Let's be honest, I could demolish an entire tub of kale chips in one sitting.  I got this recipe from Aunt J. earlier this year and was excited to try making them. I had to wait for the arrival of colder weather since (lacking a dehydrator or dehydrate setting on my oven) I would need to bake the chips at a super low temperature for 8 hours or so.
So one appropriately chilly afternoon sometime in October, I tackled making my very own kale chips. And in case anyone was wondering, this recipe is golden! It makes kale chips every bit as delicious as what you would buy in a store. They might even be more delicious just knowing that you made them with your own two hands and saved some $ in the process.


***Note: like many vegan recipes, this recipe requires you to soak raw cashews overnight. Keep this in mind as part of your prepwork when making the chips.

***Note:I was feeling a teeny bit lazy, and so I went with a bag of pre-washed and cut kale leaves. This definitely took a lot of prepwork out of the whole process. If you can't find a bag of pre-washed and cut kale leaves, or if you prefer to buy them in their whole-leaf state, you will need to get rid of the incredibly tough stem by picking the leafy portion off. There have been a couple times when I was eating store-bought kale chips and found that a bit of stem made its way in. It's like trying to eat a twig of wood, and probably another good reason just to make your own.




Savory, Crispy, "Cheesy" Kale Chips
(from The Treehouse Diary)

One 64oz bag of kale (or the equivalent thereof in bunches of whole leaves)

1 cup of raw and unsalted cashews, soaked at least 8 hours or preferably overnight

2 tbs of nutritional yeast (also known as brewer's yeast, easy enough to find in most health food stores)

1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt

2-3 tbs of fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup of red bell pepper, medium dice

 

Even though my bag of kale leaves was mostly ready to go, I still went through the whole thing to make sure that no stems were sneaking in. The few offenders I found (see the picture below) were promptly disposed of. I put the kale leaves in the largest mixing bowl I own and set aside.

Preparing the "cheese" mixture can easily be done in a blender or a food processor. Since my food processor is pretty ancient, I've found that a good high-powered stick blender works just fine. Simply combine all of the ingredients (minus the kale) in your blender/processor/bowl and blend until you have a smooth paste. You can add a little water if it's too thick; optimally, you should end up with a mixture about the thickness or consistency of yogurt (not the greek kind).

When the mixture is ready, pour over your kale and really get in there with both hands, mixing the ingredients until the kale is evenly coated and even a little wilted.

Take two cookie sheets and line them with parchment paper or a very light coating of olive oil. This will help prevent your kale chips from sticking on the sheet and crumbling when you try to remove them. Spread your kale chips in an even layer on each cookie sheet and try not to over-fill each cookie sheet. If the chips are all on top of each other, they won't crisp up as effectively.

I went with the low-heat oven method set to 175F for about 8 hours. I checked on them periodically to test them for crispiness. If your oven has a dehydrate setting, dehydrate for about 12-24 hours until they are the right consistency. I stored my kale chips in a tupperware container and even tossed in one of those food-grade moisture absorbing packs from a bottle of vitamins. They stayed nice and crispy for a week or so, until I ate them all.


Like I mentioned, these chips are delicious. There are also many ways you could play with this recipe. You could add a clove or two of minced garlic to the "cheese" mixture, or even a bit of cayenne pepper if you wanted a kick. Any way you make'em, you'll have a tasty and healthy snack on your hands and a well-earned sense of accomplishment. Now go do a happy dance while you eat your kale chips.