How To Make Kale Chips (and collard chips!)

Despite the healthy lifestyle you may see me living, I've never had a palate for vegetables.  Even as I've come to like more vegetables than I ever have before and often crave them for the way they make my body feel, I'm just not one of those people who gets excited for a froofy salad with a tangy vinaigrette.  I'd rather have pizza, please.

Dark leafy greens have been a particular struggle for me for quite some time.  Can you relate?  Regardless of the long list of benefits they boast, I've just always had a time time getting them down.  Oh I've been adventurous, that's for sure.  I'd just never come across a recipe or a way to eat them that didn't involve some serious "shove it down cause it's good for you" willpower.  And that way of eating is really hard to maintain in the long run.

But kale chips were the ticket for me finally being able to enjoy dark leafy greens.

I'm definitely jumping on the bandwagon here, as online sources for recipes and how-to posts about kale chips are in no short supply,  but I wanted to add my two cents anyway.  Because when I first heard of kale chips I was incredibly skeptical of everyone making these grand, over-the-top exclamations...OMG these are amazing!  so crunchy!  just like a potato chip! I'm so addicted!...so I get it if you are too.  But multiple people were raving about them and I was determined to get some greens into my body, so I gave them a try.

My first reaction...these are so NOT chips.  I was highly disappointed.  I felt duped even.  But I tried again.  And when I tried again I had adjusted expectations.  I told myself they weren't really chips and I shouldn't expect them to be, but maybe they would grow on me.  Well, pretty soon I found myself loving these things so much I was putting down multiple plates a day!  They became my snack in the afternoon, my dessert in the evening.  I was hooked.  Still am.  Since cutting out processed foods the thing I miss most is crunchy, salty snacks, and with these I can munch munch munch away without having to worry about mindless, empty calories or a stomach ache to follow.  

So, if you too aren't a veggie fiend but are looking for new ways to add more nutrient-rich, healthy foods to your diet, I highly recommend you try these.  I make no claims that they will taste just like a Lays potato chip, but you just might be pleasantly surprised.

After struggling with my first few batches, I developed a few tricks for achieving the best kale chips every time.  

1. Use Lacinato Kale.  Often referred to as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale, it's the type of kale featured in the forthcoming photo montage.  It's often harder to find but worth it if you can.  The leaves are a bit thicker and lay out flat which makes for a much sturdier chip that won't burn as easily as more delicate types of kale.  Some say the flavor of lacinato kale is more bitter and don't like it for that reason, but I actually prefer it.  Something about the taste and texture of lacinato kale chips in particular is key for me really liking these, so maybe that will work for you too :)

2. Cook on a wire cooling rack atop a baking sheet.  You know those wire cooling racks you transfer cookies to just after they come out of the oven?  Just place one onto a large baking sheet, then lay the kale leaves on top instead of directly on the pan.  I remember watching Rachel Ray use this method on her show one day when she was making french fries, saying that baking them on the rack allows the air to circulate and get them evenly crispy on all sides.  After burning my first few batches of kale chips, I decided to try this method.  Worked like a charm!! Plus, it allows you to cook at a lower temperature for a shorter amount of time while still getting a perfectly crisp chip.

3. Spray the leaves with olive oil.  You get one less dish to wash and a lighter, more even coating of olive oil than using the traditional method of tossing leaves in a bowl with oil.  And it's quicker!  I use this Misto sprayer that you fill up with your own oil.  Even though sometimes the Misto can be a bit finnicky, I love it because it allows me to use extra virgin olive oil without the added propellant or other bad ingredients.

How To Make Kale Chips 

INGREDIENTS
One bunch lacinato kale (fresh, not frozen)
Olive oil spray
Sea salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 275 F and fit a large baking sheet with a wire cooling rack.

Remove kale leaves from the thick stem that runs through the center, and lay the strips on the cooling rack perpendicular to the direction of the wires.  The leaves can be almost touching but don't over-crowd them.  Spray with a light layer of olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with sea salt.  Some people add additional spices to create a variety of flavors, but I keep it simple.

Bake in the oven for around 10 minutes.  I recommend starting with 8 minutes and checking them every minute from then on until you learn what's right for your oven.  You don't want them to burn but you want to make sure they are completely crispy.  They will be done when there is no more flexibility or softness to the leaves and you can break them in half and hear a "crisp" sound.  If your leaves were a little wet or if you put on a heavier layer of oil, they will take a little longer to cook.

Plate and consume right away or within a couple hours because these don't store well (they will lose their crispiness).  You can break them up into bite size pieces or simply eat them as strips (that's what I do).

SERVINGS
One large baking sheet full of kale is a nice serving for one person, but if I'm really in the mood to munch, I'll make myself two trays.  They always disappear fast!

TOTAL TIME
To make one tray of kale, it takes about 15 minutes.  That's only 5 minutes of hands-on prep time, and then 10 minutes to bake.

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What if you can't find lacinato kale?

Unless you have access to Whole Foods or a farmer's market, you may not be able to find lacinato kale.  Most typical grocery stores only carry green kale, also known as curly kale.  You can certainly make kale chips with this type of kale, and actually this is the kind of kale you'll see most people around the web making their kale chips with.  I prefer the taste and texture of lacinato kale chips and highly recommend going this route, however curly kale chips are still pretty good for those that only have this option.

Note: I don't use my baking rack method for this type of kale because those ruffly edges can actually curl around the wire rack during cooking and break to pieces when you try to lift them off. Otherwise you can follow the same instructions.  The edges will be crispy and light, but without the elevation of the rack, it's harder to get the center of the leaf fully crisp before the edges burn.

You can also turn collard greens into chips. 

A couple months into my new-found kale addiction, I decided I needed to vary my greens and tried turning collards into chips.  They were pretty good!  Personally, I still prefer my lacinato kale chips over anything else, but if you can't find kale or you want to vary your greens, collards make a great runner-up.  They have thick wide leaves and hold up great as a chip.  I also tried turning swiss chard into chips and it didn't work, but it seems like any fairly sturdy dark leafy green should turn out okay if you're in the mood to experiment.  Just use the exact same method I've shared here to prepare them, simple as that.

Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

If you happened to catch that awful, wretched flu that was going around this year, you may want to buddy up with this soup starting now and for every winter henceforth.  It's full of ingredients touted to heal the body and boost the immune system.  Chicken broth, coconut milk, and curry powder make for a nourishing powerhouse, but paired with the freshness of peppers, limes and cilantro, you've got a soup warming enough for a chilly winter evening and light enough to be enjoyed for a surprisingly large part of the year.  

I was skeptical at first about whether I'd like something like this but tried it out of curiosity and a desperation to introduce some new and exciting flavors into my fairly restrictive diet.  It's a sure favorite now. Plus, it comes together quick, makes great leftovers, and provides a well-rounded meal in just one simple bowl of soup that delivers a whole lot of healthy.

I tweaked on the original recipe by playing with the ratios a bit.  I like to use a lot of chicken broth and curry powder in this to get even more of those excellent health benefits in just a single serving.  Plus, it adds more flavor!  I think incorporating different spices and bold flavors into a diet where you can't have gluten, dairy, or sugar is one way to enjoy and feel more satisfied with your meals without pining away for those "high-inducing" foods you can no longer have.  But whether you have dietary restrictions or not, I hope you'll enjoy it!

Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

adapted from Cooking for Seven

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. shredded chicken

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 small onion, diced

4 cups chicken broth

14 oz. can full-fat coconut milk*

1 cup water

2 limes, juiced

1 jalapeño, minced

2 Tbsp curry powder

1 1/2 tsp sea salt*

2 green peppers

1 bunch fresh cilantro (optional)

2 cups brown rice (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Boil 1 lb. chicken breasts or thighs until cooked through.  Remove from water and using two forks, shred into bite size pieces.  I usually have shredded chicken pre-cooked from a whole chicken (used also for broth) when I make this soup, and this makes prep time on the night you're doing it go much faster. 

2. Sauté diced onion in a couple tablespoons of coconut oil for about five minutes or until the onion is translucent.  Add the shredded chicken, broth, coconut milk, water, lime juice, minced jalapeño,  curry and salt.  We mince our jalapeño in a miniature food processor to avoid any potential burns from the seeds (and it's quicker).  If you don't want it spicy, just leave it out entirely.  Let this simmer for about 30 minutes.  

3. Then add the green peppers and simmer for about 10 minutes more.  I do this so the peppers retain a slight crunch and don't lose as much of their nutrients.  Adding them with everything else in the previous step is totally fine if you want to keep things simpler.  

4. While the soup is simmering cook up about 2 cups of brown rice (that's 2 cups uncooked rice grain) and chop up the fresh cilantro. Brown rice takes about 30-40 minutes to cook so start that before or quickly after you have your soup ready to simmer for the 30 minutes.  

5. Serve soup into bowls then add about 1/4 cup rice and 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro to each.  I keep these ingredients separate until it's time to serve because the rice soaks up liquid and I want my cilantro cooked as little as possible, both for flavor and to retain nutrients.  So store them in separate containers from the soup if you have leftovers.   

COOK TIME:

Comes together in about 1 hour.  And remember, it makes good leftovers so that time investment goes a long way!

SERVINGS:

Makes about 6 bowls of soup for us.

NOTE:

*You can use light canned coconut milk in this soup with good results, however we love it even more with full-fat.  Look for coconut milk in the Asian section of your grocery store, or at a health food store if you have access to one.  Trader Joe's carries light canned coconut milk for a great deal at $1/can if you're wanting to experiment for the first time without a major investment.    

*The amount of salt you add will depend largely on the broth you use, whether it's low sodium, regular, or even completely unsalted homemade broth.  The amount listed should work with the average store-bought broth but I make and salt my own broth at home so there could be a little variation.  Just taste test to see whether you need more or less!