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Spicy Kale Chips

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Healthy, delicious snack of spicy kale leaves baked until crisp.

Kale Chips : The Wimpy Vegetarian

I hit a carb wall over the weekend. Not that I don’t love all the cake, cookies, candy, and scones I've been gorging on mind you. I can make a breakfast out of a swirl of warm cinnamon rolls draped with icing as eagerly as Paula Deen. But after a long weekend of traveling back east for a beautiful family wedding, I found myself thinking about kale chips somewhere between grab-n-go airport food that satisfied my hunger and little else, and my second indulgent helping of wedding cake capped with a thick layer of fluffy frosting.

I don't think I'm alone. When I mentioned my kale chips over the weekend, people's eyes lit up. Or maybe that was just the glow from my sugar high. Regardless, I knew as soon as I got home, they would be the first thing I would make.

Kale is grown year-round but it’s at its best in the winter, which is just the opposite from what you might think. Summertime heat and drier conditions conspire to produce a more bitter, tough leaf; whereas the colder, more damp conditions of the winter support a more tender leaf with milder flavor. So we’re in prime kale season now, which is why it will start to pop up on January food magazine covers.

There are a few kinds of kale typically seen at the markets this time of year: the beautiful Red Russian kale, which shimmers with purple highlights on its silver-green leaves; dinosaur kale, with its prehistoric look of pebbly, dark forest green leaves, also known as Tuscan kale, cavolo nero, lacinato, or dino kale; and curly green kale, with its frilly, green leaves. All are packed full of nutrients, making this one of the healthiest greens you can ingest.

Kale Chips : The Wimpy Vegetarian
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Spicy Kale Chips

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches curly green kale central stalk removed, torn into bite-size pieces
  • 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • ½ - ¾ teaspoon kosher salt to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder optional
  • ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika I use Pimenton de la Vera (optional)
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese finely grated

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 275° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (see Cook's Notes).
  • Wash and completely dry the kale. Set aside, sandwiched between paper towels, while you make the dressing.
  • Place the rice vinegar in a small bowl. Add the salt and spices (if using them) and whisk a few times to dissolve the salt. Slowly add the olive oil, while whisking to get a good emulsion. Take a kale leaf and dip it into the dressing and take a bite. Adjust the seasoning to your own taste.
  • Place the dry kale leaves in a large bowl and pour half of the dressing over it. Toss thoroughly with your hands and add more dressing as needed.
  • Lay the dressed kale leaves on the prepped baking sheets in a single layer. The leaves can touch each other, but if the leaves are overlapping too much, they’ll steam and never get crispy.
  • Grate the Parmesan cheese over the leaves.
  • Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until crispy.

Notes

  • These chips are a great entry point to kale for kids and adults alike, but I suggest eliminating the spices for kids.
  • I've made these kale chips successfully with both dino and curly green kale, but prefer the shape of the latter.
  • The center stalk of each leaf should always be removed when cooking kale; it’s very tough and no amount of cooking is going to significantly soften it. Think thick floss.
  • You can cut the kale into bite-sizes pieces if in a hurry, but you’ll get prettier shapes if you tear them; although I should add that kale chips are not the prettiest type of chip you’ll probably ever make.
  • I wash kale by tossing it in a bowl filled with ice water, spinning dry in a salad spinner, and laying out on paper towels. If the kale is a little limp coming out of the refrigerator, soaking it in a bowl of ice water is a great way to perk it up!
  • It's important to line the baking sheet with parchment paper, otherwise the kale leaves will stick to the pan as they bake and crumble when you try to remove them.
  • Eat like a potato chip or crumble over soups, salads, baked apples, pizza or popcorn.


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Comments

  1. Rodger Heldwig

    Gotta give this a whirl. I hear that kale is a superfood and have been seeing more of it in the marketplace.

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian

      It is definitely a superfood! And these are soooo easy to make. I just leave them out in a bowl and they don't last long at all.

      Reply

  2. TasteFood

    I adore kale, and kale chips are the best snack food! Have a wonderful holiday, Susan!

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian

      I'm munching on a few while I type this 🙂 You have a wonderful holiday too, Lynda!!

      Reply

  3. lizthechef

    I hope you will keep the dark greens' recipes coming after the holidays - I'd love to know your ideas for kale salad... Love the chips! Learned from Lynda - your tips improve on my recipe.

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian

      Definitely, Liz. I'll be doing a number of kale dishes over the next couple months since it's at peak season now for flavor 🙂

      Reply

  4. Rose Muenker

    Yum, this sounds delicious, Susan! Here's to healthy, nutritious snacks!

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian

      Thanks so much, Rose! I completely agree - and this definitely qualifies as a healthy snack, and so easy to make during the busy holiday season. Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful holiday season!

      Reply

  5. Jennie Schacht

    I love kale chips and yours sound wonderful. I haven't tried them with rice vinegar but I love the idea. Haven't used cheese, either, but maybe it's time to give that a try, too. Wishing you warm and bright winter holidays!

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian

      Thanks so much Jennie! I've tried them a bunch of ways, and this is my favorite right now. The cheese is optional, but it adds a nice touch. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season too!

      Reply

  6. lapadia

    Great post, Ms. wimpyveg! I think in helping with the Holiday iPad on F52 we all are in a sugar high cloud, and it isn't even Christmas yet...Happy Holidays, thanks for the recipe 🙂

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian

      Why thank you Linda!! I was eyeing a cranberry and toffee confection that I'm dying to make, and had to back away and have a few more kale chips. They're a good thing to have hanging around the house in a handy bowl, I can tell you. A very happy holidays to you and your family too!

      Reply

  7. Karen @ My Pantry Shelf

    I was just talking with a girlfriend about making kale chips! The spices you added sound delicious. We have many kale plants in the garden, so I will definitely make this soon.
    Thanks!
    Karen

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian

      Thanks Karen! Kale grows so easily, I'm looking forward to growing some more. Hope you enjoy the chips!

      Reply

  8. gluttonforlife

    These are a staple in our house and even the pickiest nephews love them. I do a raw kale salad that is a take on a caesar, with an anchovy dressing and lots of parmesan, that is also very addictive. Wishing you a delicious 2012! xo

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian

      I do a very similar kale caesar salad! I completely agree - it's one of the most addictive salads I've eaten! A very happy new year to you and your family, Laura!

      Reply

  9. Bevi

    I can totally relate to the carb overload. After baking a decadent birthday cake for my nephew, assembling peach Melba with a mountain of whipped cream, and realizing that the healthiest dish I made-by far- was sdb's lovely pancetta, haricots verts and cherry tomatoes from food52, I am ready for a serious kale cleanse.
    Remember that we have a date in a few weeks! Can't wait!!

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian

      My grandchildren just left a few hours ago, and a kale cleanse sounds perfect. It was worth it, and I'm glad I lost a few pounds going into the holidays, but I need to come down from all the sugar! And I haven't forgotten at all about hooking up at Fancy Food!!! I'm really looking forward to meeting you! I'll send you my schedule so we can see where we might have some overlap to get together. Excited!

      Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian

      Love to! Thanks for the invite! And thanks so much for stopping by. Very fun blog hop idea!

      Reply

  11. Alanna

    These look awesome! I LOVE kale chips, and the flavorings here look superb. Can't wait to make them!

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian

      Thanks so much! I hope you give them a try!!

      Reply

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