Kale Chips. You know, I get the resistance to kale chips. If you are thinking that a chip must be made of potato, even if you are willing to concede to sweet potato as a chip, it is just too far a stretch to imagine using something green and bendy to make a crisp savoury chip. But give it a try. Try a simple rub of oil and sprinkle of salt and they dry them. Or this savoury, spicy and moreish combination. A little more effort, but worth it.
Spicy Kale Chips
MAKES
a lot (you can always cut the recipe in half for a small bunch of kale)
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup macadamias or pecans
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds or pepitas
- 1/4 tsp salt (plus extra, if desired)
- 1/4 tsp chipotle chilli powder
- 1 large bunch of kale (about 400gm)
- 4 tbsp macadamia oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic infused olive oil
OPTIONAL
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
METHOD (DEHYDRATOR)
- In a food processor mill (or pestle & mortar) crush the nuts, seeds, salt & chipotle powder (and sumac/ nutritional yeast flakes, if using) until finely ground and well blended.
- Thoroughly wash the kale & spin dry in a salad spinner.
- Cut or pull away the leaf part from the rib/stem – discard the rib/ stems.
- In a large bowl, combine the macadamia oil & garlic infused olive oil.
- Then add the kale leaves and using your hands, rub and massage the oil all over them until coated.
- You can put the nut, seed and spice mix into a flat bowl or tray, and individually press the kale leaves in to. Or for a quicker, but less consistent method, just add the nut & spice mix into the bowl of oiled kale leaves, and toss or stir until the kale is coated.
- Place on dehydrator trays (using herb sheets if you have them) trying not to have too much overlap between leaves
- If you like things salty, grind a small amount of salt directly on top of the flat kale chips now. Don’t go crazy, as they dry the flavour will intensify.
- Dehydrate until crispy, about 2 to 3 hours.
- Store in an airtight container. If very dry, they can last for a couple of weeks.
- These can be eaten as a savoury snack, or crumbled on to salads or soups.
METHOD (OVEN)
- Place coated kale leaves on a baking/ cookie tray, lined with baking paper, and bake at 120 degrees Celsius for 20 to 25 minutes
NOTES
- You can buy nutritional yeast flakes in health food stores, it adds a ‘cheesy’ flavour
- If you don’t need to make a low FODMAP version, you can use garlic powder instead of the infused oil
- Mild kale varieties include Red Russian, Dwarf Blue, Curly Kale. Cavolo Nero is probably too bitter for these (unless you like that kind of thing).