Saturday, June 11, 2011

Kale Chips....SERIOUSLY???

This week has been amazingly busy and I have to aplogize.  I really do mean to post at LEAST 4 times a week, if not everyday.  Sometimes family responsibilities and work get in the way....Last week I was sick and this week busy....but I should be on track now.

Before I get into the recipe, I have to say I had the WORST cooking experience ever!!  I couldn't cook ANYTHING properly.  My Mother was visiting and I wanted to make a really nice dinner.  So I made a Beef tenderloin with a port/plum sauce.  Now let me explain, I have made this SEVERAL times to perfection.  Really I have.  BUT this time I ruined the meat...yep, me. First it was severely undercooked and then, I tried to get it cooked and then the tenderloin was ruined.  UN-FRIGGEN- BELIEVABLE!!!!!
Let's just chalk it up to "performance Anxiety" and leave it at that.  AND NO!!!  There doesn't  appear to be a little blue pill that can help me.     So I am PERMANENTLY damaged from the experience and probably need months of therapy!!

But I digress.

I keep hearing people talk on blogs about Kale Chips.  SERIOUSLY???  Who the heck wants a KALE CHIP?  But the Weight Watcher community loves them because they are crispy, they are free, they are tasty and they are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

I am pretty sure most of you are not running out to purchase and cook kale for meal times on a daily or semi-normal basis - I for one only purchased kale to add beauty to a platter in order to show off other food!  I have a perfect record of NOT EATING KALE, and really I never thought about it at all.  But so much is coming out about the healthful properties of Kale and why, as part of healthy living, we should put Kale into our diets....Kale is high in vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese and fiber!  The medical community says 3 servings of broccoli, cabbage or Kale a week can reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 73%!   Not bad!! 

Kale comes from the same family of green vegetables as cabbage, and is jam packed with so  many cancer fighting, eye healing, organ protecting, detoxifying, immune supporting, cell building properties that it's silly NOT to add it to you diets.  But how?  It's kind of tough, super fibrous and a little "odd" tasting right?

Well, leave it to people to find a way to make things appetizing.  ALL OVER THE INTERNET you will find Kale Chip recipes.  Crispy little delicate morsels that really do taste good and are a bit addicting.  The best part?  You are putting something really healthy into your body. 

These satisfy the craving for snacking on something crispy and salty. 

Even though you will feel crazy, please try them....for your health!

KALE CHIPS
WW PP - O  (nice huh?)


2 bunches, Kale
Pam or some other spray oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

If you are going to rinse the Kale...do so, but then it has be dried completely before you work with it. 

To prepare the Kale, cut the leaves off that horrible stem...(very tough and very fibrous).....the stems should be disposed of.  Cut or tear leaves into 3" pieces or so.  I try to make the sizes as uniform as possible...but it really doesn't matter.



Line a baking sheet with foil and lay the kale in a single layer.  Do not stack Kale.  If you  have too much for your pan, use another pan or wait till the first batch is done.

Spray the Kale with Pam or other oil mist/spray until coated (be careful not to over do the spray) add salt and pepper to the kale - not too much and pop it in the oven.



 I bake them in 3 minute intervals.  Bake Three minutes and check them with your fingers.  The first three minutes they will feel kind of just soft.  The second three the edges will start to crisp.  If the smaller pieces are crisped, take them out and keep baking the balance:



After 6 minutes, I start watching them every minute and remove those that are done until the whole try is crisped.  They will crisp fast at the end so watch carefully.  Lots of people say they taste bitter when browned, but I find I like the browned ones!  LOL

When done you have a nice bowl of crisped greens!




The result?  Healthy, crispy, beautiful little "chips" that you should be encouraged to pop in your mouth as quick as you can!!  When you are done "binging" on the kale chips., take pride in knowing you just did something really good for your body! 

From my home to yours, ENJOY!!

3 comments:

  1. I'm also making these this weekend. It's going to be a LiteNSpicy weekend at my house!

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  2. I hope they come out...we really enjoy them. Seriously. LOL

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  3. I just took the first batch out of the oven (not sure there was going to be a second batch but held on to the remaining kale just in case). Popped one in my mouth and OH MY GOSH! These are delicious!

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