It’s kale chip time. Between my garden, my CSA share (which started this week) and the farmer’s market, I’ve got access to plenty of deep green kale. In my opinion, there’s nothing better to do with these leafy greens than to bake them into crispy melt in-your-mouth chips. They are so darn good, a winner with all three of my kids and perfect for my diabetic husband.
I know I’ve blogged about kale chips before and even included them in my Halloween newsletter as a creepy “lizard skin” treat, but I’m not tired of these healthy, irresistible snacks. And I’m not alone! They’re popping up everywhere — in magazines, food blogs and websites. I think one could even call them trendy. It’s not surprising since something this healthy usually doesn’t taste this good. Kale, a cousin of cabbage, is loaded with fiber, iron, nutrients and calcium and has even been called a “dieter’s dream.”
So to shake things up a bit, I’m playing with various seasonings. Just like any old potato chip or pita chip company would do after perfecting the original flavor, I’ve been thinking: you can sprinkle on cayenne pepper, old bay seasoning, cumin or even cheese and get creative with your kale crisps.
This week’s winner is Parmesan Kale Crisps. With just a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, they are scrumptiously delicious. A plate will disappear (as with all kale chips) in a matter of seconds.
Parmesan Kale Crisps
5 packed cups kale, washed, dried and broken into pieces with the stem removed
½ teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush each leaf with olive oil and lay on two non-stick baking sheets. (Make sure the leaves do not touch.) Sprinkle the kale with kosher salt and parmesan cheese. Bake for about 12-15 minutes until crispy. Eat right away!
EUREKA!! You’ve got something here! Very inspirational, young lady.