Try Kale Chips
You may have noticed bags of dried greens in your health foods store and cafe, labeled as cheesy, ranch or even nacho and spicy. Seriously? Are these substitutes for chips?? Hmmm, potato chips are so tasty, why would I want to eat old leaves? Well, because surprisingly, they taste pretty dang good. And when they say cheesy, they actually mean it. But wait it’s vegan, how can it be cheesy? They use a magical powdery substance called nutritional yeast along with some seasonings and viola you have cheesy flavor without the dairy.
So what are kale chips exactly?
Starting with the main ingredient… Kale is a leafy green species of cabbage with curly leaves. When baked or dehydrated, kale becomes a crispy snack. The nutritional value of baked kale, however, is far superior to the average potato chip.
Kale chips are made from the leaves of the kale plant that have been stripped from their hard stems and torn to bite-sized pieces. With low amounts of calories, fat and sodium and high amounts of vitamins and minerals, kale chips are the perfect snack to reach for next time you crave a crunchy treat.
You can make your own kale chips using a dehydrator. NEAT!!
Cheesy kale Chips
- 1 large bunch of kale
- 1/2 cup cashews, (soaked 2 hours)
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Rinse the kale and spin dry. Remove the stems and tear into bite size pieces. Let the kale air out as much as possible before coating. Blend the ingredients for the cheesy seasoning in a blender until smooth. Transfer kale and seasoning to a large bowl and mix well using your hands to ensure the leaves are well coated. Place the kale on the dehydrator trays. Dehydrate at 118 degrees overnight or until coating is dry. Slide onto mesh screens and dehydrate until totally crispy.
Don’t have a dehydrator?
If you are not ready to invest in a dehydrator, stop by Lean and Green Cafe and pick up a bag of delicious fresh kale chips today! We have lots of flavors to try.
Let us know what your favorite flavor is!