Here is a great recipe for dried kale chips that I’ve wanted to try for a long time! I use kale every day, but usually just in my green drinks. So when my friend Alayna told me she had this great recipe, I asked her if she would share it with us. I can’t wait to make it myself!

Here’s Alayna:

Until recently my only appreciation for kale was its use as a garnish, a salad bar decoration.  I knew it was technically edible, but with so many other tastier options I never even gave it a second glance as a realistic part of our menu.

Not too long ago, I stumbled across a recipe for Kale Chips that piqued my interest.  Being touted as “the healthy version of a potato chip” I couldn’t imagine how kale: dense, bitter and chewy, could end up anything like a potato chip: light, crunchy and tasty to the point of addiction.  I am thrilled to report that the Kale Chip is all of that and more!

Unlike a bag of potato chips- which cost upwards of $4 and is fried in hydrogenated oils, laden with sodium and has zero nutritional value- Kale Chips are crunchy, salty, and loaded with nutrition: chlorophyll, flavonoids, and vitamin K to name a few.  And it is one of the most inexpensive greens I have ever found.  At .99 cents a bunch, you can afford to triple the recipe.

For Dried Kale Chips you’ll need:

1 bunch of kale, washed, destemmed and torn into bite-size pieces
Olive oil
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Lay kale chips on a cookie sheet. Do not overlap. Lightly mist kale with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt.  Sprinkle with salt again.  (you need more than you think!)  Bake for 40 minutes to 1 hour.  The kale will shrink up but will still be green.  It is done when it is crunchy.  Once you make it once or twice you will be able to tell just by looking but the first time around you might have to eat one to be sure.

We love the original recipe but if you want a little variety use pepper or cayenne for a little kick.  Are your kids cheese lovers?  Sprinkle some grated parmesan in the last 5 minutes of cooking time.  Rinse in lemon water or vinegar water for a little pucker power.

If there are any kale chips leftover I like to crush them and use them to bread chicken or fish.

Jenni’s Note:

It is also possible to use a lower temperature for this recipe to retain vital nutrients and enzymes. The ideal temperature is 105º, and some dehydrators will do this. My oven won’t go this low, only to 170º, so sometimes I will turn it on and off and dry for a longer period of time, doing the best I can.

Alayna Fredlund changed her eating habits over a decade ago and is passionate about educating others to make better choices.  She feels that it’s so hard in our fast paced, fast food world to slow down and get back to whole, organic, nutrient dense foods.  Her 3 boys provide her with daily opportunities to come up with fun, delicious, and healthy meal ideas.

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