Krazy about Kale: How to eat the whole bunch in one sitting

I am a big fan of, or actually, I would say more of an addict of snacks: a snack addict. I would be content skipping all my main meals and just eating snacks all day: Tapas over Mains any day! I know that I have this addiction so I rarely keep munchies lying around my apartment. However, as a consequence, I’m constantly rummaging through or scavenging in my kitchen every few hours, hoping something yummy will magically appear (sometimes this was the case when I lived with roommates!). This was a fleetingly good thing since bags of chips and chocolate would disappear in lightening speed chased by bouts of guilt. Now, if I’m hungry, I’m forced to take something healthy already in the fridge and make it into a snack-able item. Enter Kale.

Kale was one of those things that I always saw at the grocery store, but resisted trying. It just seemed tough and I really didn’t know what to do with it… unfamiliar territory. I eventually decided to give it a try and it was pretty enjoyable (steamed kale with hummus and brown rice – dinner in 10 minutes)! Being a foodster-ette, I wanted to be more creative with kale, so I searched online to see how others were eating it and apparently kale chips were the way to go! I was sold after the first try! They are so addicting-ly good that I guarantee you 100% that you will finish the whole bunch in one sitting. Crispy, flavourful, and good for you! You will not be able to stop, and not because they are nutritious but because they’re DELICIOUS!

As some background information, here’s Kale’s lifestory and how it can benefit your life. Kale has been cultivated for over 2,000 years and in the Middle Ages was a common staple throughout Europe. Kale is part of the brassica family of vegetables, and it’s siblings include brussel sprouts, cabbage, brocolli, collard greens, and cauliflower. A distant cousin (cultivated variety) from the east Gai-Lan (or Chinese Kale/Chinese Brocolli) is used in many Chinese dishes, especially in Cantonese cuisine.

Unsurprisingly, due to their close relationship, kale has a slightly cabbage-y taste. Like cabbage, many varieties of Kale exist such as the dark blue-green dinosaur kale, or the more commonly available deep green kale. Kale also comes in a rainbow of colors from including blue, purple, lavender, yellow, and even almost black but most varieties of kale are stamped with a characteristically frilly leave.

Kale is so nutritionally powerful too! One cup of kale steamed (only 36 calories for those curious) has 354% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Vitamin A and contains 1328% RDA of Vitamin K. Kale, like other members of the brassica family with contain organosulfur compounds, are also known as cancer-fighting veggies. The phytonutrients in kale can also help detoxify the liver. The high amounts of Vitamin C, beta-carotene as well as iron, manganese, calcium, potassium and fibre make kale so lovable!

Have I made a case for Kale yet? Try this recipe if I have convinced you. Just as satisfying as potato chips and you can trust me: I have a love affair with potato chips. Comment below of how yours turned out!

Krispy Baked Kale Chippies

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of organic kale
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of sea salt
• 1 clove of garlic diced
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional)

Method:

• Preheat oven at 350 degrees
• Tear kale into 1-2″ pieces/bite size (remove leaves from stems)
• Wash kale and spin in salad spinner to dry (or blot with paper towel)
• In a large bowl, add olive oil and toss the kale in bowl until evenly coated.
• Grab a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
• Arrange kale on the sheet in a single layer.
• Sprinkle salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic over kale.
• Slip into oven for approx. 12 minutes (10-15 minutes – until crisp but still dark green)
• Remove from oven and eat! (or if you are patient, you can leave them to cool for a bit)

[Kale Pictures courtesy of: Ayla87 and tsubi]

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