Kale Chips

I’ve always been wary of kale. I’ve tried to like it. I’ve smothered it in garlic (which, in my book, makes everything delectable), but still had a problem with the texture. In my experiences kale is tough, like a fruit roll-up, but not nearly as tasty.

Deb (of Smitten Kitchen) agrees with me:

“But I still couldn’t warm to kale. Because I didn’t like the way it tasted. And I don’t care if something is chock-full of vitamin A, C and calcium, I don’t care if it makes you live longer or feel stronger or fixes the budget deficit, I’ve got this hang-up wherein I won’t eat food if it doesn’t taste good to me…And kale just didn’t.”

Or she did—until she made kale chips.

Kale chips? Wouldn’t that be like making lettuce chips? Yes, but no. I decided to give kale one last shot with the kale chip recipe in the Laughing Stock Farm Cookbook and you know what? They’re awesome.

Olive oil (or canola oil)

Kale

Shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Chop and stem the kale. (Be aggressive. The stems are the tough parts so get them outta there!)

2. Preheat the oven to 350º.

3. Line an edged baking sheet (or two) with foil and brush (or spray) the foil with oil.

4. Spread the kale on the baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes, stir the kale, bake for 3 minutes, stir it, then bake for 2 minutes.

5. Sprinkle the shredded parm over the kale and bake for 10-15 more minutes, stirring every 3-5 minutes. Cook until the kale is crispy, but don’t let it burn!