Hello there! Today I was inspired by vegetables that are delicious in a variety of states – not the United kind, the physical kind. Specifically, I wanted to play around with the different ways kale can be enjoyed: in its solid state, or as a liquid.

Kale-based smoothie with cucumber, apple, and lemon

While I love a good veggie-based smoothie or juice, this recipe will focus on my top favorite way to consume kale: kale chips! And no, not the kind you buy in bags of which the first ingredient is corn. I’m talking about 100% kale, with just a little oil and seasoning.

Let’s get started!

When I know I’ll be using kale frequently in my cooking, I like to buy the bulk bags of pre-cut kale. Although these bags often include a large amount of kale stems, they are easy enough to tear away when just the leaves are needed. If you prefer to buy full bunches of kale, you’ll probably need 6-8 full-leaved stems.

Kale Chips

For a surplus of kale chips, collect:

At least 6 cups of cut kale, loosely heaped or measured by the hand.
1-2 tablespoons of olive or grape seed oil (I find these two to be the most complementary flavor-wise, without adding an oily taste to the kale)
Salt & pepper
Paprika, cayenne, or other spices

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF.

2. Remove the kale leaves from the stems and tear into large pieces. The chips will cook down quite a bit, so I usually start with a 4 sq. inch piece of kale.

(Ignore the apple on the cutting board – cooking is hungry work!)

3. Add the oil to the bottom of a large, shallow dish and dump the kale on top. Using your hands, begin to toss the kale gently in the oil. Use massaging motions and spend some time making sure the leaves are fully coated – a little bit of oil will go a long way here, so start with 1 tbsp and add more if needed.
After massaging the kale, it will turn a much brighter shade of green. This is the goal!

4. Lay out the kale on a foil-lined baking tray or a Silpat. Make sure the pieces aren’t overlapping as this will prevent them from crisping up. Work in batches, if you need to, to ensure each chip has enough space.

5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and any extra seasonings – my favorite addition is a heavy-hand of paprika and a light sprinkling of cayenne.

6. Bake the kale chips in the oven for 10 minutes. Check at this point for doneness: the chips should be crispy and dark in color. Pull one out for a quick sampling. Sometimes I like to turn the chips at this point and let them bake for another 2-3 minutes for extra-crispness.

The chips are ready to eat straight out of the oven; they’ll cool down very quickly. Hooray!

Try to eat just one!

The kale chips will store well at room temperature in a tupperware or plastic bag for 3-4 days, although I’ve never had them last that long!

I love finding new and delicious ways to serve up snack food, and these kale chips are one of my favorites!

As well as from simply eating the chips as is by the handful, I like to use them as a topping for larger meals. Crumbled kale chips make a beautiful and delicious garnish for fish/chicken, salads, and steamed vegetables. The savory, salty flavor goes a long way in brightening up steamed green beans, which are a vegetable nemesis of mine (So boring! So watery!). Use in lieu of slivered almonds (or in addition to!) for a new take on the standard side.

And there you have it! A simple way to transform rabbit food into something new.

Do you have a favorite way of eating kale or other leafy greens? I’d love to hear them!