How to make the perfect kale chips

By Sarah Best.

After my first attempt to make kale chips (kale "crisps" to us Brits, but somehow "chips" has a better ring to it in this context) I didn't expect to ever be writing an article with the above heading. That time I followed an internet recipe that involved marinating the kale in olive oil with various condiments and spices and then dehydrating it. The result: something that was vaguely "crispy" for a few hours but then wilted into a pile of limp, greasy, salty, distinctly non-crisp-like greenery. Ewwwwwww. Me at fault not the recipe I am sure. If my meals involve kitchen equipment it is usually a blender or juicer, while my dehydrator mostly gathers dust in the cupboard. So gifted at using it I am not.

But at the Raw Spirit Festival in Sedona the following week I had the good fortune to try the amazing Kale in a Crunch chips from Blessing's Alive and Radiant Foods. And shortly thereafter amazed myself when I managed to recreate the recipe. I can't claim my version is as good as theirs - it's certainly not. If you live in the US, don't waste your time making these - head on over to their website and order them from there. Simple! But since this product is not currently available in the UK this recipe makes a great substitute in the meantime. I used the ingredients they use, guessing the proportions, and added red chilli for a little extra kick.

Needless to say, there is no deep frying involved. You simply make a "sauce" to massage into the kale then you put the mixture in the dehydrator and prepare to be amazed at how crunchy it goes. That's thanks to the nut-based coating which takes on that texture when dried. You'll also be amazed at how cheeeeesy they taste. It's the nutritional yeast that achieves this flavour. The only downside to this recipe: it is as messy to make as it is challenging not to eat the whole batch straight out of the dehydrator!

Ingredients

• 200g curly leaf kale (if not ready chopped, you'll need to slice it into vaguely crisp-sized pieces, removing the stalks)
• 100g raw cashews
• 1 large red bell pepper
• Juice of one large lemon
• 25g-50g nutritional yeast
• 1cm piece of red chilli
• Himalayan crystal salt or Celtic sea salt to taste

1. Chop the red pepper into small pieces and add to a blender with the lemon juice. Blend until smooth.

2. Add the cashews, red chilli and 1/2 teapsoon salt and again blend until smooth.

3. Add the nutritional yeast and blend again. Doing it in stages like this helps you to get the smooth consistency you need without over-heating it. 

4. Put the kale in a large bowl then pour the blended mixture over it and massage it in until all the leaves are coated.

5. Place it on dehydrator trays with Paraflexx sheets and dehydrate at 110 degrees. After two hours peel off the Paraflexx sheets and place the chips-in-progress on mesh sheets.

6. By the time they have been in for eight hours they should be seriously crunchy. If they aren't, just leave them in until they are! Taste, and if they're not salty enough, sprinkle some over and then enjoy!

Try these and you'll swear that kale was put on the planet all those eons ago so that in the 21st century creative raw chef genius types could identify its true destiny as a crunchy savoury snack.

If you are a crisp addict you will love these and they may just convert you away from eating mixes of dead potatoes with trans fats when an attack of the munchies strikes. After all, why do that when you could be satistying your urges with vital, beautiful, natural, nutrient-rich whole foods? : )  

Comments

[Andrea]

Thank you so much for this. I'm just back from a trip to LA where I indulged in as many raw food products as I could, buying them from stores and eating in raw restaurants. The cheesy Kale in the Crunch chips were the nicest raw snack food I've had in ages. I literally coulnd't stop myself from snacking on them. They reminded me of Chipsticks crisps, which I haven't had in years. I wanted to bring some bags home with me, but when I went back to the store, they'd sold out, and I couldn't find them in any other stores. It would be great if someone (The Fresh Network perhaps?) could import them into the UK, for sale on the site. They are delicious, and well worth trying. They really are nicer than 'regular' crisps and satisfy that 'snack' craving that we all get. Thanks again for posting this recipe!

[Karina]

I just wanted to let you know that I have tried every way possible to love kale but I just hate the stuff... until I made this recipe!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I am just about to make a batch right now and thought I'd let you know how much I appreciate this post. Thank you!!!

[teri]

These sound yummy- I just bought a dehydrator today so I am going t give them a try. Thanks for the recipe.

[Aviva]

I've been thinking about buying a dehydrator but I managed to make kale chips in my oven on the lowest setting with the door ajar, so everything was warm but not hot. It took about 5-6 hours.

Anyway, they were amazing and I ate them all at once! I used sesame seeds in the recipe rather than cashews and added a little curry powder, cumin and garlic. Didn't use nutritional yeast but will probably get some now.

[Gail]

I am sitting at work munching on a bag of "quite Cheesey" Kale chips and they are truly addicting. I ordered my dehydrator on Sunday and the first thing I make in it will be this recipe. Thanks for sharing it.