drift closely

I love kale. As much as I enjoy its flavor in potato soups and in dishes that need a strong green that won’t easily wilt, I normally don’t find the time to cook time-consuming meals, especially during the weekday. Unfortunately, my kale usually goes limp and soggy before I actually can use it. I’ve restored its turgidity a few times, but one easy, sure-fire way to use up your kale is to roast it.

Awhile ago, I posted a rant on Facebook about these ridiculously overpriced kale chips I bought at Whole Foods. I have no idea why I bought them — probably because I just wanted to taste the seasoning used on the veggie. Plus, they looked delicious in the wax lined brown paper bags. I wasn’t sure if I liked them, but after munching on half the bag, I decided I did. The curry seasoning was all right — reminiscent of Dorito Cool Ranch chips that I had years ago. The kale wasn’t particularly crispy either, but that’s almost a given, especially in Houston with the high humidity. Overall, they were mediocre. Factoring in the price, they were kind of disappointing.

My friend Christina suggested making chips. I won’t lie. I was lazy, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to spend the time making something I wouldn’t like eating.

But making kale chips is simple. Insanely easy. It just takes time to thoroughly clean the kale, dry it, remove the stems, and chop it into pieces.
…that’s pretty much the process.

That’s pink Himalayan salt, not bugs! ;)

Kale Chips
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch of kale (I used the organic dinosaur one from Whole Foods that was on sale.)
- olive oil
- salt

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Thoroughly wash the kale and remove tough stems. Chop into slightly larger-than-bite-sized pieces.
3. Completely dry it. I use a salad spinner to remove the water without using a billion paper towels.
4. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
5. To conserve a bowl, pool your chopped kale onto the cookie sheet and drizzle olive oil over it – don’t go crazy! Less is better as you can always add more. Scrunch it with your fingers.
6. Spread kale in a thin layer on the cookie sheet. If you have more kale, split it into two batches.
7. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over your kale. Since kale shrinks when roasted, don’t over do it on the salt, or it will be extremely salty.
8. Pop into oven for 10-15 minutes. I monitor it, so that the kale won’t burn and give it a poke with chopsticks to ensure that all pieces are being evenly toasted and roasted.
9. Remove from oven and let cool before storing in an airtight container.

You can, of course, add whatever seasonings and herbs to the kale. Just be very careful with the salt and salty condiments. I personally prefer my kale roasted with olive oil and pink Himalayan salt, so that I can savor the flavor of the vegetable. :) It is hearty and green with a rich, toasted undertone.

Kale should still be dark green! But brown is okay, too, for the extra crunchies if you like the slightly burned taste. :D