I’ve been wracking my brain for healthier snacks. Now that my 3-year-old gets up by herself in the morning, turns on the TV and rummages in the pantry for a snack, I just can’t handle getting up to find a half-eaten bag of chips on the couch. We aren’t a family that censors food; I don’t want to pass on food issues to my children that way. So, we have chips, cookies and the like in our pantry. Moderation is our motto. Still, seeing my daughter devour a bag of BBQ-flavored organic potato chips throughout the course of a weekend put something in perspective for me. I need other options.
I bought some roasted seaweed. She loves it. I’ve gotten Pamela’s Anywhere Bars and they’re a big hit (affiliate links below). I made fruit leathers and they were a hit too. So, I’m trying to make foods that will keep in the pantry and be a first choice for her in the morning. I decided to try kale chips, using this recipe here.
I bought some roasted seaweed. She loves it. I’ve gotten Pamela’s Anywhere Bars and they’re a big hit (affiliate links below). I made fruit leathers and they were a hit too. So, I’m trying to make foods that will keep in the pantry and be a first choice for her in the morning. I decided to try kale chips, using this recipe here.
The first time I tried to make kale chips, they were bitter and bland. I didn’t like them at all. This time, I bought the kale and waited almost 2 weeks to use it because I didn’t want to spend the time on something that might not work out. Finally, on a winter, snowy afternoon, I just buckled down and did it. It took a couple of hours, because the kale has to be in a single layer and not all bunched together, so it can dry. I also figured out what I did wrong the first time! I didn’t massage the oil into the kale! This made a huge difference.
In conclusion, it worked and it didn’t work. It worked because they were awesome. It didn’t work because the entire plate piled high with kale chips was gone by the time the kids went to bed, so no new snack in the pantry. I can’t complain, though. I mean my kids devoured approximately a pound of kale in only a couple of hours. That’s success in my book.
So here you go.
Kale Chips
– 2 bunches of kale
– approximately 4 Tbsp olive oil
– salt to sprinkle
Wash and dry your kale. Cut out the stems. Tear the kale into medium pieces – chip size. Throw them in a bowl. Drizzle olive oil on top. Massage it into the leaves, gently. Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 300 F for 8-10 minutes (I did 10 minutes). And repeat. And repeat. And repeat, until all the kale is gone.
Let me know if you try it and if you like it!
In conclusion, it worked and it didn’t work. It worked because they were awesome. It didn’t work because the entire plate piled high with kale chips was gone by the time the kids went to bed, so no new snack in the pantry. I can’t complain, though. I mean my kids devoured approximately a pound of kale in only a couple of hours. That’s success in my book.
So here you go.
Kale Chips
– 2 bunches of kale
– approximately 4 Tbsp olive oil
– salt to sprinkle
Wash and dry your kale. Cut out the stems. Tear the kale into medium pieces – chip size. Throw them in a bowl. Drizzle olive oil on top. Massage it into the leaves, gently. Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 300 F for 8-10 minutes (I did 10 minutes). And repeat. And repeat. And repeat, until all the kale is gone.
Let me know if you try it and if you like it!
