Kale Chips

The other day I bought several bunches of Dinosaur Kale at whole foods. The dark green, flat leaves looked perfect to make some kale chips. I had made kale chips before and I knew it was super easy so I decided to try a couple different things this time. I got a dehydrator for Christmas and had yet to use it, so I thought this was the perfect opportunity. I split the kale into two bunches - one to roast in the oven and one to put in the dehydrator.

 

 

 

I also wanted to see if it made a difference if I salted the kale before I cooked it or if it would taste just as good if I salted it afterwards. So I salted half of each bunch before I started cooking it and left the other half unsalted.

Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure you cut the thick rib out of the center of the kale leaf before you cook them. If you don't, the leafy part of the kale will get crispy but the rib will get chewy and make the chip less than delicious. Also, make sure the leaves are very dry. It's important to wash the kale but make sure to dry it well afterwards.

It doesn't take much olive oil to get the chips crispy. For all of my kale, I used about 3 tablespoons. I put it in a bowl and kind of massaged it into the kale for a few minutes. This is the point when I added the salt to the batches I wanted to pre-salt.

The results were interesting. The oven chips were nice and crispy and the pre-salted chips were definitely better than the chips salted after baking. It seemed to make the salt stick better when I pre salted it which I liked a lot. The dehydrated chips took a long time. I was skeptical that they were going to turn out at all. They were ok, but still kind of chewy. The oven baked chips were definitely superior - delicious and healthy!

Kale Chips
Total Time: 25 minutes

1-2 bunches of Dinosaur Kale
2-3 tbsps. of olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash and dry the kale. Remove the think rib from the center of each of the leaves. Cut the leaves into half or thirds to make a nice chip sized piece of kale. Put the kale into a large bowl and top with the olive oil and salt. I had about 8 cups of kale and I used 3 tbsps. of olive oil - you really don't need that much. Toss the kale, olive oil, and salt together so that each leaf is coated. Place the leaves on a tinfoil lined cookie sheet. They can be touching but they shouldn't be overlapping a lot. Bake for 20-25 minutes until they are nice and crispy. They can be eaten right away or kept in a plastic bag for a few days.

Hummus

Hummus has always been one of my favorite snacks. It's easy to eat, healthy, and goes with just about anything. You can spread it on a sandwich, use it as a dip for veggies, or eat it with pita chips or fresh pita bread. It's a great alternative to sour cream or cream cheese based dips because even if you stuff your face it won't leave you feeling guilty. Hummus also happens to be very easy to make. All you need are a few ingredients and a blender.

I always have the ingredients to make hummus on hand. Canned chickpeas, salt, pepper, half a lemon, a garlic clove or two, olive oil, and tahini. Tahini is a sesame paste that is used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food. You should be able to find it in your local grocery store. I bought this bottle at Harris Teeter. It's delicious in salad dressings and other dips in addition to hummus. Keep in mind that a little bit goes a long way!

After trying a lot of different hummus recipes, I discovered that if you peel the chickpeas before you blend them the hummus is much, much creamier. After you drain and rinse the chickpeas simply squeeze one in between your thumb and pointer finger and the bean will pop out of the peel. They should come out pretty easily and you will get a bowl of peeled chick peas in about 15 minutes. It's by no means necessary to peel the beans, but its quick and easy and you will be surprised by the difference in the texture.

I like to serve it with cucumbers, carrots, celery, and orange peppers. Cucumbers are by far the superior dipping veggie, but use anything you like!

Hummus Recipe
1 can chick peas, rinsed and peeled
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspon salt
1/4 teaspon pepper
1 clove garlic
1-2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sprinkle of crushed red pepper (optional)
Paprika, for serving

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. If the hummus is too think you can add a tablespoon or two of water to thin it out. I personally like it thick, but not everyone does. Once it has reached the desired consistency, place it in a bowl for serving. Sprinkle paprika on top and serve with veggies, pita chips, or pita bread.