Kale Chips

As you probably already know, kale is REALLY good for you. It's like THE superfood of all superfoods. Full of vitamins and nutrients and....yeah, you know all about this. But who wants to sit there and munch on a bunch of kale? Sure, you can put it in a salad, and I do, but it's a little bit bitter (there's a tongue twister for your keyboard), so it's tough to eat a lot of it at once. Well, what if I told you that you CAN eat a bunch of it, and enjoy each bite? Ok, so now you're listening. Here's the answer.

KALE CHIPS! They're great! And so, so easy to make. It literally takes less than 10 minutes of actual prep time. Here's how:

Kale Chips

Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Remove the stems from the kale and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. In a bowl, toss the kale pieces with the olive oil and salt. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake until crisp and the edges start to brown (but not burn), about 20 minutes. Let cool before eating. Store leftovers in an airtight container. 

See how easy that was? Told ya!

A couple tips to ensure success with this recipe. Make sure you use the curly kale. A lot of grocery stores will have a few different kinds (including baby kale, dino kale) but curly kale is sweeter and milder, thus making it a good choice for this recipe. You'll know it when you see it, because it will be...you guessed it, curly! Also, the cooking time is approximate; you should check the kale often because it can brown very quickly. I checked mine every couple minutes towards the end of the cooking time and did a taste test as well.

Finally, get creative with this recipe. I love the simplicity of the salt and oil seasoning, but there are so many ways you can add some extra flavor, too. Try tossing it with a little parmesan cheese before putting it in the oven, or adding a pinch of cayenne pepper. The possibilities are endless!

Sources: Food Network Magazine September 2012, http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-kale-chips