Kale Chips

We’re about to make Kale Chips. Go ahead and laugh if you want to … and you know you want to. I’ll wait. tick … tick … tick … tick. Got that out of your system? Good. Now, prepared to be wowed.

My sweet friend, Sherri Youngward, turned me on to these. I love Sherri way too much to laugh at her, but when she suggested I try one, I did kind of go “ew” inside. But I took the chip she handed me and ate it dutifully, and I was hooked on the spot. There’s nothing not to love about these. They’re crispy, salty, and light. They’re good for you. They take twelve minutes. They have the power to make you forget potato chips. They let you feel all neo-hippy. I can’t say for sure that they cure global warming, but I have my suspicions.

All you need is a baking sheet, a bunch of kale, olive oil, and salt.

Using kitchen shears (or your hands), snip the kale leaves from the stems and rinse thoroughly. Dry with a paper towel or use a salad spinner to remove every speck of water.

Tear into bite-sized pieces and put in a bowl. Drizzle with 1 TBSP olive oil and mix well with your hands. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and mix again.

Spread on baking sheet and bake @350 for 10-15 minutes, or just until the edges are starting to turn brown. You want them dry, but not burned.

I would suggest you eat these in one sitting, but I doubt it’s necessary. You’re going to do that all by yourself, and with no prompting from me or anybody else. Whatever you do, though, do NOT put these in a baggie while still warm. Sherri tried that and said the chips took on an impressive and unappetizing rubber quality.

Here are some pictures of Sherri’s house … one of the most peaceful places I know.

Here’s what we had for lunch: kale chips, butter lettuce, and the curry chicken salad and polenta chicken salad we picked up at Market Hall in Berkley the day before.

And for this morning’s laugh …

Dave just turned to me and said, “Oh, I found a great new store.”

“What store?” I asked.

“It’s called, ‘The Dollar Tree.’ You can get anything you want there.”

Oh, husband. I really must take you out more.