“Keep Calm and Eat Kale.” “Don’t Kale My Vibe.” “What Doesn’t Kale You Makes You Stronger.”
These above sayings and many other jokes and memes are everywhere on the internet, paying homage to the vegetable kale. The dark leafy green is irrefutably one of the world’s most popular super foods. Just one cup of raw kale is 33 calories, has nearly 3 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fiber, vitamins A and C, folate, and omegas. Kale is used in countless recipes and cooked in many forms, but a tasty and simple recipe is kale chips.
A great summer resolution is to start substituting potato chips with kale chips. Potato chips may be your guilty pleasure, but the commonly known fact is that they aren’t good for you (or your beach bod). Studies have shown that consuming potato chips on a daily basis can cause a gain of about 1.7 pounds per year. Other starchy potato products cause an annual weight gain of about 1.3 pounds. Not only are potato products not beneficial to your personal health, but they also have a higher carbon footprint than other foods. Potatoes are ranked ninth of all food groups in the amount of greenhouse gas emissions they produce; the potato is the non-protein with the highest carbon footprint. While vegetables, such as kale, are only ranked thirteenth, the difference in kilos of carbon dioxide between potatoes and vegetables can add up.
Here is our personal recipe for making your own kale chips at home. Did I mention that packaged kale chips at Trader Joe’s cost a hefty $4.00 a bag? Definitely an incentive to make them yourself!
- Use nonstick tinfoil on a flat pan, or PAM cooking spray on some aluminum foil.
- If you bought the kale packaged and pre-cut, pre-washed, it is ready to go on the pan! Spread out the kale so that the pieces cover the entire foil area. If you purchased a head of kale, make sure to wash it thoroughly and then cut it into bite-size pieces before placing it on the pan.
- Optional: to add seasoning, sprinkle the kale with some spray butter, salt, and pepper. This is highly recommended to add some flavor, and you can control the amount of seasoning you are adding if you are counting calories or cautious of certain ingredients.
- Heat the pan in your oven on BAKE at about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The kale should bake for about 10 minutes, or until it’s reached your desired crisp.
- Enjoy! And if someone asks you if those kale chips are good, say “Oh, Kale Yeah!”
© Rissponsible Living, 2015
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