Kale has become one of the most popular greens and superfoods in the world – and for good reason! It’s jam-packed with nutrition, and many experts say that it’s the single most nutrient-dense food on the planet. For these reasons and many more, parents are always looking for creative ways to get more kale in their childrens’ diets – and we’ve found a crispy, crunchy, sweet, and salty way to make it happen… kale chips!
While many kids won’t agree to eating a salad made from kale, it’s hard for anyone to turn down kale chips. These light, crunchy, and easily flavored treats make a great replacement for potato and corn chips – and kids seem to love them! And you’ll love them too knowing that every bite is delivering some pretty impressive nourishment to your child’s growing body.
To make kale chops at home, here’s what you’ll need:
- An over preheated to 300 degrees
- A cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
- A large zip lock bag
- A bunch of organic kale
- Any of the flavoring additions shared below
Making kale chips is super easy, super fast, and it’s actually really fun! Get your kids involved – especially at the part where the kale is marinated in the zip lock bag. They’ll love shaking it around and being part of the process.
Here’s how to make your kale chips:
- Rinse your kale and let it dry completely. Wet kale will ruin the recipe.
- Cut out the stems from the kale. Run a knife from stem to tip on either side of the stem and you’ll be left with two crinkly kale pieces.
- Chop the pieces into good bite sizes for your kids.
- Toss them in the zip lock bag.
- To the bag add any of the flavoring ideas below. Seal it up!
- Shake for several minutes to coat all of the kale pieces.
- Really work the marinade into the leaves.
- Lay the kale out in a single layer on your baking sheet.
- Bake at 300 degrees for around 30 minutes, or until the kale chips are crisp.
Here are some delicious marinades you can use to flavor your kale chips:
Salt & Vinegar
3 Tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tsp. Sea Salt
Lemon Peper
2 Tbs. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. Black Pepper
Vegan Cheeze
2 Tbs. Nutritional Yeast
Asian Style
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce or Tamari (gluten-free)
2 tsp. Sesame Seeds or Crushed Sunflower Seeds
Give these delicious and healthy chips a try and let us know what you think!