If you think they taste like burnt leaves, you probably DID burn them.
My first batch was brown...nicely crispy, but a bit burnt tasting. My second batch was not cooked enough and weirdly chewy. Third batch on were perfect. The only trick is you have to watch your oven.
If you are "too lazy" too make them, then you havent made them before... you just cut the leaves from the stems, put them on a pan with baking paper, and drizzle with oil and pepper. Salt when they come out of the oven. So easy. (Yes, I see the irony saying this after admitting my first two batches were fails. haha)
CRISPY KALE CHIPS:
This is a bizarre freak of nature recipe where something that looks like a salad magically turns into something like a potato chip.
To quote THE SMITTEN KITCHEN BLOG,
"Baking kale transforms the qualities I always loathed in kale — the dense bitterness — into something impossibly light, with a nice depth of flavor from the oil and salt. This isn’t a stewy stick-to-your ribs kale braise and it is not something you eat because you ought to, it’s something you’d eat because you like it. Revolutionary stuff, people."
Its also super easy. De-stem the kale, cut or tear it up, toss it with a bit of oil and bake it until crisp. Voila...you cant eat just one.
Need another reason to dive into this? Check out the superfood benefits: Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties. Along with other brassica vegetables, kale is also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. Kale is also a good source of carotenoids
Ingredients
1 bunch kale (lehtikaali) (if you want to get technical, its about 12 large Tuscan kale leaves)
2 tsp up to 1 tablespoon olive oil (I add oil to a spray bottle to completely cover the leaves without making too oily)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Ground black pepper and Herbamare/ Mrs Dash spices to taste
Directions
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. If washing, you MUST dry them before cooking. Either with a salad spinner or a towel.
3. With a knife or kitchen shears, remove the kale leaves from their tough end and inner stems. Cut longer leaves in half or preferred bite size pieces
4. Spray (recommended) or drizzle kale with olive oil . Some people but the kale in a ziplock bag and add oil there to "massage" the leaves and ensure they are covered. Note that too much oil will make the chips too limp and greasy, so dont overdo it. 1 TB is max.
5. If adding other spices or vinegar, add now. (Do NOT add salt yet.
6. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until crisp. The timing all depends on how much olive oil you use. Just use a spatula or tongs to touch the leaves, if they are paper-thin crackly, the kale is done. If the leaves are still a bit soft, leave them in for another 2 minutes. Do not let the leaves turn brown (they'll be burnt and bitter)
IMPORTANT NOTE! They will burn easy, be aware of how they are baking.
7. Sprinkle with sea salt AFTER cooking. You can add it before, but I find its better after roasting. (The salt won't leech out the moisture from the leaves too quickly...letting it crisp more evenly. Or so I've been told.)
Variations:
Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips:
Add 1 tsp to up to 1 TB vinegar when adding the oil. (You can also add both oil and vinegar to the sprayer at the same time for an evenly coated taste. I used about 2 tsp. Just make sure no liquid pools under the kale when cooking, though, or it will get soggy.)
Spicy Kale Chips:
Add about 1 tablespoon of chili flakes (or to taste) & sprinkling of paprika or cheyenne pepper power
Cajun Kale Chips:
Add Cajun or Creole seasoning.
Another tip for the rest of the family NOT on IP:
Make a batch of popcorn, then add finely crushed kale chips and stir. Easy way to get your kids to eat their greens without freaking them out. (A dash of parmesan + kale to the popcorn makes this a great treat for parties.)
Omg......kale Chips?????
