Ok, so in my search for a Ph1 snack, with cottage's suggestion of kale chips, here's the thing. I've searched all over the internet (including Kalyn's Kitchen) and found about a zillion recipes for Kale Chips, some using 1 T. oil, some using up to 1/4 cup oil.
What is everyone's favorite recipe for Kale Chips? Also, all the recipes said to serve immediately. If I'm tossing in a baggie and eating several hours later, are they going to be chewy/mushy/nasty? Or will they stay crisp? Anyone have experience with this?
Any help you can provide is much appreciated. Thank you!
For me, they are always better served immediately. If they are crisped then chances are when you throw them in a baggie they will get mooshed and turn to kale dust. I normally use about 1/4 a cup of olive oil (or less) and toss with 1 bunch of kale.
I think your best bet, if you want to save them for serving/later, is using a dehydrator.
I made these, I loved them and my DH loved them, even the dogs love them. I go easy on the salt. And I don't know if I would make them ahead of time, esp in the oven.
They are wonderful straight from the oven. Another interesting food item, who ever thought of this!
I make mine in a dehyrdator and I'm able to keep them in baggies for days. I put the kale in a bowl, spray with a bit of olive oil spray, a few dashes of salt...and then I get my hands in there and mix it all up. You want the kale to just be lightly coated with the oil. If you use too much, then they're all greasy feeling afterwards. And if you use too much salt...well, you get the idea. Just play around with it...maybe divide a batch in half and use different amounts of oil and salt for each...
I finally quit making them in the oven because I couldn't get a uniform crispness to them, the dehydrator works like a charm
Many of the grocery stores around me offer kale chips in a plastic tub or in a bag. Buying it that way makes it a whole lot more portable.
When I make them at home, I spray them with olive oil from my Misto, then season them with whatever I'm in the mood for, before roasting them. I like to leave them in as whole a piece as I can get them so they won't break up as much. But you have to consume them the same day you make them.
If you plan to take them with you, I'd put them in something that won't crush them.
Cottage - I tried Meijer, County Market, and Food Fantasies (our local health food store) and no one carries kale chips! I couldn't believe it! Bought a bunch of kale and will try to make right before the trip... Might try a small batch tomorrow to practice. Maybe put it in Tupperware and eat on the way there and save the almonds for the ride back...
I've never seen kale chips already made in this area, that does sound convenient.
Has anyone used a dehydrator to dry them without any oil at all? If that works, I'd gladly buy a dehydrator. Or maybe just spray the trays with a little olive oil spray, then lay the kale on top?
I also make them in a dehydrator because I could never get it right in the oven (it was good, just not kale *chips* like you can buy in the store - too burned in places and not cooked enough in others)
Based on reviews when I bought mine a few years ago, I went with the Excalibur. It is great, but pricey (I waited for a sale but it was still probably ~ $120) and I have no idea if it is any better than the others since it is all I have ever used. It has square trays and a fan in the back. Whoa, I just checked, the "real" ones are $250+. Apparently I have the "starter" one with 4 trays and it is on sale for $119.
I make them on the highest setting, 155°F, and let them go for a few hours if I am eating immediately or 6-8 hours if I want to bag them and eat them later. I use a sturdy thick bag so they won't get crushed.
I have done them with just a mist of oil (so some salt will stick) but my favorite way is to toss the kale pieces with various dressings to recreate the $7 a bag ones I have gotten at Whole Foods. I have made lemon-garlic-tahini and a cashew-red pepper so far - I posted the recipes in the Phase 1 Snack section. YUM!
I love kale, It keeps growing through the snow. Most years I can pick until December.
Emma - I am very jealous of your Excalibur. If I'd known how much I would love dehydrating I would have bought that one but I have so many kitchen gadgets that I don't use. I do have the expandable Nesco and use 10 trays. I'd use more if it fit on my counter
I looked at Nesco's on Amazon, Cyn, added one to my wish list. Just need to want to dehydrate stuff badly enough to add to cart. Maybe after some failed attempts in the oven, I'll change my mind
OK, so I made a small batch of these tonight. I used 1 T. EVOO and instead of 1 T. vinegar (we only have a dribble left,) I used 1 T. Frank's Red Hot Sauce. That's pretty vinegary. Also, a little sodiumy. I didn't add salt at the end, obviously, but I didn't realize until it was too late that we're talking 24% of your daily sodium in 1 T of Frank's. Whoops.
So her recipe says bake at 300 for 35 minutes, checking every 10. After the first 10 min, a lot of mine were stuck flat to the cookie sheet. I guess I should have sprayed it? I figured the oil on the kale would prevent sticking but I was wrong.
I unstuck and flipped the ones I could and baked another 10 min, and they were crisp... just REALLY fragile. I apparently man-handle my food (I see what cottage means now about not tossing them in my purse) because my kale chips liked to crumble apart.
They tasted good, I liked the flavor very much. I will tweak the hot sauce next time. But question: Are they just as crumbly if you use a dehydrator? Is it just because they're leaves? I'm ok with them, they were a nice different treat, and it did feel like I was popping chips into my face, just really, really thin ones.
Oh. Em. Gee. I bought a LOT of dehydrated snacks from Whole Foods. Like, $30 worth! Kale and fruit (no added sugars or bad ingredients, of course). If I enjoy it, then I might consider a dehydrator! Figure that would pay for itself at the rate I am going...
Kale Chip Help
I didn't add salt at the end, obviously, but I didn't realize until it was too late that we're talking 24% of your daily sodium in 1 T of Frank's. Whoops. 
Are they just as crumbly if you use a dehydrator? Is it just because they're leaves? I'm ok with them, they were a nice different treat, and it did feel like I was popping chips into my face, just really, really thin ones.
