KALE CHIPS. SNACKING HAPPY.

Ridiculously expensive to buy, kale chips are also ridiculously easy to make at home.  I cannot understand paying upwards of seven bucks for a handful of these snacks when you can make a huge tray at home with a bunch of your own fresh kale.  And they are seriously yummy!   Dress them plain and simple or super sophisticated, either way the premise is the same.  Tear up the leaves, coat with oil and toppings, and bake until crispy.  Pretty simple.

Kale is one of the best greens that you can eat.  Actually, it's one of the best foods that you can eat, period.  It's dark and leafy which is always a good sign in the wonderful world of produce, because that means it's chock full of the vitamins, minerals, and fibre that your body is craving.  Kale leaves specifically are extremely nutrient rich and full of powerful antioxidants.  Kale is also a superb detoxifier, so if you're all about cleansing make sure that you've got a fresh batch of kale going into those juices and smoothies.

Now, kale chips are truly amazing because they take all that goodness and pack it in to a crunchy, salty, chip.  You really are not going to be able to eat just one of these (sorry Lays, we're over you!).  Okay, I'll admit, eating kale chips is not the same as eating a bowl full of pure steamed kale.  But hey, we're only human.

So here's the deal.  Take a head of fresh kale and rinse all the leaves thoroughly.  Then tear them into bite sized pieces (not too small as they will shrink a bit while baking) and place them in a large bowl.  Then add the seasonings, tossing to coat well.

Here's a trick to make the tastiest kale chips possible - get your hands in there and massage them!  This not only helps the leaves absorb all the tasty flavours that you've added, but it also tenderizes them too.  A basic recipe will use about two tablespoons olive oil, a healthy dose of sea salt and a pinch of pepper.  A few squeezes of lemon added to the mix is also a good option to try.

My latest flavour combination is a bit of an Asian spin, and definitely worth trying.  I used two tablespoons of sesame oil, two tablespoons of gluten free tamari (or soy sauce if you don't need gluten free), and two tablespoons of sesame seeds.

After you've given the kale all the tender loving care it deserves, spread it out on a foil lined baking sheet.  Try to keep everything in one layer without overlapping, doing two batches if necessary.  This will keep the chips from getting soggy.  Bake at 300 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until crispy, flipping halfway through the cooking time.

Then pour yourself a glass of wine, turn on Netflix, and relax!