Dear One,
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Hmmm … KALE CHIPS …
KALE CHIPS are perhaps the MOST POPULAR raw food snack, and definitely the MOST HEALTHY chips in the world. Everybody loves kale chips, and I am part of the everybody : I eat them as snack at any time of the day, I use them as toppings on soups and salads, as garnish on Michelin-restaurant-like plates …
And kale chips don’t just taste good, they ARE GOOD FOR YOU, too. These are a few facts on why :
- Fiber : Kale only has 28kcal per 100g (thank you Wikipedia), virtually no fat at all and is rich in fiber, which promotes healthy bowel movements and help regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
- Antioxidants : With carotenoids, flavonoids and high doses of the well-known antioxidants that are vitamins A and C, kale certainly is a super star food when it comes to fighting cellular oxidation.
- Anti-inflammatory : Kale (and other dark green lea vegetables) is one of the few vegan sources of Omega 3 fatty acids, along with seeds, nuts, beans and some sea vegetables (the ones the fish eat …). Omega 3. Kale is tremendously rich in vitamin K, which also help reduce inflammation.
- Antioxidant + anti-inflammatory = anti cancer
Anyhow, back to the subject of the day, EVERYBODY LOVES KALE CHIPS. Fact. I have even heard of some very serious cases of kale chips addictions … There are worst addictions out there, if you ask me …
Everybody has their favourite recipe, from dehydrated recipes to oven cooked ones, with literally an infinity if dressing options and variations.
I mix varieties when possible, and make ‘Kale chips trilogy’ with Cavalo Nero, green kale and red kale … very funky … I also personally prefer what I like to call plain ones, keeping the dressing very simple (olive oil and salt or tamari, full stop), allowing the kale to remain the star. That being said, cacao – cinnamon or cheesy-garlic ones are utterly delicious too …
I definitely tend to find the traditional cashew nuts based dressings heavy these days, so I decided to go for something in between : something sexy and luscious, but seed rather than nut based to make it lighter. And this is what I came up with :
Serves 4 (or 2, or 1, really)
400g Kale (I used Cavalo Nero, works with any variety)
1/2 cup Sunflower seeds, soaked overnight or at least 4 hours
a dozen Sun-dried tomatoes, soaked at least 4 hours
6 cloves Garlic
1 teaspoon Chili flakes
Prepare the kale by washing it, then discarding the hard part of the stem. This is how I do this : I hold on to the stem firmly with my left-hand (I am right-handed), leaving the leaf free. Then with my right hand, I rip the leaf off the stem. About midway, the stem breaks, leaving me with the hardest half of the stem in my left hand, and the leaf still attached to the soft half of the stem in my left hand … I hope this makes sense … Then using your hands, tear the kale into bite-size pieces and put it into a large mixing bowl.
Then prepare the dressing, blend all ingredients (except the kale, hihi) with just enough water to blend. The mixture doesn’t need t be super smooth.
Thouroughly massage the dressing (more like a thick gravy, actually) into the kale, using your two hands. This is my favourite part …
And finally, evenly spread your seasoned kale onto 2 dehydrator sheets and dehydrate at 42°C for about 24 hours. Check halfway and then every few hours, trying not to eat it all. The time needed to dehydrate the kale until crispy varies, as it depends on the temperature and humidity levels around.
Enjoy
Keep Smiling,
PS: What is your favourite kale chips recipe ? (:-)
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