We all know that kids are not really fond of vegetables, and even the kids who are veggie eaters only eat a handful of them (corn, peas or carrots). But there is a world of vegetables out there that kids won’t touch just based on the looks of them, and kale is certainly one of them. In fact, many grown ups don’t eat kale just because what it looks like in the supermarket, a huge green, foot and a half long, tree stalk and they have no clue what to do with it. A shame really, because kale is one of the “super-veggies”…this is what I call vegetables that pack a punch when it comes to nutrition. Kale is a leafy green in the cabbage family. It is loaded with calcium, vitamin K, vitamin C, folic acid, magnesium and beta carotene, to name but a few. So what to do with this “giant fearful foliage”?...make Kale Chips, that’s what!
Everyone knows that potato chips are delicious, but they are super greasy and bad for you. Even the baked ones are still junk food, make no mistake about that. Well the kale chip is not! In fact, the kale chip, when made this way, has zero fat and very few calories. There are no hidden fillers of chemicals of any kind. All you need is kosher salt and olive oil…..What, no “mono-gluta-red dye # 3”?....NO, sorry!
And now the “challenge” part of this: make these Kale Chips and see if you can get your kids (and you, since you’re so scared of it) to eat them. Tell the kids they are veggie-chips and a lot like potato chips and they will probably at least try them. Yes I know, it’s not nice to lie to the kiddies, but hey, a stubborn kid who won’t eat a more well-rounded diet is something that takes drastic measures. If you are a parent you know you have to do everything just short of standing on your head to make them eat at times. So make the chips, stretch the truth and maybe you can get your kids to snack on something a lot healthier than potato chips or cheese doodles. I gave them to my daughter recently and sure enough, after the first crunch, followed by a perplexed look on her face as she was trying to figure out this new flavor, she proceeded to demolish half a head of kale single-handedly!
Here’s how to make them…
Ingredients:
• 1 large head of Kale
• 1 tsp of Kosher Salt
• Aprx 4 tsp light Olive Oil
• (optional: ½ tsp granulated onion powder)
Method:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350º.
2. Clean the kale thoroughly under water and then pat dry.
3. Lay each piece of kale on a cutting board and slice out the rib (the long stem that goes up the middle of the leaf).
4. With your hands, rip the kale into bite size pieces (about 2 inches) and then put the ripped pieces into a large mixing bowl.
5. Add the salt and olive oil to the bowl and mix to coat evenly. You are looking to get a nice coating on the kale with the olive oil, not to drown it in the oil. If your head of kale is bigger than what I buy and you think it is dry and not coated evenly then just add a little more olive oil.
6. Spread the kale onto 2 baking sheets (unlined) and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
The kale should be crunchy and still look green, not brown and burnt. Eat them warm right out of the oven!
Did you know?: Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein (lutein is good for your eyes). It also contains more carotenoids (antioxidants said to be anticancer agents) than any other green vegetable. Now that is one potent veggie!
I have seen Kale in the supermarket and had no clue what to do with it. This sounds like a fun way to eat this vegg for the first time...i am going to give it a go...thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou actually make this veg look ok to try. Kids don't like very many things, but in the form of any kind of chip they will try it. Sounds like a good new snack.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely…a little parental trickery and who knows. Write back after you make them and tell me how it went!
ReplyDeleteThis recipe sounds SO simple! This is definitely a must try. We all know how hard it is to get children to eat the vegetables that really matter, so eating and even preparing Kale chips can be something you and your children can do together. In addition, thanks for educating us about the benefits of eating Kale. Both children and parents can take pride in being more educated about what they put in their bodies and this can last a lifetime :)
ReplyDeleteI agree, 'crysimle' - sounds like a must try. I like the idea. I'm going to the super market later to by my first head of kale. Thanks Food-Paul. Oh, and it is even better that it take less than 15 minutes. I enjoy cooking and eating but hate dishes that take an hour in the oven, etc....so 15 minutes work for me
ReplyDeleteI happened to have a bunch of kale in my fridge so I made these and watched my 8 yr old twins and my 4 yr old gladly eat kale! Nice!
ReplyDelete