Baked Kale Chips

I feel kind of silly for posting such a simple recipe, but honestly this is one of my new latest finds for fast, awesomely healthy snacks. Kale is extremely rich in Vitamin K, Vitamin A and Vitamin C, along with having lots of iron and fiber. Leafy greens are always good to add to your diet, and can really aid with digestion.

Kale chips are light and crispy while satisfying the need for some kind of salty, savory snack. When seasoned the right way, they can compete with potato chips in my opinion!

Here are some of the health benefits of Kale (information taken from Healthdiares.com):

Diet and Digestion
One cup of kale has only 36 calories and zero grams of fat, which makes it a great diet aid. Furthermore, one cup contains nearly 20% of the RDA of dietary fiber, which promotes regular digestion, prevents constipation, lowers blood sugar and curbs overeating. Finally, kale contains the glucosinolate isothiocyanate (ITC) that fights the formation of H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori), a bacterial growth in the stomach lining that can lead to gastric cancer.

Antioxidants
Kale is a superstar in the arena of carotenoids and flavonoids, two powerful antioxidants that protect our cells from free radicals that cause oxidative stress. The key flavonoids kaempferol and quercitin (not to dismiss the 45 other distinctive flavonoids in kale) have also been shown to specifically fight against the formation of cancerous cells. With the addition of high doses of well-known antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin A, and manganese, kale is certainly a smart choice in the battle against cellular oxidation.

Anti-Inflammatory
One cup of kale provides about 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids that helps regulate the body’s inflammatory process. A megadose of vitamin K further aids to fight against excessive inflammatory-related problems, such as arthritis, autoimmune disorders, and asthma.

Cancer
Not only do kale’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities work together to prevent and even combat cancer, a healthy diet of kale also provides glucosinolates, which have been shown to prevent colon, breast, bladder, prostate, ovarian cancers, as well as gastric cancer.

Cardiovascular Support
The high fiber content of kale lowers our cholesterol by binding with bile acids that the liver produces from cholesterol for digesting fat. Because many of these bile acids are coupled with fiber, the liver is charged with producing more bile acid to digest fat, and therefore requires more cholesterol to so, ultimately lowering the amount of cholesterol within our bodies.

Detox
The isothiocyanates (ITC) from glucosinolates found in kale aid in both phases I and II of the body’s detoxification process. The high sulfur content of kale has further been shown essential for phase II of detoxification.

Vitamin K
Kale provides a whopping dose of vitamin K (providing 1327% of the RDA in one cup), which is necessary for the synthesis of osteocalcin, a protein that strengthens the composition of our bones. Vitamin K also prevents calcium build-up in our tissue that can lead to atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Finally, vitamin K is essential for synthesizing sphingolipid, the fat needed to maintain the myelin sheath around our nerves, and therefore our nervous system as a whole.

Vitamin A
With over 192% of the RDA of vitamin A, one cup of kale is an effective antioxidant, boosts immunity, maintains healthy bones and teeth, prevents urinary stones, and is essential to our reproductive organs.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C, which one cup of kale heartily provides (over 88% of our RDA), is not only a powerful antioxidant, but also lowers blood pressure, ensures a healthy immune system, and fights against age-related ocular diseases, such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie tray with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
2. Wash kale thoroughly and pat dry. Cut leaves away from stems and tear into pieces. (for me each leaf makes approx 6 chips, depending on the size and how big you want your chips!)
3. Lay chips out on foil-covered cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss with hands so leaves are mostly covered.
4. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. (I didn’t add enough salt on the first batch I made, but you can always add it after they’ve baked so you don’t over do it.)
5. Make sure they are flat on the tray, not covering one another.
6. Bake in over for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges start to brown.
7. Note: Watch them carefully the first time you bake them. I burned my first batch! Kale does not taste yummy when it’s burnt :(
8. Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Eat and enjoy!

Happy eats :)
@ashkalei