Baked Kale Chips

Lauren has wanted me to make kale chips with her for a while. I didn't want to and always came up with some excuse why we couldn't. I even went so far as to buy a bag of raw kale two or three times with good intentions of making them. I ended up throwing the bag away because by the time the two of us had free time, it had gone bad.  About a month ago, Lauren and I made these. We experimented with a bunch of different "seasonings," like curry powder, lemon pepper and salt/pepper. We discovered that the Taste of Home California Garlic Pepper seasoning was an A+++++! I'm not just saying that because I am a Volunteer Field Editor for Taste of Home - I have used the seasoning on white rice, baked potatoes and steamed broccoli and cauliflower! Since I didn't take any pictures of the baked kale chips when we made them the first time, I decided to make some more "chips," today!  Raw kale by itself doesn't have a lot of flavor, so you really have to add at least a little salt and pepper if nothing else.  Here is a bunch of raw kale I bought at Kroger:

 Here is what it looks like after it is baked and seasoned - YUMMY!!!!!

 

You can put the kale into a green salad or add some dried cranberries, salted sesame seeds, walnuts or pecans and raisins and you have an awesome homemade "trail mix!" One important thing Lauren and I found out the first time we made these kale chips is that you have to eat them immediately or at least within a few hours after you make them for maximum freshness!

Ingredients

1 bunch raw kale
Non-stick cooking spray
Seasoning of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Using a pair of kitchen shears, remove the "leaves" from the tough "stalks," of the entire bunch of kale. Cut into bite-size pieces, put into a medium bowl and then rinse with water. Dry thoroughly with a kitchen towel to remove all the excess water. Place a single layer of kale on the two cookie sheets. Spray liberally with the non-stick spray and then sprinkle with your favorite seasoning. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until they are starting to crisp up. Remove from oven and let them cool slightly. Enjoy!