Kale Chips...Really?

My sister and I made kale chips this weekend and we were not impressed. We did a little online research and came up with what we thought was a fool-proof recipe: kale, dressed with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and fresh parmigiano-reggiano. We placed the dressed kale on cookie sheets and baked them at 350 degrees. We took them out after 13 minutes (we'd planned 15 minutes' baking time) and we had crispy, paper-thin kale. We each took a nice piece, popped it in our mouth and were shocked by the crunchiness. Kale chips, if nothing else, are fun to crunch. We each ate quite a few chips, but both agreed that the only reason we kept eating them was because they were salty. Not a very good reason, in my opinion. They looked like seaweed and, besides the salt, tasted like charred vegetables. We threw the rest of the chips out.

What's the big deal with kale chips? What did we do wrong? Is there any nutritious value to eating practically burnt kale?

Please, if you eat and enjoy kale chips, tell me what we did wrong, because I just don't get it...

10 comments:

  1. I'm not a fan, either - although I'm a huge fan of kale, otherwise . . . maybe I'm a "chip purist?"

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  2. I love kale chips! I just rip up kale and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake. If they tasted burned, I'm guessing you baked them for too long.

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  3. I LOVE kale chips. But the question about nutritional content is probably valid. They are always a hit at parties and things- they are kid-friendly and allergy-friendly, which is good. So if I need to take something last minute to a party, I always do kale chips. I mine with just olive oil and salt. And I practically burn it to get it to taste how I like. Talking about them makes me want to make them right now!!

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  4. I'm thinking you didn't do anything wrong. Crazy Aunt Purl couldn't work up any enthusiasm for them, either: http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/archives/2010/03/ill_take_a_jere.php

    Maybe if you've never had a potato chip or a corn chip in your life. Which wouldn't be me.

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  5. No, see- I don't think of kale chips as anything like potato chips or corn chips. It's like comparing soy milk or almond milk to cow's milk. Different food.
    Here I am- getting defensive about my kale! (-:

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  6. I love Kale chips as does my 3 year old daughter. I just spray some Pam on them and sprinkle a bit of salt. They don't take long to bake. My only complaint is that they crumble easily and it tends to get everywhere but if that is the price to pay for getting a nice green veggie in to my daughter then so be it.

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  7. I just discovered kale chips and now feel like I can never have enough kale! seriously, I scarfed up so much at the farm today and I was feeling all lacking in kale as I was baking some chips up and cleaning the rest. But, as with anything else, it's just taste, you like what you like. I think they are delicious, but maybe you don't! And tomorrow, I'm not making chips, I am making SLEEK. And I am seriously excited about that. I'll report back!

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  8. I just came to this site via Mountain View Farm.
    It's fantastic. I just wanted to pass along another recipe blog written by my niece in Berkley. It's called "I 'heart' kale". I'm not sure what the URL is, but use the picture of a heart and not the word written out.

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  9. I add a spritz of balsamic, along w the olive oil
    and course salt. I bake for 5 mins, mix up the
    kale and bake for another 5. We can't get enough.

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  10. You have to experience with the spices. For instance, I don't put salt or pepper on my kale (since I don't like the flavor), instead I sprinkle like 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast AND 2 tbsp of The Grill Vegetables seasoning from Clubhouse. I also put them in a dehydrator but I don't think there is a difference taste wise.

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