Kale Chips Recipe

I absolutely love kale and consume this amazing green leafy vegetable in many forms, from green drinks and salads to side dishes and even dehydrated in the form of chips!! If you’ve never had the opportunity to try Kale Chips, then this is the perfect time! It’s June, farm stands are open and organic kale is in abundance.

Kale is a member of the cabbage family. It’s high in phytonutrients, fiber, vitamins A , C  & K and provides many healing benefits.  Including anti-inflammatory & cancer fighting properties. Kale comes in many varieties including: Cavolo Nero which is also known as  black kale, dinosaur kale, dragon tongue, lacinato & tuscan kale.  Scotch Kale which has gray-green leaves that are crumpled and curled on the edges. Plain Leaved Kale, which is blue-green in color with long thin leaves. Leaf and Spear Kale which is a hybrid of curly leaved and plain leaved kale. Rape Kale also known as hungry gap kale, because kale is plentiful during the winter season. Another of the curly leaved variety is Red Russian Kale, also known as Ragged Jack Kale, Buda Kale and Fearing Kale, it’s purplish in color with red veins and has more of a jagged edge to its leaves.

When selecting kale look for moist leaves that look fresh, crisp, bright  in color and tender. Avoid wilted leaves that appear dry or yellow because they lack nutritional value.  Dehydrating Kale is a great nutritional replacement for high calorie, high sodium potato chips and other unhealthy snacks. Dehydrating ~vs~ baking is a great way to preserve ever important nutrients and enzymes, while creatively increasing your intake of whole foods.  Having plenty of Kale Chips on hand is a great way of eating fresh kale on the go, at any time.

There are many ways to prepare Kale Chips using various spices and ingredients such as; cashews, paprika, thyme, garlic, nutritional yeast (for a cheezy flavor) cayenne pepper and even chili pepper. I enjoy experimenting with many of these variations, but my favorite is the very simple recipe below:

Ingredients: (2-4) bunches of Scotch Kale , (2) Tbls Olive Oil & (1) Tbls of Bragg Liquid Aminos  (2) Tbls Lemon Juice (1) Tsp of Sesame Seeds (or) Flax Seeds

Step 1) Remove Stems & Any Thick Veins.

Step 2) Rinse & spin dry or gently pat dry kale leaves.

Step 3) Rip into nice bite size pieces and not to small, because kale will shrink during dehydration.

Step 4) Place in bowel and……

Step 4)  Toss with olive oil, Bragg Liquid Aminos, seeds & lemon juice.

Step 5) Place coated kale on dehydrator sheets or lined cookie sheets & dehydrate for 6-8 hours or bake on 100°F-115°F for approximately 2-hours. After 1-hour in the oven be sure to rotate the Kale Chips so they’ll dehydrate evenly.

NOTE: Low & warm settings vary from oven to oven. Some ovens temps settings will not go below 130°F-140°F at which point you’re simply baking your Kale Chips and not dehydrating them. Though still a very healthy snack, some vital nutrients are lost when green leafy vegetables are cooked. If you can not set your oven temp low enough for dehydration and you are “eating for healing” then you might consider investing in a food dehydrator with a temperature setting. If you still prefer to bake your Kale Chips, set your oven at 350°F and bake for 10-15 min.

Voilà! Kale Chips….Enjoy!

This recipe is also vegan & raw vegan friendly. Still have lots of kale left over? Check out The Positive Pear’s other recipes using kale: Nutritional, Gluten-Free, Diary-Free, Low-Starch & Inflammation Friendly Recipes

Natural Anti-Inflammatory, Vegan Friendly & Gluten-Free: Roasted Seaweed Snack!

When I talk about healthy gluten-free snacks I can’t help but rave about one of my all time favorites and that’s the Roasted Seaweed Snack by Trader Joes. These small paper-thin snacks are only 30 calories while offering only 2 grams of fat, 1 gram of protein and 50 mg of sodium.  If you are now thinking, “why on earth would I ever want to eat seaweed” then consider its incredible healing benefits. Seaweed is packed full of Amino Acids, ionic and trace Minerals plus Vitamins, most specifically Vitamins A, B and C. It also contains Beta-Carotene and Iodine, essential for Myelin production which helps to combat symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) by nourishing the mitochondria.  Seaweed also contains high amounts of Iron, Calcium, and Fiber, along with the non-essential amino acid Taurine, which is great for alertness and mental clarity.  Incredibly beneficial to those who suffer from *Fibro Fog, memory issues and depression. It also aids in bile production which helps with digestion. Seaweed is also instrumental in naturally lowering cholesterol levels which is essential to heart health. This wonderful super food also has antiviral and antibacterial properties, as well as an abundance of anti-inflammatory properties.  Proving very beneficial to those with chronic inflammatory conditions such as Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS).

Seaweed also contains Selenium, Collagen, Asparagine, Boron, Bioflavonoids and Antioxidants. When you eat this amazing little snack, you are strengthening your hair, bones, teeth, gums and connective tissue, while improving your thyroid, eyes and skin.  You are also sharpening your brain, removing toxins from your body such as mercury, lead and heavy metals, while helping your body to fight infection, colds, flu, allergies, and other respiratory problems.  In addition to lowering your risks of breast and prostate cancer. Trader Joe’s Roasted Seaweed Snack is vegan-friendly and a great substitution for chips and other high calorie, high sodium snacks. Plus, there is no need to swim to the bottom of the ocean to enjoy this tasty little snack.  They are packaged nicely, sold at your local Trader Joe’s and are very reasonably priced at only $.99. They also travel well for eating on the go and they are quite addicting, so be sure to stock up!

Great packaging, opens easily and travels well. Roasted seaweed remains fresh and in tact.

Beautiful snacks which you can serve on a plate or in the included plastic container. They tend to absorb moisture rather quickly, so be careful of leaving them out for too long.  Especially in humid climates, or you’ll risk losing the crunchiness which is their appeal.

Paper thin, filling and incredibly delicious!

If you like a little kick be sure to try their mouth blowing Wasabi Roasted Seaweed Snack. I like spicy, but one bite of this flavor was all that I could take.  I will say it’s worth trying and if you can’t handle the heat revisit the idea of the original flavor.

Fresh Raw Ginger-Cranberry Relish

Light, Vibrant & Palate Cleansing!

Natural Raw Cranberries having amazing healing attributes. Research shows that this small, amazing red fruit might be instrumental in cleansing and soothing the kidneys, fighting bacteria which leads to stomach ulcers, as well as supporting cardiovascular & liver function.  They are also high in antioxidants and provide many anti-inflammatory benefits. Combined with Ginger Root, you have double the healing power, as ginger is great for digestion & is known to reduce inflammation.

Ingredients:

12 oz Bag of Fresh Organic Cranberries

2 Oranges Juiced & Zest from 1 Orange

2 Tsp Lemon Juiced & Zest

2 Tsp Fresh Ginger Root

1 Shallot Minced

2 Tbls of Agave Nectar

Prepare:

In a food processor chop the ginger root until fine, add the orange & lemon juice with zest of both, add the cranberries, and pulse the motor until the berries are finely chopped (broken not mushy). Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in Agave. Cover & chill the relish for a minimum of 30 minutes. This relish keeps, covered and chilled, for up to 2 weeks.

TIP: Using a microplane zester/grater will produce lighter, fluffier zest.  If your relish is to tart, simply add more Agave to taste.  Serve as you would any cranberry sauce or relish.

Enjoy!

Check on some other healthy, healing recipes here on the “The Positive Pear”, Article: The Healing Power of Ginger