We’ve been experimenting with kale chips quite a bit lately, both making them ourselves and sampling different flavors from New York Naturals (their Bombay Ranch is my favorite). Although I adore the kale chips we can buy at our local health food store, they’re pricey and have a little more fat than I’d like. This recipe uses no oil or nuts, so the fat content is negligible.
Low and slow baking is the key here. You can’t rush the recipe by bumping the oven temperature up to 300, or you’ll get burned and bitter chips. These take up to an hour and half to fully crisp up, but the time is worth it.
Because there is no fat in this recipe, the chips are going to want to stick to your pan. I use Silpat liners, which are completely non-stick and work just as beautifully here as they do with gooey cookies. If you don’t have Silpats, consider misting your non-stick baking sheets with oil before baking.
New to nutritional yeast powder? It has a slightly cheesy flavor, and you can find it in the supplements section of your local health food store.
Now, as far as these being “seriously sriracha” — your mileage may vary. What is very hot to me barely registers for J., but to me these are quite spicy. Taste the coating mixture before you combine it with the kale, and adjust the spiciness for your taste. You can also sprinkle the chips with cayenne or the like once they’re cooked to kick them up some more.
Seriously Sriracha Kale Chips
1 medium bunch curly kale, or about 14 oz. before trimming and 7 oz. after
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast powder
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. sriracha sauce (or to taste)
1 tsp. kosher salt (or to taste)
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F.
Wash the kale thoroughly, then shake and pat dry. Trim the center ribs from all the kale leaves and discard. Place the rib-less leaves in a large bowl and set aside.
Combine nutritional yeast powder, apple cider vinegar, sriracha, and salt in a small bowl. Mix until it is completely smooth. Then, pour the coating over the kale.
With clean hands, toss the kale in the coating. Massage the coating into the leaves of the kale for a minute, until each leaf is covered and shiny. Then distribute kale in a single layer on two baking sheets lined with a Silpat silicone mat.
Bake for 50 minutes, then flip each chip gently (I just peel them off the Silpat — they will still be somewhat damp with some crispy spots). Put the baking sheets back in the oven and continue to check for doneness every 10-15 minutes. The chips should be completely dry and crisp when you remove them from the oven, usually with a total baking time of about an hour and a quarter. You may need to remove smaller pieces from the oven before larger leaves.
Chips will stay crisp for a day or two, on the counter in a sealed container.
I am visiting my sister (and newborn niece) in Brisbane, Australia this week and we are cooking up a storm! She and her husband are vegetarian, so our meal plan reflects that.
In between spending time with my family and cooking, I have been cuddling with koalas and petting this guy:
Yep, really.
I’ve also had a lot of fun shopping in their local grocery, Coles; at their produce shop, Fruity Capers; and at the Davies Park Market. We are headed to a giant market this weekend (Eumundi Markets), so our Saturday and Sunday meals will reflect what we buy there that looks good.
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday:Baked Tofu with Soy & Sesame, bok choy/mushroom/red pepper (called “capsicum” here) stir fry, brown rice
Wound up with a lot of poultry dishes this week, for some reason. Also, the boys have exhausted my supply of frozen homemade cookies (I usually freeze half of each batch I make so we can dole them out over a longer period of time). I’ve had a request for M&M cookies, but I also have a ton of Hershey’s Kisses leftover from a project in December, so I may look for a “blossom”-type cookie recipe without peanut butter.
And yes, if I could only bake and never cook, I think I would.
My secret baking last week was a special treat for J.’s grandma’s birthday. I wanted to make her a decadent, not-for-everyday dessert that she could stash in her fridge and enjoy over the course of a week or so. Since she is a chocolate lover, I immediately thought to make Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies — hands down, the best special occasion brownie around! They were well received, so I’m glad I spent the time making them. They are a little fussy to make but totally worth it. Since the recipe makes a half sheet pan worth of brownies, I divied up some of the rest into packets for friends and put away a small amount in our freezer for the boys.
This week I’m baking a chocolate chip cookie cake for G.’s Valentine’s Day celebration at school. He has instructed me that we need to decorate the cake with “white frosting all around, and Valentine’s M&Ms, and a big heart in the middle.” OK, can do. He’ll help me with the decorating.
Otherwise, I’m heavy on soup again this week (Black Bean and also Curried Split Pea). It seems to be all I want to eat in this cold, cold weather.
I'm Dara, the Chick in the Kitchen. Living in the suburbs of Manhattan with my two school-aged boys and husband. Feeding my family something more diverse than a different shape of pasta each night. Read more about me and CITK, and keep in touch:
I'm Dara, the Chick in the Kitchen. Living in the suburbs of Manhattan with my two school-aged boys and husband. Feeding my family something more diverse than a different shape of pasta each night. Read more 
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