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Crispy Kale goodness

Brunneria

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Having sampled a few bags of kale crisps recently (all the interests of science, you understand), I think I have become addicted to their scrumptious, guilt free gorgeousness.

I know they are not to everyone's taste, but by heck, they are to MY taste.

They are also absurdly expensive to buy.
Yet very cheap to make!
So I am looking for interesting options, collected together here (hopefully) for different kale crisp recipes.

Basically all you need is
kale (with the hard stems removed, chopped or left in big leaves, doesn't really matter)
seasonings (I have used curry pastes, cheese, salt, pepper and smears of oil)
an oven turned down VERY LOW or a dehydrator
an oven tray
- and a few hours later, you have a whole wodge of crispy green goodness

They will keep quite well in a VERY airtight container - just like potato crisps do.

So, here goes:
 
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My first ever attempt at homemade kale crisps was:

A big bag of kale
ripped the leaves to pieces and took out the hard stems (they go VERY hard when dried)
a half teasp of Patak's curry paste
a couple of teasp of olive oil

Mixed the oil and curry paste in a bowl, then tossed the kale into it and massaged gently until all leaves covered with the merest smear of oil.

Dehydrated til light, translucent and still green.

Snaffled with delight.

They might have kept for a few days, but I ate them too quickly.
 
Second attempt at kale crisps (not quite so successful):

kale
oil
finely grated mature cheddar
very finely sliced spring onions
seasoning

Delish, but two teensy problems
- without the curry paste to act as glue, the onions kept falling off
and
- apparently finely grated mature cheddar goes ROCK HARD when dehydrated. An I mean cut-the-roof-of-your-mouth hard.

So, will probably try again (one day) but will use a food processor to powder the cheese! The cheese and oil combo will probably glue the onion on, in that case...
 
Recent purchases of kale crisps (that started my current obsession) was

1
kale, red bell pepper and chilli

and

2
raw cacao and cinnamon
which was unexpectedly divine.
will be trying this myself, at home.
looking at the ingredients, there was raw cane sugar and vanilla in there too, but total carbs for a 30g bag were 9g, which I could cut further using erythritol...
just thinking out loud here...
 
I can't get kale locally that hasn't been chopped up in to little pieces before being sold. Do you think it would work with any other kind of green leafy veg?
 
Raw cacao and cinnamon? That sounds amazing! I love sweet and savoury together. Mmmmm...

This is how I make my (way more boring) kale crisps:

Bag of pre-torn leaves (I can't find kale not in these bags)
1-2 tsp olive or coconut oil
Seasonings such as 1 tsp Chinese Five Spice, 1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tsp garlic powder, 0.5 tsp chilli powder, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Sprinkle of salt


Heat oven to Gas Mark 2 (300F).
If kale isn't pre-washed, wash and dry very very thoroughly.
Remove any tough stalks from kale.
Massage in the oil to all the books and crannies of the kale.
Sprinkle on spices/seasonings.
Spread out onto a baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake for 10 mins, rotate then bake for another 12-15 mins until the kale gets crispy.
Remove from oven and leave to cool on the tray for three mins - this really crisps it up.

These are crisps for eating immediately - they don't stay as crispy as ones in the oven for hours, but that shouldn't be a problem as they're yummy!

Also, don't use the tiny baby kale leaves - they're too fragile to bake.

Mmm, is it lunchtime yet..?
 
Chook said:
I can't get kale locally that hasn't been chopped up in to little pieces before being sold. Do you think it would work with any other kind of green leafy veg?
Click to expand...

Oh yes, they would definitely work! I have done big leaves and chopped leaves. Both fine.
 

Blimey! Those are nearly instant. I didnt realise they 'cooked' so quickly in oven.
My dehydrator takes hours...
 
Or maybe try Parmesan cheese?

How long do you have the kale in the dehydrater? (I'm considering one of those gizmos.)
 
All these recipes should work well with cavolo nero I used this to make crisps and it works very well I will test the curry one definitely The reason that I bought. the Cavlo was because it had a yellow sticker (marked down) but I am glad that I did because it makes a good substitute for crunchy seaweed on stirfries
CAROL
 
AndBreathe said:
Or maybe try Parmesan cheese?

How long do you have the kale in the dehydrater? (I'm considering one of those gizmos.)
Click to expand...
I have to my eternal shame, even used that awful, faux cheese that claims to be parmesan that is sold an a small tub and is as fine as ground almond. It flaours the kale well, but I would not use it on anything else. Real parmesan shavings taste good, but tend to have clumps of melted cheese, whearas the cheap nasty powedery stuff works well.
I just put it in a very cool oven for about 45 mins, watch to see the kale doesn't turn brown and have all that crunchy crisp type munchies, without the carbiness.
 

Pipp - I bought a really fine (also expensive) microplane for doing Parmesan, and it can result in a similar texture to the pot stuff, which we don't buy. Just a thought.

Edit to add, probably a nutmeg grater might also do the same texture.
 
AndBreathe said:
Pipp - I bought a really fine (also expensive) microplane for doing Parmesan, and it can result in a similar texture to the pot stuff, which we don't buy. Just a thought.

Edit to add, probably a nutmeg grater might also do the same texture.
Click to expand...
I know, I am just lazy.
 
Dehydrators vary in temperature, so I can't really give a length of time. Sorry.

The Raw Food Thinking is that enzymes in raw fruit and veg are good for you, and if you eat them, then you save your body the hassle of having to manufacture them itself. There is a theory (NO IDEA if there is any truth in it at all) that if all we eat is cooked, no salad and stuff, then our capacity to produce these enzymes gets worn out. Which is one of the reasons older people have more indigestion and digestive upset.

http://www.wellpreserved.ca/fundamentals-of-dehydration-what-temperature-do-i-dehydrate-________-at/

So the Raw Food Brigade seem to support preserving these enzymes (which are destroyed by cooking), at no hotter than 100-120 degrees.

Personally, I dehydrate kale at around 110 (cos I like to sit on the fence about LOTS of things) and run it for 12 hours, check the kale, and add a few more hours.
Sometimes this means the kale sits in the dehydrator over night, and finishes in the morning - not a problem.

http://www.dehydratorreview.net/articles/kale-roundup-six-recipes-dehydrated-kale-chips
 
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Great! I've got some cavolo nero in the fridge
 
Chook said:
Great! I've got some cavolo nero in the fridge
Click to expand...
Pardon my ignorance. I thought that was a wine.
Now if someone could come up with a way of making wine crisps, I would be a devotee forever.
 
Pipp said:
Pardon my ignorance. I thought that was a wine.
Now if someone could come up with a way of making wine crisps, I would be a devotee forever.
Click to expand...
LOL, sadly ita a kind of kale. I say 'sadly' cos I've got a load of it growing in the back garden. I'd much prefer if it was wine....
 
Chook said:
LOL, sadly ita a kind of kale. I say 'sadly' cos I've got a load of it growing in the back garden. I'd much prefer if it was wine....
Click to expand...
You make the crisps. I'll fetch the wine.
 
anyone made any yet?

Production starts tomorrow. Getting a 500g bag and going to make 2 batches. Definitely a curried batch, but will the other one be sweet or savoury? choc and cinnamon or cheese and onion...
 
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