I’m in the second week of my no-sugar 21 day challenge. I love doing these no-sugar runs, mostly because it seems impossible when you think of doing it, but once you’re two or three days in, it’s completely natural. The cravings go away and you wonder how you got stuck in that sugar addiction cycle in the first place.
During the transition, I usually find myself eating more salty crunchy stuff, so this time around, I reverted to a snack that I poo-poo’d years ago. I must have had a bad experience with it because I can’t figure out why I haven’t added this to my healthy snack repertoire.
Kale chips are lovely, simple, healthy and they sure do satisfy that salty, crunchy craving. All you do is tear up some kale, add olive oil and salt, bake and inhale. But check out this yummy cheesy recipe. Totally good for you, but they sure don’t last long!
- 10 ounces (283 g) chopped kale leaves, washed, thoroughly dried (stems removed)
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) grape seed, olive or avocado oil
- 1/4 cup (30 g) raw cashews
- 2 Tbsp (14 g) raw or roasted (unsalted) sunflower seeds
- 5-6 Tbsp (15-18 g) nutritional yeast, divided
- 1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- optional: Healthy pinch cayenne pepper
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Add kale to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with oil. Use hands to massage the kale to soften its texture and disperse the oil. Set aside.
- Add cashews, sunflower seeds, 4 Tbsp (12 g) nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, garlic pepper and cayenne pepper (optional) to a food processor or blender and blend/pulse into a fine meal, scraping down sides as needed.
- Add spice mixture to the kale and toss with hands to distribute, working it into the grooves so it’s thoroughly coated.
- Divide kale between 2 large baking sheets and spread into an even layer, making sure the pieces aren’t overlapping to ensure crispiness. You may need to bake them in two batches depending on size of baking sheets.
- Sprinkle the kale with remaining 1-2 Tbsp (3-6 g) nutritional yeast for extra flavor and bake for 15 minutes. Then remove from oven and toss/flip kale to ensure even baking.
- Bake for 5-10 minutes more, or until chips are crispy and golden brown. Watch carefully to ensure they don’t burn. Let cool slightly before enjoying.
- Once completely cooled, store leftovers in a large plastic bag or container for 2-3 days. The crispy texture begins fading past 24 hours, so enjoy as close to baking as possible!
Recipe from the minimalist baker.
