K is for Kale Chips (Jessica)

Good evening!

I fight the battle with myself every week (well, every day, in fact) of whether to eat something healthy or screw healthy and eat whatever I'm craving. Yes, occasionally those are one and the same and when that happens, life is good (for example: BLUEBERRIES). But more often, it's a struggle to avoid stopping by the candy bowl at the office down the hall for the third time in one afternoon. I'm not one of those people who counts calories or looks at fat content. My philosophy is to try to make healthier choices, but always indulge in delicious desserts, at least a few bites of them.  Life is not about depriving myself! 

This week, health won the battle in choosing a recipe. I made Kale Chips. No messing around, Kale is a ridiculously healthy vegetable (see here). But don't worry, these chips are tasty too, whew!

Kale Chips
from Katheats

Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale (washed)
Olive oil
Salt (I used sea salt)
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Tear kale into bite-sized pieces.
3. Drizzle with olive oil until coated and mix well. Spread out on cookie sheets or jellyroll pan.
4. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and salt, as desired.

 5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until edges are brown and crispy.

Review:
When I took these chips out of the oven, I was so curious to try them, I didn't really let them cool. I then proceeded to eat quite a large amount in the next half an hour, I couldn't stop snacking on them. Fast forward about 2 hours, I had definitely overdosed on kale chips.  I brought the rest in to work because I think I had eaten my fill. The lesson here: everything in moderation!  Also, the Parmesan and salt were important, they gave the chips a lot more flavor. Parmesan just makes everything better!
This was a quick and easy recipe, but it didn't keep very well. The chips were best the day I made them (yes, I did try them the next day as well, they just didn't stay as crunchy). So there you have it, a healthy recipe that was honestly tastier than I expected. But don't worry, I'm planning out more desserts for the next few weeks.

Enjoy! And have a great holiday weekend.

Next week, I'll be coming to you from a totally different kitchen... :)


-Jessica