Sesame kale chips might be one of my all time favorite snacks. I literally crave these once a week during the months when daylight dwindles. Kale is great for your heart, eyes, and bones! It is very rich in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and lutein. It’s a great dairy free source of calcium, magnesium and fiber. Kale also has cancer fighting antioxidants.
Ingredients:
- A bunch of kale
- A few tablespoons of coconut oil
- A few tablespoons of gomasio or plain sesame seeds
- Finely ground kosher or sea salt to taste
Preparation:
- Set the oven to 325 degrees to preheat.
Directions:
- Wash the kale well. I like to soak it in a deep bowl and massage it. Then let it sit for a few minutes so any dirt will sink to the bottom. Then remove kale from water and spread onto paper towels.
- This is very important, make sure you dry the kale VERY well with a salad spinner or layers of paper towels!!!! If the kale isn’t dry, then you will steam it instead of baking it to a nice crisp. When they are done right they will sound like chips in your mouth.
- Once clean and dry you want to rip the leaves off of the woody stalk into chip size pieces. They don’t all have to be the same size.
- Next, literally massage each leaf with the coconut oil until it has a nice light sheen on both sides. This is fun. If you don’t use gloves, there’s a chance you could feel a mild effect of the oil as you will absorb a bit into your skin. (This isn’t exactly a problem for me, since I am a patient, but if you are making these as a caregiver, something to keep in mind)
- To make into a chip, simply spread the kale pieces out on a cookie sheet in a single layer (you might need 2 cookie sheets) and sprinkle and toss with seeds and salt to taste.
- Bake in the middle rack for about 8-10 minutes. You want to be careful not to over cook them, usually they are perfect when the edges barely start to brown! About 5 minutes into cooking remove from the oven and toss around a bit so that they all cook evenly.
I use gomasio, which is a spice blend made up of sesame seeds, sea salt, dulse and other sea vegetables. I can find it locally at my health food store, but if you can’t find them regular sesame seeds are just fine, or follow my amazon affiliate link to order! The sesame seeds pack a punch of calcium – 60 mg in just 2 teaspoons, making this snack great for those seeking calcium! Keep in mind that since gomasio contains some salt, less kosher salt will be needed and may be omitted all together if you are on a low sodium diet!
