Cheesy Raw Kale Chips

Kale chips are my go-to snack when I need a salty fix. Unlike other salty snack options like chips, crackers or popcorn, kale chips are nutrient dense and can actually detox your system. As an added bonus, the fresh raw garlic will give your immune system an extra boost. And who doesn’t need that this time of year?

If you aren’t familiar with kale, it’s a mild leafy green that belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family.  Because of its mild flavor, it lends well to almost any recipe.  Kale is a nutritional powerhouse; it’s high in vitamin K, C, and A.  It’s also a great source of calcium, iron and fiber.  If you’ve never tried it, kale chips are a great gateway to introducing it to your diet.

If you haven’t tried kale chips you’ve been missing out on a simple snack option. You can buy kale chips at most natural foods stores but you’ll find they are prohibitively expensive. Instead grab a bunch of kale from your farmers market and some items from your pantry and you’ll have healthy, inexpensive snack.

There are many ways to make kale chips but I like to keep mine completely raw to get the most nutritionally out of my snack. I also know that snack making should be easy, so if you don’t have an item in your pantry, don’t worry, substitutions are welcome here. You can also make these in your oven if you don’t have a deydrator.  I’ve included some simple substitutions below the recipe in case you find your pantry lacking any items.

You can choose to make these with any type of kale (curly, dino, Russian, etc) based on your preference. I usually prefer curly kale for chip making since the shape helps hold in all of the tasty toppings. I happen to use dino kale for this batch since I found this lovely fresh bunch at our farmer’s market and the chips turned our just as delicious.

Cheesy Raw Kale Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ bunches of kale (any variety)
• ¾ cup cashews
• ¼ cup filtered water
• juice from ½ lemon
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 tsp coconut aminos
• ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/8 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Step 1: Soak cashews for 6 hours. Rinse and drain well.

Step 2: Rinse kale and allow to dry as much as possible.

Step 3: Remove stems from kale and tear into chip sized pieces. (Note: to easily remove stems from kale. Hold the base of the stem and slide your finders up, pushing the leaves to the top. The leaves will easily tear clear from the tough stem.)

Step 4: In a high speed blender or food processor, combine all ingredients, except for kale, and blend until smooth.

Step 5: In a large bowl, toss kale and cashew topping until the kale is evenly coated.

Step 6: Place in a single layer on a dehydrator sheet.

Step 7: Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 4-6 hours, or until crispy.

Step 8: Allow to cool to room temperature before placing in a container to maintain crispness.

Substitutions:

• Cashews: almonds, macadamia nuts, or pine nuts
• Lemon juice: add double the apple cider vinegar
• Fresh garlic: ¼ tsp powdered garlic
• Coconut aminos: tamari or nama shoyu

To make kale chips in your oven, use the lowest oven setting and bake for 20-30 minutes, flipping chips every 10 minutes.

What’s your favorite healthy, salty snack?

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