Baked Kale Chips

— by Challah Maidel

Gaining in popularity, kale is an amazing vegetable that is recognized for its exceptional richness in nutrients, health benefits, and delicious flavor.

Also known as borecole, kale is believed to be one of the healthiest vegetables around. Generally speaking, eating a variety of natural and unprocessed vegetables has proven to be beneficial to your health, but eating nutrient loaded kale on a regular basis may provide significant health benefits, including cancer protection and lowered cholesterol.

More after the jump.

The health benefits that kale provides are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K — and sulphur-containing phytonutrients. Kale also contains eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds. Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw.

Just as addictive and crispy as potato chips, baked kale chips are a low calorie nutritious snack that even the pickiest eaters will enjoy.

Since kale has an acquired taste, I seasoned it with a bit of garlic powder, smokey paprika, chili powder, a drop of turmeric and ground pepper.

Baked Kale Chips

  • 1 bunch of kale
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of smokey or sweet paprika
  • 1/3 teaspoon of turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Wash the kale and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
  3. Pull the leaves off the center ribs in large pieces, and pile on a baking sheet. Discard the ribs.
  4. In a small bowl, mix oil and spices, and pour over the kale.
  5. Use your hands to massage the kale leaves until each one is evenly coated with the spice mixture. Do not drench.  
  6. Lay the kale leaves out flat on 3 or 4 full sized baking sheets. Do not overlap.
  7. Bake for 10-11 minutes until crisp, but still green.
  8. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before moving. If some kale chips are still a little flimsy or damp, remove the crisp chips and place the damp chips back in the oven for a few more minutes.
  9. Store in an air-tight container.

Yields 12 servings.