Day 250: Seasoned Kale Chips (Or, How to Get a 2-Year-Old to Eat Greens)

Kale chips have been all the rage in the food blogosphere - I started seeing them a few months ago. "Kale chips? I like kale, but ... kale chips?" was my initial reaction. I read too many good reviews, though, and decided to try and create my own version.

Kale is pretty tasty, but not my favorite green. I usually tend to buy quick-cooking spinach or escarole, or spicy mustard greens, or slow-cooking but oh-so-tasty collards.... Well, needless to say, I like my greens. But kale always just tasted kind of bland to me. And, while I think all greens are beautiful, for some reason this sight never piqued 2-year-old Molly's fancy:

When baked, though, kale turns into something that looks ...well, kind of strange:

Seasoned Kale Chips

But, if you can get past the ugliness, seasoned kale chips are an amazing snack - crunchy, a little salty, savory, and all-around addictive. Bet you can't eat just one ... at least Molly, D, and I couldn't. I must say, it warms a mom's heart to hear her toddler say, "More kale chips, please!"

Ingredients:
2 bunches kale
2-3 T. olive oil
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. chili powder
1/4 t. coriander
1/4 t. cumin
1/4 t. salt
scant 1/4 t. onion powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F (about 175º C).
   
2. Wash and thoroughly dry kale (a salad spinner works well for this).
3. Tear kale into large pieces, discarding stems - toss them or save them for stock.
4. Spread kale onto cookie sheets. Line them with parchment paper first if you want to minimize sticking.
5. Sprinkle or spray kale lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with spice mixture.
6. Bake kale for 9-12 minutes, or until crispy but not burnt.