Addicted to Kale Chips: Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Vegan...the Trifecta!

I mean they really speak for themselves don't they?! Kale chips are pretty easy to make at home, and way better that anything you'll ever buy at the store. I've "perfected" my kale recipe after a couple of accidents turned genius.

While I have a a really hard time believing that kale chips are any kind of substitute for eating real chips. (C'mon, Pringles, Hot Cheetos and Doritos, etc. are seriously on a whole other level!) Kale chips are not so surprisingly, crunchy, tart, crispy and salty... and they make you want to lick your fingers clean afterwards!

Dainty I am not. Guess kale chips cause the same knee jerk reaction as when I eat the real deal!

A few changes I made to my kale chip recipe that changed it from darn good to amazing:

• I tore the leaves, discarding the stem all together.
• Squeezing fresh lemon juice, before baking. 
• Baking on the third rack of my oven at 375, instead of the middle rack at 350. This made it crispy and keep its shape, without giving a burnt taste!

Baked Kale Chips

Kneading Sass original 

Ingredients: 

• 1 bunch of dinosaur or lacto kale, washed, dried and torn into bite size pieces
• 1 Tbl olive oil
• Garlic salt
• 2 garlic gloves, minced finely
• Pepper
• Paprika
• Chili powder
• Fresh grated Parmesan (optional)

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. After washing (because sometimes there is sand), drying and tearing kale into pieces, place an even layer of kale on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
2. Squeeze half of a fresh lemon, season with fresh garlic, garlic salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder. I use a few dashes of each spice, but I'd say a 1/4 teaspoon of each spice is how much I season with. 
3. Massage kale, by mixing with your hands. This evenly coats all of the leaves with seasoning and oil. 
4. Top with freshly grated Parmesan. This is optional, especially if you are looking to cut out dairy or going vegan!
5. Bake on the third rack (generally, you bake most dishes on the second rack), but placing the cookie sheet on the third allows for the kale to retain flavor, without crisping up too quickly and leaving a burnt aftertaste. 
6. Bake in oven for about 10-12 minutes, keeping an eye on the kale crisping on the edges of the sheet. 
7. Let it cool for a few minutes, and it should easily peel off of the sheet, without losing it shape and falling apart. 
8. Note: To keep your kale chips for later...well if you even have any left, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.