Recipe Day: Kale Crisps

Okay, ya'll, this is probably one of the easiest healthy snacks going - and it is so good I couldn't get Jeff and the boys to leave them alone to serve with supper tonight! Kale Crisps taste a bit like potato chips (as told to me by Maestro), take just a couple of minutes to throw together and about twenty minutes in the oven. Leave them out on the counter for hungry snackers and I promise they'll disappear - and you'll be happy knowing that they're eating healthy and not potato-chip crunchy. For you home gardeners - kale is a cinch to grow a LOT at once, you do have to keep an eye for worm infestations though - they love it too!

I served them on top of and alongside a very pungent garlic-mashed cauliflower dish. Also totally tasty and complimentary to the Kale - while I don't have a picture of the cauliflower, I might just throw it in at the bottom as a "bonus" recipe for you faithful readers. Enjoy!

Kale Crisps
Ingredients
Bag or bunch of kale - if you buy it precut and washed it is much faster
Olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar (or Apple Cider Vinegar)
Salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 deg. F.
2. If using whole kale, roughly cut the kale into pieces and wash well.
3. Place the kale into a bowl or baking dish and toss with the oil and vinegar, or do like I did: place in the baking dish and drizzle with the oil and vinegar.
4. Bake for about 8 minutes, stir to keep from burning and allow the kale to get crispy all over. Bake for an extra 8 to 10 minutes. If the kale is still soft at the edges when you stir it, it needs more time; it should be crunchy when it's done.
5. Remove from oven and add salt. The salt will help keep it from being bitter. 

Eat this hearty little snack to get some Vitamins, including: K, A, C, manganese, fiber, copper, tryptophan, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, E, Omega-3s, B2, protein, B1, folate, phosphorus, and B3 and almost no calories!


Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
One to two heads cauliflower or bag of frozen
One to two cloves of garlic, minced
Dash of olive oil or 2 Tbsp. butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 c. Soy Milk, "Regular" Milk or Table Cream (optional)

Directions

1. Boil the cauliflower for about 5 - 7 minutes or until very soft. Drain
2. Mix in the milk, olive oil or butter, salt and pepper and garlic. The raw garlic will boost your autoimmune system and also give this dish a decided kick. Leave the garlic out if you're not cooking for that type of folk!
3. Mash the whole up with a potato masher or in a food processor of some sort. 

The cauliflower won't have quite the same consistency as regular mashed potatoes, and will be a tad "grainy" in comparison but the health value is worth the trade-off. It doesn't have too strong of that cauliflower taste so it can be a good substitute for your starchier potatoes if that is a concern for you. Paired with the Kale Crisps above, it is just "WOW" delicious!

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