Cheesy, Crunchy, Kale Chips

Need something cheesy and salty that goes “crunch?” These easy kale chips will fit the bill!

Picadilly Farm Kale is on sale from July 1st-14th, 2023.

This recipe will have you chomping down a bunch every day, even if you “don’t like vegetables.”

• 1 large bunch of kale (when bunches are small in late winter, use two bunches)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast or powdered Frontier Cheddar Cheese Blend (available in Bulk)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne (optional) 

1. Wash the kale and dry it thoroughly. Strip the leaves off the stems by pulling them off from the blunt end of the stem to the tip. Reserve the stems for another use. 
2. Tear the leaves into 3-5” pieces (if the chips are all the same size, they will all dry evenly). Put them in a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Mix well with your hands until evenly combined. 
3. Place the kale in a single layer on the dehydrator trays or a cookie sheet. Run the dehydrator at 110 degrees for 8 hours or overnight (if you are in a hurry, try 145 degrees for 2-4 hours). 
4. If you don’t have a dehydrator, it also works great to dry the chips in a 300-degree oven for 20 minutes. However, they will need to be eaten the same day they are made. Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro has high-quality dehydrators to borrow for a week at a time.
5. Allow the chips to cool completely before eating. Store them in a paper bag or in a very airtight container with uncooked white rice or a silica gel packet at the bottom.* To re-crisp the kale chips, heat only as many as you plan to eat at 200 degrees for 10 minutes.

*if you have silica gel packets from supplements or food items, they can be reused to keep your kale chips crispy! Place them in the dehydrator with the kale before using them. 

References: 

https://homesteadandchill.com/crispy-kale-chips-recipe/

https://www.thespruceeats.com/simple-kale-chips-dehydrator-method-1327574

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12152-crisp-kale-chips-with-chile-and-lime

https://pantryandlarder.com/how-to-store-kale-chips/

Submitted by Lisa Nichols, BFC Education, Events, and Demo Coordinator