Simple and Crunchy Kale Chips Recipe

Recipe From Dr. Mercola

Whether you eat them on a casual day at home or serve them at a party, you can guarantee that almost anyone will enjoy munching on chips. Unfortunately, most chips nowadays are made with genetically engineered (GE) ingredients and mixed with trans fats and other artificial components.

Fortunately, you can still get your fix of delicious and crunchy chips without the health risks. This Simple and Crunchy Kale Chips Recipe from Naturally Savvy, shows you that there’s more to kale than just salads and smoothies. With the right spices, you can transform ordinary kale into chips that are sure to pack a flavorful crunch (pun intended).

Kale Chips Recipe

Cooking time: 15 minutes Preparation time: 15 minutes Serving Size: 4

 

Ingredients

Procedure

  1. Wash and spin dry the chopped, de-stemmed kale. It’s important that the kale is completely dry before baking.
  2. Toss together the kale and coconut oil. Massage together with your hands until every leaf is coated
  3. Sprinkle on salt, nutritional yeast and any seasoning you will be using. Toss again to evenly distribute.
  4. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, arrange the kale evenly without crowding or overlapping.
  5. Bake in a 300-degree Fahrenheit oven until crisp and dark green, approximately for 12 to 15 minutes.
  6. Cool completely before eating. This will allow the chips to crisp up further while cooling.

Tip: Spice these kale chips up with your favorite flavors, such as chili powder, garlic powder or onion powder.

Enjoy Snack Time With This Simple and Crunchy Kale Chips Recipe

When it comes to improving your overall health, you don’t have to settle for anything less than what your body deserves. This Simple and Crunchy Kale Chips Recipe is a perfect example, combining the tasty flavors of kale, coconut oil and Himalayan salt into one delicious snack that’s perfect for sharing (or just for yourself — that’s fine too).

This recipe is quite easy-to-follow and inexpensive to make, since the main ingredients may already be staples in your home. Plus, if you’re feeling adventurous and want to enhance the flavors of the chips, you may throw your favorite spices or seasonings into the mix too.

Count on Kale to Deliver Potent Health Benefits

Leafy green vegetables are some of the best foods that you can give to your body, and kale is a perfect example. Although its health benefits were just recently known compared to other vegetables, kale has proven itself to be a nutritional powerhouse.

One cup of kale alone may already be enough, as it was shown that this leafy green contains 684 percent of the daily value of vitamin K, 206 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin A and 134 percent of vitamin C. Minerals like iron, protein and calcium are present in this vegetable too.

The health benefits of kale do not stop with these nutrients. Kale also contains important healthy omega-3 fats that were shown to assist in regulating blood clots, building cell membranes in the brain, shielding you from heart disease and stroke and fighting off autoimmune diseases. Kale is also a very good storehouse of antioxidants, with three standouts in particular that you should take notice of:

  • Indole-3-carbinol: helps with DNA cell repair and slowing down cancer cell development
  • Sulforaphane: assists in protecting against prostate and colon cancers, eases lung congestion and benefits the stomach, liver and immune system
  • Lutein and zeaxanthin: aids in protecting the eyes against macular degeneration

Lastly, kale was also shown to possess anti-inflammatory capabilities. These are important, especially when it comes to the prevention of heart disease, arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.

Coconut Oil: Reap the Benefits of This Extraordinary Oil

In order for processed chips to become crispy and crunchy, manufacturers typically use vegetable oils and trans fats, two ingredients that can devastate your health. Use coconut oil instead for recipes like this. Not only will your dishes have that distinct coconut flavor, you will get great health benefits too.

The bulk of the health benefits of coconut oil can be attributed to two substances found in it. The first is called lauric acid, with coconut oil actually containing the most lauric acid out of any substance on earth.

Once your body ingests lauric acid, it is then converted into a monoglyceride called monolaurin, which was proven to be effective in fighting antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains. Monolaurin has antifungal and virucidal effects against other viruses and protozoa, too.1

Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) are the second vital substance present in coconut oil. Unlike long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) in vegetable oils, these MCFAs are known to be easily digested and could readily cross cell membranes. Moreover, these are quickly converted by the liver into energy instead of being stored as fat.

Coconut oil also works as an energy booster, since it is easy on your digestive system and does not trigger an insulin spike into your bloodstream. Other known positives of coconut oil include:

Promoting heart health Stimulating healthy brain function
Enhancing immune system Delivering an excellent “fuel” for the body
Maintaining healthy and young-looking skin Assisting in proper thyroid function
Supporting a strong metabolism that could help with weight loss  

About the Blog

Founded by Holistic Nutritionist and trusted expert on healthy living Andrea DonskyNaturally Savvy’s main focus is to make sure its readers eat organic and additive-free foods, while learning how to integrate nutrition into their daily lives. The website shares the latest news on healthy living, lessons about the harmful ingredients lurking in various food items and other tips to make you and your family live a happy and healthy life. Follow them on social media @naturallysavvy and @andreadonsky. 

+ Sources and References