You have the best laid plans…eat healthier, specifically more greens. You buy kale, then promptly forget about it hiding in the drawer in the fridge. When you finally remember, it looks pitiful. So, what do you do with wilted kale? Don’t throw it away…make kale chips (or smoothies)!
I had the best intentions for the wonderful kale I bought last week, but the stalks were so long it didn’t even fit in the drawer. I saw it in there tonight looking so sad. But then I remembered kale chips would change that wilted yuck into crispy green goodness!
Kale Chips
- kale (4 or 5 stalks serves 2-3 people)
- avocado oil spray
- season as you like (I actually used Montreal Steak seasoning this time)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash your kale thoroughly in cold water. Remove the leaves from the thick, tough stems and tear into pieces 2 or 3 inches square (ish). They will shrink a little in cooking.
Line a half bakers sheet with parchment. Spread out the pieces in a single layer. Spray with the oil and season to taste. Cook 8 minutes or until lightly brown on the edges and crispy. Enjoy immediately as these do not keep (they turn gummy and chewy if put in a container or saved overnight).
This is actually adapted from a Brussels Sprouts Chips recipe from nomnompaleo.com (see that here). I had another kale chip recipe, but unfortunately the temp was too high, which means I burned them almost every time. This temperature works perfectly.
Green smoothies
Of course, you could also put that kale to good use in a green smoothie with spinach, frozen banana, and coconut water. I did this in my teen girls’ cooking class last week. I originally saw that recipe in Prevention magazine, but unfortunately, I couldn’t find the exact recipe online as they have it under their premium subscription package.
But really, a handful of just the leafy part could be added to just about any smoothie for a load of added nutrition. If you need to hide the color, just make sure you have blueberries in there. Their dark color will help hide the green!
Give kale a “green light”
Long thought of as “the decorative lining for salad bars,” this dark leafy green packs a punch in nutrients (check out the details here). But it can be a bit of an acquired taste for pickier eaters. Making crispy chips or adding to a smoothie is the easiest, quickest way to get this vegetable into your diet…even if it’s wilted!
Already a kale fan? Tell me in the comments how you like it best…maybe I’ll find something new I want to try!
Grape tomatoes shriveling up a bit? You can still use those as well! Check out this post!
