By Jodee Weiland

How healthy is kale for you? Exceptionally healthy!

Kale chip recipes are all over the internet these days with everyone trying to eat healthier.  The funny thing is they really are good.  Most recipe versions of kale chips out there today start with torn kale leaves and olive oil.  From there seasonings are added and the leaves are usually baked until crisp.  Some people add lemon juice after the kale leaves are baked and some even have dips to go with them.  No matter what the recipe is, one thing is certain. They are actually very tasty aside from being healthy.

When I first heard about them, it was from my daughter who had tried a recipe she found, and everyone in her family, including my grandchildren, loved them.  They sounded great so my husband and I decided to give them a try.  We loved them as well, so we often buy kale and make kale chips as an afternoon treat now.  Since we first tried the recipe, I have been looking for a new way to make them for a little variation.  I think I found it on a trip to the Farmer’s Market last week.

We were at the Farmer’s Market in our area, and we approached the stand with all kinds of fresh seasonings and seasoning blends.  As I looked over what they had, I found a Jalapeno Lime Seasoning Blend.  I took one look at the ingredients and thought this would be great for all kinds of dishes, but especially with kale chips.  I was right!  It’s great, and I know I’ll be using it with fish and chicken next.  It is a blend of granulated salt, garlic, onion, jalapeno pepper, and lime powder.  So here is how I used this blend to spice up kale chips in a new way!

Kale Chips with Jalapeno Lime Seasoning

1 to 2 large bunches of fresh kale
About 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt lightly sprinkled (optional/keep this light if the blend you choose already has salt)
Jalapeno Lime Seasoning to taste (you’d be surprised how many stores have blends similar to this)
Juice from 1/2 to 1 freshly squeezed lemon (how much is a personal preference)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and cover baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean-up when finished.

Pull the kale away from the heavy stem on each kale leaf.  Try to keep the pieces a good size so they won’t burn when baking.  Wash each leaf as you do this and put it into a strainer to get off any excess water.  When done, pour the extra virgin olive oil over the kale pieces in a large bowl and toss the leaves until all are coated with the oil.  Then spread the leaves on to the baking sheets covered with parchment paper.  Lightly sprinkle with sea salt if desired and then sprinkle with the Jalapeno Lime Seasoning.  Put the baking sheets in the oven on a center rack when cooking and bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 12 minutes.  The time will vary depending on the size of your kale pieces.

Once the kale chips look crisp, but still a dark green color, remove them from the oven.  Be careful because kale chips can go from crisp to burnt in less than a minute.  Plate your chips and sprinkle with the desired amount of lemon juice.  When done, you’re ready to sit back and eat!  We love this snack and the Jalapeno Lime Seasoning gave it just the right amount of spice and flavor.  I can’t wait to go back to the Farmer’s Market next week to see what other blends they have that might work.  I especially can’t wait to be able to use our home grown kale from our garden this year.  In my family, trying new ways of cooking things was always part of the fun.  I think if you try this, you will like it, but remember you can always find a blended seasoning you like and try that as well.  Whatever you decide to do, try kale chips for a healthy snack and enjoy!