Every time we serve these crispy treats we make friends! Although kale seems to be in the news all the time, it seems like many people haven’t made their own kale chips. Yes, you can buy kale chips in the store, but no, they aren’t as good as this easy-to-make, delicious and flavorful recipe! Baked, not fried, this is a great way to talk the whole family into loving kale.

Any spices or spice mix can be used to flavor the chips, but we love smoked paprika. The taste of “bacon without bacon” is how this bright red spice has been described by a student in one of our classes. Smoked paprika is made by grinding capsicum peppers into powder. When you eat at least 1 T of the yummy spice, you get several health benefits including carotenoids, B Vitamins, and Vitamin E. And who would have ever known that smoked paprika can actually help control blood pressure and boost metabolism? The capsaicin in the peppers is what causes the heat and helps your body with both of these. So these chips are a win win in every way—-enjoy!

Kale Leaves Ready for the Oven!

Kale Chips

Preheat the oven to 275F. Make the chips by removing the tough stem from the kale leaves. (You can use the flat or curly leaves.) Wash the leaves and dry them thoroughly. Toss them very lightly with olive oil spray, sea salt and smoked paprika to taste. Place them in one layer in a cookie sheet, and place the sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for about 25 minutes, or a little longer, until very crisp.