Crunchy Kale

I really did not like kale growing up.  My parents steamed it plain, and it was always limp and bitter.  Also, due to their dedication to organic produce, I sometimes found bugs in it (although my mom would never believe me).  

Now that I am cooking my own food, going to farmers markets, and wishing I had a big enough budget for organic produce, I am actually finding myself buying too much kale because I like it so much.  I want to eat it, but sometimes I can't fit it in to a meal soon enough, and I end up having to throw it away, rotten, smelly, and wasted.  So, when I came across a recipe on bread-and-honey, for Kale Chips, I took note.  It sounded a little crazy, and possibly too earnest & health-food-y.  Like those icky substitute chips that you can get from Whole Foods, that taste like sandpaper garnished with sawdust.  

Crunchy kale chips, what does that really mean?  You will just have to trust me that they are good and jump in.  Just rip up some kale (no tough stalks please), rinse the dirt off, dry the water off, mix it with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the leaves, spread it on a baking sheet, sprinkle on some sea salt, toss it in the oven, and wait for about 10 minutes.  I can't really describe the results.  Crisp, crunchy, light, salty, and addictive.  I think that the simplicity and goodness of all of the ingredients keeps them from seeming like they are trying to be something else (like, say, potato chips).  These can stand their own, they are easy, tasty, and made of good things.  

Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale (or more!)

Splash of olive oil (just enough to coat the leaves)

Sprinkle of coarse sea-salt (not too much, keep in mind that the leaves shrink a little when they bake, so don't over-salt to begin with)

Pre-heat the oven to 350º

Rip the kale leaves off of the stalk, breaking them into bite sized pieces.  Rinse the leaves off well, making sure to get off all the dirt (and bugs!).  Pat or shake the leaves dry, then pour a little olive oil in, tossing them together until all the leaves are lightly coated.  Spread the leaves onto a baking sheet in one layer.  Sprinkle with a little salt (err on the conservative side, you can always add more).  Bake them for about 10 minutes, keeping an eye on them to make sure that they don't burn.