Kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. A single cup of raw kale contains:
- 684% of the vitamin K RDA
- 206% of the vitamin A RDA (from beta-carotene)
- 134% of the vitamin C RDA
- 26% of the manganese RDA
- 10% of the copper RDA
- 9% of the vitamin B6 RDA
- 9% of the calcium RDA
- 9% of the potassium RDA
- 6% of the magnesium RDA
- 3% of the RDA for vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), iron and phosphorus
Kale is also loaded with powerful antioxidants like quercetin and kaempferol.
Even with all these nutrients, kale is very low calorie. A cup of raw kale has only 33 calories, 6 grams of carbs (2 of which are fiber) and 3 grams of protein.
The downside to kale is that it doesn’t taste very good and it’s difficult to eat. Kale chips are the tastiest and easiest way I’ve found to make kale a part of my daily diet.
What You Need to Make Kale Chips
- A food dehydrator. I personally bought the Hamilton-Beach 32100C Food Dehydrator off of Amazon – https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B013JL6J7Y/ref=pe_3034960_236394800_TE_dp_1
- 1 bunch of kale
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, avocado oil or macadamia nut oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Optional: garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper
Directions
- To prepare the kale, strip the leaves away from the tough leaf. Compost the leafstalks or save for soup stock.
- Tear the washed and dried leaves into just slightly larger than chip-sized pieces; they will shrink slightly as they dry.
- Toss the kale in a large bowl with the oil, salt, nutritional yeast and optional seasonings. Massage the leaves well with your hands. All of the leaves should be more or less evenly coated with the oil and seasonings.
- Spread the leaves on the dehydrator trays in single layers. It is alright if the leaves touch, but they shouldn’t overlap too much.
Low-Temperature Raw Food Method
Use this dehydrating method, your kale chips will be considered a raw food. Dry the kale at 110 F/43 C for 10-12 hours (overnight or while you’re at work).
Transfer the finished kale chips to an airtight container, or vacuum seal for longer storage.
Additional Information
Here is some more information on the benefits of dehydrated foods:
- An efficient way to preserve foods while maintaining vitamin content and antioxidants. Dehydration concentrates natural flavors, sweetness and aroma.
- If stored properly, dehydrated foods have a longer shelf life than any other preservation method.
- Dehydrated food weigh approximately 10% to 15% the weight of “wet” foods.
- Prep time is minimal for dehydrating. Simply cut the food, load the trays, set the temperature and let the dehydrator do the work.