Cheezie, Crunchy Kale Chips

Kale is a terrific source of calcium, but if you make these with tahini they become super-crazy high-calcium yummy chips—two hyphens worth, at least. Adjust the hot pepper to suit your spice palate.

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Serves: 3
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Serves 3

What you need:

1 bunch dinosaur kale, cleaned and de-stemmed
2 tablespoons tahini
4 tablespoons warm water
1-1/2 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons, plus 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, divided
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated

What you do:

  1. Cut kale into 2-inch pieces.
  2. In a small bowl, place the tahini and tablespoon by tablespoon, mix in the warm water until smooth. Stir in Bragg’s, chile powder and cayenne, and 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast, and mix until smooth. Stir in grated carrot.
  3. In a giant bowl, or in batches if necessary, combine kale with sauce. Toss to cover every leaf with sauce and carrots. Then add the remaining 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, so that it clings to the leaves.
  4. Divide the kale evenly over two dehydrator trays and dehydrate between 105—115F for 3 hours, rotating trays every thirty minutes or so and flipping the chips at least once, until dry and crispy. Or, using an oven, line a lipped cookie sheet with a piece of parchment. Follow the directions for the dehydrator, but when you lay the kale on the tray, try to get it in as much of a single layer as possible. Heat the oven to its lowest temperature. Watch carefully and flip several times at 15 to 20 minute intervals, until dry and crispy.

Chef’s Tip: An easy way to de-stem dinosaur kale is to use a small serrated knife. Hold each kale leaf by the thick stem so the top of the leaf is pointing down. Take your knife and slice close to the stem in several downward strokes, so that the side of the leaf is cut off in one long piece. Turn the kale and repeat on the other side. The stems should remain intact and the leaves will be evenly bisected. Then stack the kale together and cut as directed.