Spicy Baked Kale Chips

Last night, John and I spent the evening playing some rousing games of cards. (Our current favorites: UNO and Kings on the Corner, a really fun, solitare-like game for 2-4 people that his grandma taught me over Christmas.)




We were having a great time, but something was missing. FOOD!

So I thought...hmm. What would be something easy to whip up, while also being healthy and delicious for a late-night snack?



Since I had just been to the grocery store earlier in the day, the answer was easy:
Baked Kale Chips!


Before I first tried these (a few months ago), I thought all you health freaks were nuts. There's no way that some greens (or as John refers to them, weeds) could actually turn out crispy or taste anything like chips.

Well, surprise, surprise! These are a complete delight and I much prefer them over potato chips. The only bummer is that you have to eat them right away after making them. No pre-cooking in bulk with these.

Here's the method I follow:

1. Remove kale from stems and wash. (I don't have a salad spinner or anything fancy, so I just put them in a colander and rinse.) Pat them dry with a towel. 
2. Drizzle some olive oil on a baking sheet, then put kale in a single layer on the sheet. 
3. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top of kale. (Not too much, you don't want them to get soggy.) 
4. Sprinkle with any favorite spices, or salt, or sesame seeds, or whatever. This time, I used Tony Chachere's "More Spice" Seasoning. (My "sprinkle" is more like a downpour... we like things spicy!) 
5. Put in oven at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes. Then, flip the kale pieces over and return to oven for 2 minute increments, until they are crispy and beautiful. (It took me about 3 more trips to the oven.) 
6. Enjoy!

Here they are, after about 10 minutes of baking.

I actually do have a full thumb on my left hand, despite what this picture seems to show!

Enjoy the crispy, crunchy, delicious snack, and feel good about it!






And just for fun, here's a little peak at my card game Victory Dance!



What is your favorite snack for game night?