No-Fail Baked Kale Chips Recipe (Vegan, Paleo, Whole 30) (2024)

FAQs

Does baking kale chips destroy nutrients? ›

We love leafy greens in general, but it is amazing what a transformation kale undergoes when heated at low temperature in the oven. My kids can devour an entire head of kale prepared this way in five minutes flat. And unlike potato chips, kale retains its nutritional value when made into chips.

Kale chips can be an excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin A. Depending on how they are prepared, kale chips may also be a significant source of fat, but consumed in moderation, this snack can be a nutrient-rich addition to your diet.

How to Store Kale Chips. Though best served fresh, they can also be saved for later! To keep them crispy, it is important to let them cool completely. Once cooled, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

“In the absence of a dehydrator, kale chips can be baked in the oven using a recipe such as the one found at foodhero.org/recipes/crunchy-baked-kale-chips,” Lobb said. “Kale chips are a crunchy snack that are easy to make, are full of vitamins, calcium, iron, and fiber, and are a delicious way to enjoy your harvest.”

Kale contains a large amount of fiber, which is great for digestion but can be dangerous if you eat too much. If you overeat on kale chips (or any food) then you may experience bloating, gas, and constipation due to the excessive intake of fiber.

Kale chips are a low energy density food, meaning that you can eat a lot of them without adding many calories to your diet (Mayo Clinic, 2014). This makes them the perfect weight loss food, as they give you an energy boost without promoting weight gain.

Healthy alternative: Baked kale chips are much lighter compared to traditional potato chips or other fried snacks. They're low in calories, but kale is packed with vitamins and minerals, making homemade kale chips an ideal snack for any time of the day. They're even great as a side dish for burgers and sandwiches!

Kale, the main ingredient in simply7 Kale Chips, is a great source of vitamin K. This important vitamin is a powerful antioxidant and key contributor to bone health.

However what tends to happen at this temperature is that the thinner parts of the kale become brittle, brown and bitter while the thicker parts are either undercooked or chewy. To get perfectly uniform, crispy kale chips, the key is to bake them for longer, at a lower temperature.

To top it off, kale chips are usually labeled as raw, which means in order to get them crispy they are dehydrated and that takes a looooong time. So we've got expensive ingredients + a long production process = $7 for a mini bag of kale chips!

How do you keep kale chips crisp? ›

The key to keeping kale chips crispy is to make sure your leaves are totally dry before you prepare them. Use a salad spinner or thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels after washing them. Remove the stems before preparing your chips.

To preserve nutrients, don't cook kale for more than 10 minutes over high heat (in a skillet or oven at 400°F). Limit baking kale to 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F. Don't prewash kale before using, it can wilt the leaves quickly. Don't toss out wilted kale — simply slice it up, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Add It to Soups

When adding kale to soups, the greens are cooked down until they're supremely tender while all the nutrients stay right there in your bowl. Beans and potatoes are favorite companions for kale and the kale makes sure that your soup is always filled with flavor.

Sadly, oven chips don't count towards your five-a-day. However, they do present a healthier alternative to chip shop chips, as they are lower in fat than their deep-fried counterparts.

You're right — the heat involved in cooking vegetables can destroy some nutrients, but for others, it actually enhances their absorbability. For example, both beta carotene (think carrots) and its relative, lycopene (tomatoes), are more easily absorbed by the body after cooking.