Resolution - First Recipe 2013

As we left off in the last post, I was going to try and give you a new recipe at least every two weeks.  This sounds so altruistic, right?  Yes, I am doing it for you but I am also doing it for us.  We need some inspiration to keep going (who am I kidding, it should read - get going)  on this eating right thing.    

This is a stern look from the endo

It might be hint that we aren't when Silent Sam turns in his numbers and the response from the endo is as follows:

"I assume the high numbers are due to dietary indiscretions."

Ya think?

So, I have actually - hold your breath here - tried three new recipes this week.  I know it is pretty shocking.  I even screwed one up and tried it a second time.  Unfortunately, I screwed it up the second time also, which is yet another indication of my culinary skills.  BUT I think that it merits another try.  I do think that it is a worthwhile recipe.  I just need some modifications.  It is so good for you that I hate to give it up.  And the recipe is for one of my favorite categories of food - snacks.

So my problem recipe  is the recipe that I am going to share with you this week.  I will tell you what I did wrong and what I intend to change the next time I try to make it.  Sound fair?  This recipe is from Diabetic Cooking the November/December 2012 issue.  I have seen a recipe for this from many sources and I had been meaning to try it.  It seems really simple.

Kale Chips

1 large bunch of Kale (about 1 pound)

1 - 2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic salt or other seasoned salt

This is where I start to editorialize.  If you are not familiar with kale (I was not), kale is a green leafy plant that has a thick inedible stalk.  So, if you buy whole kale, you need to clean and remove the stalk.  It is thick and you can't miss it.  You just want the leafy parts.  Six months ago, I looked in the grocery store and did not find kale.  Now not only do they carry it but they carry it in a 1 lb. bag that is cleaned and (despite what they may say) most of the stalks are gone.  

From my experience, one pound of kale is a lot of kale.  I suggest that you start smaller.  You want the kale in a single layer on the baking sheet which means that you will need several (I think close to 4) baking sheets for a pound of kale.  

Basically the recipe is very simple.  You start out by lining the baking sheet with parchment paper and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Then you take the kale, toss it with the olive oil and garlic salt.  Put the kale on the baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 10 - 15 minutes.  If after 15 minutes the kale was not crispy enough you should turn off the oven and just leave it in there for another 10 minutes. Sounds so simple, right?  Are you wondering how I could screw this up not once but twice?  

First mistake - I used 1/2 the amount of kale but did not adjust the amount of garlic salt.  Oh, it was HORRIBLE.  If you could have gotten past the garlic, then I did not cook the kale long enough because I was too concerned about not burning it.  

Second mistake - I again did a 1/2 batch. This time I reduced the garlic salt to a 1/4 teaspoon.  We like our salt around here but a whole or 1/2 teaspoon is a lot of garlic salt.  I did not spread out the kale on the baking sheet enough.  I probably should have used two sheets.  I also did not let the kale bake long enough. You want the kale to be crispy.  I missed the direction that said that if after 15 minutes the kale was not crispy enough that you should turn off the oven and just leave it in there for another 10 minutes.  

So, how does it taste?  The crispy parts that I tasted reminded me of the vegetable chips that I had bought at the store.  Is it as good as a potato chip?  Not at all...  Is it a good little snack that happens to be good for you?  Yes, it is.  I don't think you would eat a whole pound in one sitting but as a light snack it fills the bill.  

Here are the  the nuts and bolts for the crisps - the recipe for 1 lb. of kale is 6 servings.  Each serving has 43 calories.  (compare that to potato chips) the total fat is 3g, protein 2g, carbohydrate 5g, cholestrol 0mg, dietary fiber 1g sodium 180mg. (Note - if you cut the garlic salt in half, the sodium would go down) 

The thing with this is that you want the kale to be crispy.  The soggy pieces are not that good but the crispy ones are enjoyable.  

There you have my first recipe of the new year.  I hope you enjoy it.  

Thanks for reading!