I always felt a kinship with Joey from Friends because I, too, am a die-hard sandwich fan. And with my sandwiches, I pretty much always have to have a side, like potato chips or my favorite, Terra Chips.
But when I recently visited the Union Square Farmer’s Market, I decided to make good on my promise to try out homemade kale chips. For those who don’t know, kale, a member of the cabbage family, is a leafy green (sometimes purple) that’s high in vitamins A, C and B6 as well as manganese. Makes me wonder why Popeye was eating spinach; kale seems to be the real powerhouse green.
I scooped up a bunch that the farmer said would be good for chips and when I came home, I washed and dried the kale before ripping the leaves into smaller pieces. (The pieces will shrink in the baking process.)
I tossed them in a bowl, swirled some olive oil in and seasoned with a bit of salt, pepper, crushed pepper, basil and grated Parmesan.
Chips
I laid the pieces out on a nonstick pan and baked at 350°F for about 15 minutes, turning the leaves halfway.
The perfect, healthy side dish
In no time they were ready to complete sandwich plate. As for leftovers, store them in an airtight container and try to use within a day or two.