KALE SALAD
1 Bunch Kale, with the mid-rib removed and cut into small pieces.
½ teaspoon sea salt
Juice of ½ lemon
3 Tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup nuts (lightly toasted pecans, hazelnuts, pine nuts are some of my favorites)
1 tomato diced
Massage the kale with the salt and the lemon juice, until it starts to break down. This takes about 2 minutes. Mix in Olive Oil, tomato & nuts. Mix well and serve.
Note: There are endless ways you can change this recipe! You can use lime juice rather than the lemon juice, and replace the olive oil with a small avocado, but after you massage in the lime juice and salt, then massage in the avocado. It’s like adding an instant creamy dressing.
I have also added feta cheese and olives along with the original recipe.
Just remember this recipe is very addicting, and if you make it for a pot luck you will always be ask to bring it.
Meet the cook – Tracy Bosnian
Tracy is a practicing Nutritional Therapist and Western Herbalist in Portland, OR. She has been teaching medicinal herbalism classes since 1995. Her history includes co-teaching Northwest Herbs at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine as well as the Common Roots course in herbal medicine and the co-presenting of the Breitenbush Herbal Conference.
Tracy graduated as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner in 2005, is a member of the Nutritional Therapy Association’s Board of Directors and assists with the Nutritional Therapist Training Program in Portland OR. She is co-owner of Hula Kitchen selling Coco Yo coconut yogurt and other specialty food and herbal products. Go to www.HulaKitchen.com or email Tracy@HulaKitchen.com for a complete list of products. To make an appointment for nutritional therapy, go to www.mynutritionaltherapist.com or call 503-236-2220.
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KALE CHIPS
1 bunch of kale
1-3 tablespoons olive oil (or combine olive and sesame oil)
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (or sea salt)
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper.
With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and rub into the kale thoroughly. Then tear into bite size pieces. Place on sheet and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes then sprinkle with nutritional yeast.
(Note: If you are allergic to molds, you should use nutritional yeast only under the supervision of a naturopath. And if you have osteoporosis you should avoid this food. The high levels of phosphorus in the yeast may leech calcium from bones as our bodies attempt to maintain a 2:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus. Thanks Cynthia!)
(Adapted from the kitchen of Natalie Palmer)
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OMG…
For anyone out there eating the Primal Body-Primal Mind way that misses the delightful crunch of popcorn and those other crunchie-munchie snacks, your days of deprivation are O-V-E-R.
All I ask is that you try these and then ask yourself if this is not better than the best popcorn. –All guilt, gluten and glycemic-free! I’ve always thought of Kale as more of a decorative garnish than anything I sincerely enjoyed eating. No more. Kale chips may just be the most decadently healthy snacking pleasure you’ve enjoyed in a good while (well, since you tried my nut balls, that is). And they’re so easy to make! Mmmmmmmmmmm……
~ Nora
I have come to love kale over the past year. There are so many ways to prepare and enjoy it.
I have been preparing raw kale salad like this for a couple of years now and LOVE it! I’ve also tried it with collards for an equally yummy dish! Must try those kale chips! They sound divine! 😉
I’m a big fan of kale chips! Only ,it maybe differences in ovens or altitude, but mine turn out better with the temp set to 300 degrees, and cooked a bit longer.
I make my kale chips in a dehydrator. But first I mix the following in the Vitamix: 1 cup raw cashews, 1/2 cup water, salt, any seasonings that appeal at the moment – curry powder, salt, and a little melted ghee being my favorites today. Blend this up to a thick cream and massage well into the prepared kale. Spread apart on dehydrator trays and dehydrate for 12 or more hours at 105 degrees.
Another version surprisingly uses organic cacao powder, soaked dates, tahini, hemp seeds, lemon juice and salt. Perhaps the dates could be replaced with stevia.
When I make them in the oven they don’t get done at the same time, but the dehydrator overcomes this problem and you don’t have to watch them at all. Twelve hours – 16 hours? No matter!
Nora, you may want to post a precaution for the nutritional yeast. I was really looking forward to trying it on our Kale Chips, but I checked first and If you are allergic to molds (and I am), you should use it only under the supervision of a naturopath. And if you have osteoporosis (and I do) you should avoid this food. The high levels of phosphorus in the yeast may leech calcium from bones as our bodies attempt to maintain a 2:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus. That’s the information I found. Let me know if it’s wrong! Thanks, Nora, for a great recipes and all the facts in your book.
Nora, something this good cannot be good for me! LOL. Just made a batch and know that this will be my “go to” snack when I’m craving something a little crunchy. YUMMY!!!
I have tried but I think kale tastes gross in any form. Any other crunchy snack ideas?
One of my favorite snacks besides my nut ball snackers and kale chips: SeaSnax – The Healthy Alternative to Chips
Also, primal crackers!
1.5 cups nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, etc.)
4 egg whites
2 Tbs. oil (melted butter, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, etc.)
Dried spice(s) of choice: dill, parsley, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, garlic
Salt, pepper to taste
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Grind nuts in food processor until you have a relatively fine cornmeal-like texture, and place in mixing bowel.
3. Add dried spice(s), salt, and pepper to nuts and mix to combine.
4. Add egg whites and oil of choice to nut mixture, and mix to combine. The mixture should be moist and sticky, but not liquidy (think pancake batter). If your mixture is too dry, add more oil. If it is too wet, add more ground nuts.
5. Place mixture on center of parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Place a peace of wax paper or plastic wrap on top of the mixture, and use a rolling pin to roll out the mixture until it is 1/8th inch thick.
7. Remove top sheet (wax paper or plastic wrap), prick dough with a fork and place in preheated oven.
8. Bake at 325 degrees F, for 10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
9. Remove from oven, and cut into desired size/shape while still warm.
10. Set aside, and let cool
11. Serve as an accompaniment to your favorite dips and cheeses, or my personal favorite—with smoked salmon.
I just tried the kale chips and liked them. However, I didn’t finish the entire tray and thought I could store them at room temp in a large plastic bag. After a day they got quite soft. Is there a way to stored these for a couple of days?
You could put the kale chips in a paper bag or an uncovered bowl. To be honest with you, I’ve never had to save them because I always eat them all!
Olive oil oxidizes at 200-250 degree F. I wouldn’t use it to bake with. It may give it a good flavor but it may cause harmful affects on your body.