Balsamic Kale Chips

When I hopped on the Kale bandwagon a while ago, I meant to try making Kale Chips. But then every time I had Kale in the house I couldn't resist making my Creamy Avocado and Kale dip which I love oh so very very much.

I'm a snacker. I've said it before. I love to snack. It's not really a big part of my diet plan, though, so I have to resist the urge all the time. I rotate weekly through different responsibilities at work. I do a different thing every week on a 5-week rotation. So this week I'm on the one task that always makes me want to snack. It seems like a good time to have healthy snacks on hand.

I stayed the night at my friend Dani's house last night. We had curry and cocktails and watched Casablanca. It was a really nice night and on my drive home today I realized that I had enough time, finally, to whip up a quick batch of Kale Chips and see what all the fuss was about. So I swung by the store, grabbed supplies, came home and whipped up a batch. I've had to lock these away in tupperware because I kept eating them off the pan. I'll snack on them at work today for sure.

Balsamic Kale Chips

I can't tell you how easy these are to whip up. You need hardly any ingredients or time. Enjoy!

1 Bunch Kale
1 1/2 Teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
Salt

Preheat the oven to 350F. Rinse the kale and tear it off the ribs so it's in small pieces. You don't want the stems, they won't crisp up.

Put the kale in a bowl and drizzle over the oil and vinegar. Toss the kale to coat it and lay it down on a baking sheet. Grind some salt over and bake for 15 minutes or until crispy.

Eat at your desk while figuring out what 63 people are going to do onstage at the Circus tonight.

Creamy Avocado and Kale Dip and Not Breaking the Calorie Bank

I'm a sucker for Spinach and Artichoke Dip. It's one of the few times I'll actually man up and eat something with mayonnaise in it.

I know people will think that I'm crazy, but I really dislike mayonnaise. The taste, the smell, the concept... I just can't do it. I'm not even sure why. I never had a traumatic mayonnaise experience like I did with banana flavored things. I just don't care for it. I think part of it is that I know mayonnaise comes from eggs mixed with oil. I've seen eggs and I've seen oil, and they don't look anything like mayonnaise. I think I'm mostly just freaked out by the transformation that occurs. It makes me a touch uncomfortable.

But oh man, Spinach and Artichoke dip is my jam. I adore it. I love the richness and the creamy and the tangy and the yum of it all.

But, these days, I try really hard to eat healthy. It's not easy, and I still act out once in a while. Case in point, I may have had ice cream for brunch today. Just ice cream. From Baskin Robbins while I walked around the grocery store.

But I'm balancing out here. I wanted something for lunch that was decadent and rich, but wouldn't break the calorie bank. I've recently hopped on the Kale bandwagon. I'm definitely not as gung ho as some people, but I will admit that sauteed Kale is pretty yummy when seasoned well, and it's nutrition values are nice.

This dip has the creaminess of a calorie rich dip, but you don't feel afterwards as though you should go run a 5K while carrying a backpack full of rocks to make up for your transgressions. The color of it is also really sumptuous and lush. I love how the green just pops. Fantastic.

Creamy Avocado and Kale Dip

1 Avocado
3 Stalks of Kale
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons Non-fat Yoghurt
Juice of Half a Lemon
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil (plus 1/2 Tablespoon for the Kale)
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

Wash your kale and with a knife or just using your hands, separate the leaves from the center stalk. Chop the leaves up in small chunks.

In a skillet, heat half a tablespoon of olive oil and add in the minced garlic. Cook for a minute or two, just to soften it. Add in the kale and mix around to coat, then add in 1/2 Cup of water. Let cook for a few minutes until almost all of the water has evaporated. Set aside to cool.

In a blender or a food processor, add in the flesh of the avocado, the lemon juice, yoghurt, tablespoon of olive oil, and then about four grinds of salt and six or seven grinds of pepper. Pulse a few times to blend together, but don't puree it. You want it well mixed, but not smooth. Add in the kale and pulse again until everything is blended together and thick and chunky.

Enjoy with crackers, use as a sandwich spread, or eat it with a spoon while standing in front of the refrigerator while your cat is winding around your ankles, angrily insisting it's her turn to be fed.

Makes 1 Cup.

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