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Crunchy Kale Chips

Crunchy Raw Kale Chips

​Do you ever get the craving for something savoury, crispy and crunchy? Well if so, these chips are sure to hit that spot!
I love kale chips, but they’re so expensive to buy in the shops and in my opinion they don’t taste as good as homemade anyway, not by a long run!
After trying out various recipes, my favourite is this one. Erika, of A Little Insanity, inspired me. I think the addition of sundried tomatoes and dates gives it that little extra something!
These chips have a tangy, spicy taste, with a very slight hint of something sweet in the background.  Oh I can’t describe it, you’ll just have to try for yourself! You definitely won't be disappointed!
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Crunchy, spicy & oh so delicious!
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9 trays of kale chips ready to be dehydrated
​This recipe makes about 9 trays of delicious, crunchy chips. The ingredients list looks really long, but it's worth it.
You will need:
  • 2 bunches of kale (I've used both curly kale and cavolo nero/dinosaur kale. Both are good, although personally I prefer the crunchiness that the cavolo nero gives.)
  • 1 cup cashews
  • ½ cup sunflower seeds
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds
  • 8 halves sundried tomatoes
  • 7-8 pitted dates (If you use Medjool, you won’t need so many, 3 should probably suffice.)
  • 1 carrot, peeled
  • 1 stick celery (optional, tastes great with, but works well without too)
  • ½ - 1 onion
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
  • 3 & ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar (I know, what’s with the “1/2”? In my opinion it’s needed, but you be the judge!)
  • 3 tablespoons aminos (If you haven’t got aminos, use 2 tablespoons tamari. You need less as it’s stronger)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 & ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (it sounds like a lot, but it’s just enough to give the chips that extra bite)
  • 1 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 & ½ cups water (to soak the sundried tomatoes and dates)
  • ¼ - ½ cup water (if needed)
Method:
Leave to soak overnight in a bowl of filtered water (you will be discarding this water):
  • 1 cup cashews
  • ½ cup sunflower seeds
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds 
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Cashews, sunflower seeds & sesame seeds
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Soak the nuts & seeds (discard the water afterwards)
Leave to soak overnight in 1 & ½ cups of filtered water (you’ll be keeping and using this water for the cream):
  • 8 halves sundried tomatoes
  • 7-8 pitted dates 
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Sundried tomatoes
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Pitted dates
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Soak the dates & sundries tomatoes
​Once you have soaked the above ingredients, you are ready to start.
(I always soak overnight, but as long as you soak the ingredients for at least 5 hours, it doesn’t matter when you do it.)
Making the cream.
If you're using a small or regular blender, do the blending in steps. If you're using a large, high-powered blender such as the Vitamix, you can blend everything together at one, as I did in the photos.
Blend together:
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stick celery (optional, tastes great with, but works well without too)
  • ½ - 1 onion
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
  • 3 & ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons aminos
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ¼ - ½ cup water
Picture
Picture
​You will probably need to scrape down the sides of the blender with a spatula a few times.
Don’t worry about getting the mixture perfectly smooth, as you still have other ingredients to add.
​Drain & rinse the cashews, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds and add them to the blender, together with the soaked dates (make sure you have removed the pits) and sundried tomatoes.
Blend until smooth and creamy.
Now add:
  • 1 & ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (it sounds like a lot, but it’s just enough to give the chips that extra bite)
  • 1 cup nutritional yeast
​If the mixture is too dense and is difficult to blend, add an extra ¼ - ½ cup of water.
The mixture should be quite thick.
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The cream is ready
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It makes quite a lot
​If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to de-stem the kale.
It’s not as difficult as it sounds!
Pick up a kale leaf and with one hand hold it by the stem and with the other hand pull your closed fingers along the stem with one sweep of your hand, literally pulling the leaves off of it.
For the chips you will only need the leaves, but you can always save the stems for juices or soups. They are quite strong in taste though.
​Wash and spin the de-stemmed kale dry, you don’t want it dripping wet.
Picture
Cavolo nero aka dinosaur kale
​If you have the space, have your dehydrating trays ready lined up so you won’t need to keep wiping your hands to prepare each tray as you need it.
​Now you need to cover the de-stemmed kale with all this creamy mixture.
I find that the best way is with my hands and a spatula.
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Put some of the cream into a bowl & add some kale
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Mix it in well
​Put a couple of cups of the mixture into a large bowl and add some of the de-stemmed kale leaves.
Massage the leaves with the cream, covering them well. If you’re using cavolo nero (like in the photo) really get the mixture into all the crevices.
​Place the leaves on the dehydrator sheets.
Picture
Cover the kale with the tasty cashew cream
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Fill up the dehydrator sheets
​Dry at 125°F for 2 hours, then lower the heat to 114°F and continue drying for a further 20-22 hours, or until crisp.
After about 8-9 hours take a peek at the chips. If they have dried enough, turn the leaves over and if necessary, rotate the trays to ensure the chips dry completely.
Picture
Time to turn the chips over
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Let the chips dry on the mesh tray once they are no longer creamy
125°F is not considered to be a ‘raw’ temperature, however, during the first 2 hours the food won’t reach that temperature and the enzymes will remain intact.
Dr. Ann Wigmore, the ‘mother’ of raw food eating, used this method of dehydrating.
Tips:
When you turn the chips over, transfer the chips from the smooth dehydrating sheet and move them onto the mesh one, this way more warm air can circulate and dry the chips.
And try not to eat them all in one go!
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Picture
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Copyright 2021 Nicki Perkins | www.lovinglyplantbased.com All rights reserved. 
All content, videos and images found on lovinglyplantbased.com may not be reproduced or distributed, unless permitted in writing by Nicki Perkins, lovinglyplantbased.com

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  • Home
    • Who I am and what I do
    • About me
  • Why Plant-based?
    • Vegan v. Plant-based
    • Protein >
      • What is protein? >
        • Amino acids
      • How much protein do we need?
      • Examples of plant-based protein meals
      • Plant-based protein and athletes
      • Protein FAQs
    • Health >
      • Sugar: The legal drug
      • Vitamin B12
      • Vitamin D
      • Iron
      • Calcium
      • The benefits of eating raw
    • Phytonutrients >
      • What colour is your food?
      • Isothiocyanates and cruciferous vegetables
    • Dr. T. Colin Campbell
    • No dairy?
  • Mind, body and soul coaching programs
  • EFT
    • Rosacea Relief
    • What can EFT be used for? >
      • Motivation
    • EFT resources
    • EFT prices
  • SKINCARE
    • Skincare Shop
  • Sprouts and microgreens
    • How to grow sprouts
    • Easy mung bean sprouts
    • Easy lentil sprouts
    • Tips for successful sprouting
    • How to grow microgreens
    • How to grow Wheatgrass >
      • Juicing wheatgrass
  • Recipes
    • Plant milks >
      • Almond milk
      • Amaranth milk
      • Brazil nut milk
      • Buckwheat milk
      • Hazelnut milk
      • Hemp milk
      • Macadamia Nut Milk
      • Quinoa milk
      • Toasted Hazelnut milk
      • Toasted Sesame seed milk
      • Sesame seed milk
    • Dairy-free cheese >
      • Basic Cashew Cream Cheese
      • Roasted Garlic & Red Pepper Cream Cheese
      • Cashew and Spring Onion Cream Cheese
      • Roasted Garlic and Chives Cream Cheese
    • Dairy-free Cultured Cheese >
      • Basic Cultured Cashew Cheese
      • Basic Macadamia Nut Cheese
      • Basic Almond Cheese
      • Cashew Chèvre with Lemon Zest
      • Cashew Boursin
      • Almond Chèvre
      • Lemon Zest Almond Cheese
      • Macadamia and Pear Cheese
    • Raw Vegan Crackers >
      • Sprouted Lentil Crackers
      • Sprouted Black Sesame Crackers
      • Almond and Coconut Crackers
      • Sesame Crackers
      • Coconut & Apple Crackers
      • Spicy Flaxseed Crackers
    • Dips >
      • Zucchini & Hemp Hummus
      • Sweet Potato & Garlic Dip
      • Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa
      • Spinach & Leek Cashew Dip
      • ​Beetroot, Ginger & Garlic Cashew Dip
      • Chickpea Hummus
      • Raw Parsnip Dip
      • Ginger and Sprouted Sunflower Seed Pâté
    • Dressings
    • Breakfast Ideas >
      • Sorghum, hemp and banana pancakes
      • Carob Amaranth Porridge
      • Apple, Oats, Almond Butter
      • Brown Rice and Apple with Hemp and Brazil nut milk
      • Millet and Buckwheat Blueberry Bread Muffins
      • Sweet Potato & Cinnamon Farinata Pancakes
    • Lunch & dinner ideas >
      • Dhal
      • Chickpea Farinata
      • Potato, onion, zucchini & tomato egg-free frittata
    • Veggie burgers >
      • Sprouted lentil, walnut and brown rice burgers
    • Salads & Raw Food >
      • Cheezy Zucchini Noodles
      • Veggie Rolls
      • Mimi's Street Tacos
      • Crunchy Kale Chips
      • Veggie Nori Rolls
    • Soups >
      • Cauliflower, Red Lentil and Potato Soup
      • Black Bean and Corn Soup
    • Desserts >
      • Chocolate Chickpea Truffles
      • Chocolate Mousse
      • Dark Chocolate, Sweet Potato & Black Bean Brownies
    • Smoothies >
      • Blueberry and Hemp Smoothie
      • Purple Passion
      • Orange Joy Smoothie
      • Sweet and Green Smoothie
      • Pretty & Pink
      • Banana Cacao Surprise
  • How to
    • How to juice
    • How to make Rejuvelac
    • How to make Kombucha
    • How to make Kefir
    • How to make Sauerkraut
    • How to make Kimchi
  • Resources
    • Kitchen makeover
    • Books
    • Videos & Documentaries
  • Blog
  • Contact