Whenever I find myself in the mood for a snack these days, which is always, my goal is to make better, healthier choices. And thank goodness for these amazing spicy parmesan kale chips! They perfectly fit my requirements — full of vitamins and nutrients while also being crunchy and salty, which is how I prefer my snacks. I still have to be mindful though, because I will eat an entire batch if I don’t pay attention. 😀
Because I am both a mindless and emotional eater, I am careful about the snacks I keep in the house. That’s right, I keep snacks readily available because a hungry Tanya will march to the candy machine in her apartment complex and get a Snickers bar. Or Starbursts. Or Oreos. Oreos, oh how I love them.
Good For You and Easy to Make Snacks
Thus, I’ve learned to keep a few healthy snacks on hand, like yogurt and pickles. No, I don’t eat them together but ready-made snacks save me during those times where I lack the time to make something from scratch. Sometimes, when I feel ambitious, I whip up a batch of homemade hummus, but I prefer hummus with pita bread versus vegetables so I am forced to limit my hummus intake because my willpower is low. 🙁
These Spicy Parmesan Kale Chips only take just a few minutes to make and offer a satisfying, salty crunch, so I really can’t boo-hoo too loudly. The cayenne also adds some bite, which helps me eat in moderation. As you may recall, I am a bit of spice wimp and there is enough heat to help limit my intake. If you’re looking for a snack, I definitely recommend these as a tasty and healthy alternative to potato chips. You can make a big batch and enjoy them all week long!
Spicy Parmesan Kale Chips
Ingredients
- 1 Kale bunch
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt to taste (after baking)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spay with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Rinse kale and remove thick stems. Chop kale leaves into large pieces (bigger than you would for a salad). Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper and ground pepper. Add chopped kale leaves to bowl and massage oil mixture into kale leaves.
- Place kale chips onto prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until chips dry and slightly browned. Watch carefully. They go from almost done to overdone very quickly!
- Remove from oven and taste. Sprinkle salt to taste, if needed. Let kale chips cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container.
Enjoy!
Tanya
I really have to try making kale chips again and this recipe looks like the one to use. I’ve attempted kale chips in the past and you are absolutely right; they go from not done to burnt in a nano-second! I gave up on them but these look too good not to try again 🙂
It’s crazy how quickly they will burn. It drives me nuts! I’ve learned that I have check them every 30 seconds or so when they are closing in on being crisp and removing the done ones too. I love the fact that they are a bit spicy. It adds a nice little extra zip!