I have never found a kale chip that I actually liked until I started dehydrating my own. At first I was skeptical of nutritional yeast as a substitute for that cheesy flavor we know and love, but was pleasantly surprised how delicious they turned out. These vanishing crisps are too tempting not to eat the entire batch in one sitting. But, go ahead, the ingredients are all whole, raw, and healthy. I use a dehydrator but these can easily be baked in the oven at the lowest temperature, with the door cracked to increase circulation and keep the temperature down. Please note: baking will decrease the nutritional value if temperatures get above, say 115 F.
Ingredients
Yield: 2-3 dehydrator trays
Prep time: 15 minutes
- 3/4 cup soaked cashews
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon organic soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 lemon (juice or pulp)
- 1 bunch kale, washed and de-stemmed
Directions
Step 1: Sprout Your Nuts
Before you get started make sure you have soaked your raw, organic cashews in water (just enough to cover the nuts) with a few pinches of unrefined salt for at least 7 hours. I believe everyone should soak their nuts for optimal health. If you’re interested in reading more about the importance of nut soaking please read this article.
Step 2: Make The Paste
Combine cashews, garlic, soy sauce, avocado oil, nutritional yeast and lemon juice (and/or lemon pulp) into a food processor and blend.
Step 3: Prepare The Kale
Wash and de-stem kale. Place in large bowl.
Step 4: Combine Paste and Kale
Combine the cashew paste and kale in large bowl. This step is a labor of love so don’t be afraid to get in there with your hands. I find it’s faster this way than mixing with a large spoon. If you find the mix too thick add more lemon juice or the pulp of the lemon to give it some extra moisture.
Step 5: Dehydrate / Bake
Line your dehydrator trays with parchment and place individual covered kale pieces next to each other on the tray but not touching. Dehydrate for 30 minutes at 145 degrees and then turn down the temperature to 115 degrees for 5-6 hours depending on temperature and humidity in your kitchen.
If you’re using an oven, preheat the oven to lowest setting possible and bake for 2-4 hours with the oven door cracked. Check back periodically. Your chips are done when they’re stiff and crunchy.
Step 6: Devour
