Kid-friendly kale

I wanted to find a way to get the kids to eat some kale after learning about all the nutritional benefits. For Vidya, it was easy!  I just mixed in some steamed kale with her steamed apple and carrot and pureed it.  She ate it up!

For Keshav, it was a big trickier since he is such a picky eater!  Vivek's cousin, Anu, in California had once made some kale chips when we were still living there, and since Keshav loves eating potato chips and tortilla chips, I thought this may be a way to get him to try this amazing green vegetable.  They ended up being a yummy salty snack, but after trying two kale chips, Keshav said, "I don't want these chips...I want the yellow ones!"  Well, it was worth a try!

Recipe for Kale Chips

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch kale

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F

2. Cut away inner ribs from each kale leaf and discard.  Tear the leaves into pieces of uniform size, about the size of a potato chip.  Wash the torn kale pieces and dry thoroughly with a paper towel.

3. Put the kale pieces into a large resealable bag (or use a bowl if you don't mind getting your hands oily).  Add about half of the olive oil; seal and squeeze the bag so the oil gets distributed evenly on the kale pieces.  Add the remaining oil and squeeze the bag more, until all kale pieces are evenly coated with oil and slightly 'massaged.'

4. Sprinkle the vinegar over the kale leaves, reseal the bag, and shake to spread the vinegar evenly over the leaves.

5. Spread the leaves evenly onto a baking sheet.  Bake in the preheated oven until mostly crisp, about 15-20 minutes.  Season with salt and serve immediately.