If you are looking for a way to get in more greens, want to avoid dairy or just don’t tolerate it but love pizza (and who doesn’t), want to crowd out the junk without pain and cravings, may I suggest these crunchy, Pizza Kale Chips? Warning, they are addictive!

Pizza Kale Chips

Ingredients:

2 Bunches of Organic Curly Kale

1/2 Cup Pumpkin Seeds

1/2 Cup Pine Nuts

1/2 Cup Organic Sundried Tomatoes (Plain no Oil, soaked for 30 minutes in warm water)

1 Organic Red Bell Pepper

1/4 Cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1/4 Cup Sliced Green Scallions (green parts only)

1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1 Teaspoon Ground Fennel Powder

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Dried Basil

1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 Cup of Water

Directions:

Taking your thumb and index finger along the spine of the kale leaves, strip the leaves in one swipe from it’s rib or stalk. Thoroughly wash the kale leaves under cool water. Lay out on paper towel in one layer to dry completely, 30 minutes to an hour. I like to use a salad spinner first to get most of the moisture off. It is important the kale is thoroughly dry if you want crunchy chips!

Meanwhile, make the seasoning. In a high speed blender, like a Vitamix, blend all the remaining ingredients to make the pizza sauce. In a very large bowl, place your dried kale and pour the sauce on top. Get your hands in there and thoroughly mix and coat the kale leaves.

Place on six teflon lined dehydrator trays and place in your food dehydrator at 118º degrees for 10 to 16 hours until very crisp.

In the dehydrator, they get crunchy like potato chips and stay that way! If you don’t have a dehydrator, and would like to own one, I highly recommend this one! I have two of them, and they come in handy for a lot of food, including fruit rollups….recipe coming soon!

You can also make them in the oven, but I have never been as happy with the results using the oven. You will have to eat them the day they are made that way, and the texture just isn’t the same. If you don’t have a dehydrator, and would like to make them in the oven, Preheat Oven 300º, using parchment lined baking sheets, lay the kale in a single layer and bake 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip with a spatula, and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes watching carefully so they don’t burn. Cool Completely.

Kale has a lot of roughage. This recipe make 8 servings. Listen to your body and don’t overdo it which is easy to do when they are so good!

Enjoy!

Eat Your Nutrients!