The answer to getting more greens in your diet: Eat them first thing in the morning with this recipe for easy kale chips.
The answer to getting more greens in your diet: Eat them first thing in the morning with this recipe for easy kale chips.
Like most people, I’m always trying to figure out how to eat more healthy leafy greens like kale. Five to nine servings a day—how am I supposed to hit that target?
Then I discovered my new favorite way to eat kale: for breakfast.
Because my metabolism needs protein early in the day, I have an egg or egg whites every morning, along with juice with flaxseed and a cup of chai. So far so good—but no greens.
Last week when I had a big bunch of kale to use up, I made kale chips, a ridiculously simple process (see below). Then, because I was going out of town and wasn’t sure how they’d keep (usually they don’t stay around that long), I put them in an airtight container and put them in the fridge.
Turns out kale chips keep for ages! And voila—now I have a nice bunch of greens ready to go every morning as the perfect base for my morning egg. They taste fantastic with eggs, a little salty and easy to eat; and I'm getting more fiber, vitamins, and minerals, with no gluten or refined anything.
So no more guilt over not sauteing up some spinach every morning for an omelet. Make a bunch of kale chips and go to town. If you’re vegan, they’d also be great with leftover brown rice and a little toasted sesame oil. You can also grind up the chips and sprinkle over popcorn. And while you're at it, try even more ways to add veggies to breakfast.
Easy Kale Chips
1 large bunch kale (preferably lacinato or dinosaur, but the curly kind works too)
Olive oil
Sea salt
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Rinse kale and shake or towel off moisture. Remove kale leaves from stems by grasping each leaf at the base and “zipping” it from left to right off the stem. (A great trick demonstrated here.)
2. Tear or cut the leaves into biggish pieces. They’ll shrink while cooking.
3. Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Massage with hands to coat; spread in a single layer in a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes; stir and cook for another 20 minutes. If they’re not completely dry, don’t worry; just turn off your oven and leave them inside, even overnight. They’ll soon be totally crisp. Store in an airtight container.
Do you eat kale for breakfast? Tell us below!
