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Recipe: Easy-"Cheezy"-Pumpkin-Seedy Kale Chips

Do you snack? I know I do. And sometimes, when I am craving a salty bite, that means "indulging" in some crispy, crunchy kale chips. Now if you have ever purchased a sack of these tasty delights, you know that they are not the most economical treat. So what can you do to cut your costs? Just make your own!
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Do you snack? I know I do. And sometimes, when I am craving a salty bite, that means "indulging" in some crispy, crunchy kale chips. And I can never stop at just one. Or even one handful. No, when I buy kale chips, I devour the entire bag. In one sitting.

Now if you have ever purchased a sack of these tasty delights, you know that they are not the most economical treat to routinely much on. I am far from a frugal foodie -- you'd be much more likely to catch me spending $100 on dinner at one of my fave restaurants, than on a pair of fancy shoes -- but I do like to find a deal when it comes to home cooking and stocking my kitchen with plenty of whole food ingredients.

So what can you do to cut your kale-chip-costs, and still enjoy a healthy bite? Just make your own! And they're easy, I promise. I like to use my dehydrator to make these crisps, but also get great results in the oven!

Easy-"Cheezy"-Pumpkin-Seedy Kale Chips

1 bunch kale

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp lemon zest

2 Tbsp pumpkin hulled seeds

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast*

1/2 tsp sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil (You may need two!)

2. Thoroughly wash kale and dry well. Remove thick stem parts and chop leaves into chip size pieces.

3. In a large bowl, combine kale, oil, pumpkin seeds, lemon juice and zest. Massage dressing into the leaves, to coat.

4. Spread kale evenly onto lined baking sheet(s), and sprinkle with nutritional yeast and salt.

5. Bake for about 30 minutes, and then take a peek to check crispness. Separate any leaves that are clinging together.

6. Continue baking for an additional 30 minutes to an hour, checking often until chips are dried and crunchy.

7. Enjoy -- guilt free!

*Dehydrator instructions: Spread kale onto as many dehydrator trays as necessary and dehydrate at 110 degrees for 10-12 hours.

** Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast sold commercially as a food product. It is yellow in color and has a flakey texture and a nutty cheese-like flavor, making it a great flavour enhancer and favourite among vegans. It can also be a great vegan source of vitamin B12 -- a vitamin that can be hard find when following a plant-based diet.

Nutritional yeast can be found in bulk food and health food stores as well as many larger supermarkets.

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