Cheesy, Crunchy Kale

If you’re looking for a snack to put on the table in front of your guests for your big game get-together, look no further than these delicious kale chips. Crispiest when fresh, we would definitely recommend making them right before the party for superior crunch. The flavor comes from a cashew paste that imparts a cheese-powderesque eating experience (orange fingers included, courtesy of yummy red pepper), but you’ll feel good about what your snack is bringing to the field.

Vegan "Cheesy" Chips are a delicious way to turn kale into a grab-n-go snack.
Vegan “Cheesy” Chips are a delicious way to turn kale into a grab-n-go snack.

Vegan “Cheesy” Chips

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Kale chips are one of the latest health crazes, and with the tasty sauce baked to powder on these, you’ll be happy to leave less nutritious snack food behind. Nutritional yeast provides the classic cheese flavor and cashew paste provides a creamy burst of protein. If you don’t eat them all fresh from the oven, store them in an airtight container over a layer of dry rice. The rice will absorb any moisture to make sure the chips keep their crackle and snap.

Servings: 2 (175 g )

Prep Time: 30 min.

Cook Time: 4 Hours

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup unsalted cashews
  • 1 bunch kale, washed
  • ½ red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 lemon, peeled, cut into wedges, and de-seeded

Directions

  1. Cover the cashews with water in a small bowl and let the soak for at least one hour. Drain cashews and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to the lowest heat setting.  Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Trim stems from each kale leaf and cut each leaf into chip-size pieces.
  3. Add the cashews, red pepper, garlic, soy sauce, oil, nutritional yeast and lemon pulp to a food processor. Blend until smooth.
  4. In a large bowl, combine kale and cashew paste, making sure kale is evenly coated. Place kale pieces on baking sheets allowing space between each piece so they do not touch or overlap. Bake kale until crisp and completely dry, between 2 and 4 hours.