Things My Husband/Toddler Eat: Green Chips

So, QE and I had some fun making green chips last week.  Kale chips are the hottest healthy snack going these days, and for good reason - but lots of frum people are put off making their own because curly kale can be a pain to check for bugs.  But one of my CSA newsletters last year mentioned that you can make them with other types of sturdy dark greens, which, it turns out, is the solution to the whole thing.  Collards are as cheap and easy to come by as kale, but the leaves are flat - so rinsing and checking is WAY quicker than with more complicated veg!  They taste more or less the same as kale chips once baked (ie: like salt and garlic), they're just slightly less cute.

Even with reducing wash-and-check time, making green chips is a bit of a drawn out process because you have to put them in a single layer on the pan and watch like a hawk so they don't burn.  But the satisfaction of seeing QE snarf her leafy greens makes it all worthwhile.  (To be honest, if you call anything a chip, she'll eat it). It's a fun afternoon activity around here.  Here's what to do:

• 1 bunch of collard greens (Or kale if you got some in your CSA or feel like dealing with it.  Or chard or mustard greens if you feel like being creative - anything sturdy and green)
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• Paprika

Um, I don't really measure with this one.  I wash the leaves, cut out the thick spines, and slice/tear what's left into small-ish pieces.  I drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss them around in the bowl til they're all more or less coated.

Ok, here's the chap: because collards are flat, they can be annoying to lay in a pan and they don't bake quite as nicely as kale.  So what I did the other day, to good effect, is crumple some aluminum foil and put it in the bottom of the pan.  Then I lay the pieces in a single layer over that, allowing some airflow all around.  Bake 'em at 350 for around 10 minutes til crispy, but check frequently.  I'm in the habit of letting them burn.  Remove crispy pieces from pan, add more, and put back in oven.

BSB is lucky if there are any left by the time he gets home.