Lemon & Sea Salt Kale Chips

If you’ve never had kale chips then you are missing out.  These crispy, delicious, easy to make chips are one of my favorite snacks and an all time perfect travel food.  They fill you up but not out as they are low in calories, high in protein, and contain a good source of fiber.  Plus, kale chips are a great replacement for highly processed, nutrient-void potato chips.  Furthermore, the nutrient density of kale makes it one of the healthiest foods you can add to your diet.

I have talked about my minor obsession with kale and its health benefits in my previous post.  No need to repeat myself, so check out my Kale & Olive Salad post to learn why everyone, including you, could benefit from eating more kale.

Lemon & Sea Salt Kale Chips

Makes 2 snack-size servings or 4 tapas-size servings

1 lemon, juiced and zested

1 tablespoon olive oil

dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

1/4 teaspoon each: sea salt and pepper

6 cups torn 3 to 4 inch pieces of kale, stem removed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, use hands to lightly message lemon juice, olive oil, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper into kale pieces.  Lay flat on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, until crisp and slightly browned around edges.  Sprinkle baked kale chips with lemon zest.

Nutrition facts per serving (snack-size serving: 1/2 batch): 188 calories, 8 g total fat, 320 mg sodium, 22 g total carbohydrates, 0 g sugar, 4 g fiber, 7 g protein

Nutrition facts per serving (tapas-size serving: 1/4 batch): 83 calories, 4 g total fat, 160 mg sodium, 11 g total carbohydrates, 0 g sugar, 2 g fiber, 3.5 g protein

BALANCE IT OUT: These tasty, crispy chips make an excellent snack that will leave you satisfied and energized.  Generally snacks should be between 100 – 250 calories, so if you are eating just the kale chips as a snack than a serving size of 1/2 the batch is a healthful amount. If eating the kale chips along with other foods, such as a piece of fruit, than a serving size of 1/4 batch is an appropriate amount.

Lots of Love,

Renee

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