Spicy Crispy Kale Chips

Kale! One of the most talked about vegetables in the garden this season. With its extraordinarily rich nutritional profile, kale is enjoying a kitchen-renaissance. Delicious cooked in a variety of ways -- boiled, steamed, baked, or sauteed-- it also makes an incredible snack food. These spicy kale chips are a real crowd-pleaser...so easy to prepare, and so tasty, too! They keep really well, staying crispy and flavourful for weeks in an air-tight container (that is, if there are any left to put away). While best made in a dehydrator, these chips can also be prepared in a conventional oven set at a low temperature to protect the integrity of kale's abundant enzymes.

You'll Need: 1 large bunch of kale (any variety); 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds; 1/4 cup water; 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; 1/4 cup nutritional yeast; 2 tablespoons tamari; 2 - 4 large cloves of garlic, depending on your taste; 1 teaspoon agave; 10 - 12 fresh chives;  habanero or jalapeno pepper to taste .
Method: Wash kale and pat dry. Trim off stems, and remove thick center vein from each leaf. (Set aside for juicing or soup). Cut leaves into chip-size pieces.

Peel garlic cloves and chop coarsely. Cut chives into smaller pieces. Put in blender with all remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Marinade should be pourable, like a thick cream soup. Add more liquid if necessary, and blend for a few seconds more.

Pour marinade into a very large bowl. If you do not have one big enough to hold liquid and the kale pieces, divide liquid and kale into equal amounts and prepare in smaller batches.

Using both of your impeccably clean hands, massage kale into marinade, coating each piece well.  Although this method works best, if you don't want to use your hands, toss kale pieces into marinade with salad servers or two forks.

Spread kale in a single layer on teflex dehydrator sheets, pouring any remaining marinade over leaves. If using oven, place in a single layer on lightly greased cookie sheets. Dehydrate at 145 degrees for 1/2 hour, then reduce heat to 118 - 120 degrees and continue dehydrating until chips are dry on top. If using oven, bake at lowest temperature possible, keeping a close eye on them.

When dehydrator chips are dry on top, flip them over onto a tray with a mesh screen. Continue to dehydrate at 118 degrees until they are crispy (4 - 6 hours total dehydrating time, depending on kale and weather) In oven bake until crisp, turning chips once if necessary. Watch carefully to be sure they don't burn.

   Remove from dehydrator and enjoy. If you use the oven, let cool for a minute or two (if you can wait that long). Kale chips are a great side-dish, served with soup or a sandwich. They can be crumbled on a salad or casserole for extra zip. We think they taste best placed in a big bowl and eaten as a guilt-free, healthy snack!  Enjoy!

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Broccoli in Citrus-Avocado Cream with Fresh Sage

This is a great way to eat your broccoli! Lightly-steamed florets are served in a silken orange and avocado cream made with pumpkin seeds and garden fresh sage, garnished with toasted pine nuts. Not only is this dish full of flavour and crunch, but also offers a rich nutritional profile. This recipe is an unusual salad or side dish. Served with rice crackers or crusty bread, it makes a filling meal on its own...and is so easy to prepare!

You'll need: broccoli with stalks; 1 orange; 1 avocado; 12-14 orange cherry tomatoes; 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds; 2 tablespoons raw pine nuts; 2 leaves of fresh sage; 2 tablespoons filtered water; sea salt to taste.

Method: Wash broccoli and shake dry. Cut tops from stalks. Separate florets into bite-size pieces. Lightly steam until just tender. Rinse in cold water, drain. Place in a large bowl.

Wash and quarter orange tomatoes. Add to broccoli florets. Cover and set aside.

Place water, pumpkin seeds and salt in blender. Peel, pit and chop avocado and add to blender. Add peeled and chopped orange  sections, sage leaves, and salt to taste.

Blend at medium speed until a thick smooth cream is formed.

Lightly toast pine nuts over low heat until fragrant and shiny. Add pine nuts to broccoli and tomatoes, reserving 1 teaspoon of pine nuts for garnish.  Add citrus-avocado cream to vegetable mixture, and gently combine. 

Place broccoli mixture in a serving dish, and sprinkle with reserved pine nuts and a sage leaf. Enjoy!

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