“I like to pick my own vegetables.” -Shelley Duvall, iconic & quirky American actress, and creator of one of my favorite childhood Betamax rentals, Shelley Duvall’s Faerie Tale Theater

Recently I had the distinctly lovely pleasure of spending a few hours in the kitchen with Chef/Nutritionist Tricia Williams of Food Matters.  Her laid-back, exception-to-the-rule demeanor, her unique approach to cooking and eating, and her totally amazing professional kitchen made for one of the best mornings in recent history.  It was really eye-opening to see a seasoned and experienced chef in action for private clients.  I’ve worked as a private chef in a lavish household in East Midtown, but compared to Chef Tricia, I just made them yummy dinners, whereas she’s really built a service for her clients.  Everything is packed beautifully in labelled Indian-style tiffins (I’ve got to get me some of those!) and logo-adorned milk bottles.  Each menu is carefully planned according to the client’s individual tastes and nutritional goals.  Every ingredient is carefully considered for it’s value to the body, and she makes so many of her decisions with their environmental impact in mind.  I really learned a lot, and value her as a mentor.

It would figure that I managed to get through 8 months of culinary school without ever once cutting myself (burns, well, they are another story…..), but I was so nervous in Chef Tricia’s kitchen that my 8″ chef’s knife slipped on a carrot segment and delivered a fairly serious gash to my pinky finger.  I couldn’t get the bleeding stopped even after she gave me a (leopard print!) bandage, so I had to execute the rest of my prep responsibilities in total embarrassment with a makeshift paper towel cast wrapped around my finger.  Too bad she didn’t have a leopard print dunce cap on hand.  Luckily, other chefs tend to be relatively understanding about these sorts of industry hazards, and she went on to teach me a truly wonderful and simple recipe that’s destined to remain in my culinary repertoire for life.  I didn’t expect this to be good.  Like, at all.  I’m not a junk foodie to be sure, but let’s face it – kale isn’t an ingredient that gets me all hot and bothered.  I am, however, aware of its current status as “superveggie” since it packs a huge punch of fiber, vitamins, and anti-oxidants.  I was certainly willing to give this a shot as an mindful alternative to regular (and perhaps mindless) snacking fare like potato chips or cheese & crackers.  Additionally, Chef Tricia also informed me that apple cider vinegar actually lowers the glycemic index of foods, so she tries to sneak it in where possible.  It happens to work well in this recipe because the acid takes a bit of the bitter edge off of the kale leaves.

So, basically the idea here is that you’re drying out the kale leaves in a low-temperature oven until they are crispy and crunchy, like chips.  Similar in texture to a sheet of nori, kale chips are really quite beautiful when they’re done.  As you can see from the photo, I arranged them in a little vase on the table, thinking that they’d be a great edible centerpiece for a table.  And let me tell you…..you’ll be as shocked as I was at how delicious these are.  I’d bet money that even kids will go for them.

Thank you Chef Tricia!  It really was a pleasure.

Ingredients:

2 bunches of Tuscan (or “Dinosaur”) kale, washed and dried well (about 24 leaves)

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 250ºF.  Line 2 sheet trays with a sheet of parchment paper and set aside.

2.  Using a paring knife, carefully remove the entire white center stem from each leaf, reserving the green leafy sides in a large stainless steel or glass bowl.  Discard or compost the stems.

3.  Add the apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil to the bowl of leaves and toss with clean hands to coat evenly.

4.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss again to coat evenly.

5.  Lay the leaves flat on the prepared sheet trays in a single layer.  The leaves can touch, but should not overlap.  (They will shrink in the oven, just like grown-up Shrinky Dinks!)

6.  Place sheet trays in the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes to dry out.  Carefully check them with your finger.  If they feel like dry, brittle, crisp paper, they are ready, but if they feel soft, pliable, or moist anywhere, give them some more time.  It may take up to 35 minutes for the leaves to dry completely.  (Every oven is different.)

7.  Remove sheet trays from oven and allow to cool completely before serving.

Yield: A vase-full of super delicious, super healthy snack-time happiness