Crispy Baked Beet Green Chips

We had a full day of green eating a few weeks ago and it doesn’t seem to stop. When we cooked up mustard greens we also made a batch of beet green chips as a test. This test turned out to be a nice surprise and worthy of sharing, so here’s what we have to say: Don’t waste those beet greens, crisp them into chips. That’s what we did when our garden beet roots are still to young to harvest but we have so many tender beet greens to pluck.  It started with a few handful of seeds tossed in the garden, followed by ridiculously climate-changing warm weather.

Now we’re swimming in tender greens that normally would be peaking in March. So in celebration of our love of kale chips, we’re extending our craving for green munchies by using up all the beet greens before the bugs get to them. Kale chips are one of our favorite munchies because not only are they lighter than potato chips, we just love the taste . But it doesn’t hurt to mix it up a bit, especially when we can harvest a ton of beet greens this time of year.

Our first thought was what would beet green chips taste like? Normally beet greens are a little tougher and more leathery, but when plucked from the garden beet itself, we’re hoping for some better results. And even if the greens are a little tougher? Would it be worth the effort to make them into chips?

The answer to that question depends on how open minded you are. We loved these batch of baked beet greens, but we weren’t expecting them to be as light and crispy as kale chips. Neither were we expecting the flavor to be the same. So we went into this recipe with lower expectations and when the batch came out of the oven, we were thrilled at how delicious they were.

Beet greens are going to be a little thicker, so when baked, they don’t have the same “melt-in-your-mouth” texture like you would get from kale chips. And the flavor of baked beet chips are a little more grassy tasting. That’s what makes them unique and a light snack when you have some beet greens to use up.

This is one of those recipes that come in handy when you don’t want to waste your greens and make use of everything, from leaves down to root!

Enjoy!

Lexi was so curious about beet greens.

off to the oven with the greens

Yield: Serves 2

Total Time: 45 min

See post for additional recipe details.

About 1 large bunch of beets greensolive oilkosher or sea saltfresh cracked black pepperPre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line one or two baking sheet pans with parchment paper.Wash beet greens and blot with towels to remove excess water. Remove inner rib of beet stems if they are thick and tough. Smaller, more tender beet greens can be baked with the inner rib intact.Add all the beet greens in a large bowl. Start by tossing or spraying about 1 tablespoon of olive oil at a time, making sure the beet greens are lightly coated with oil. But do not over oil the leaves or they will become too greasy when baked.Lay the beet greens in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle salt and pepper over beet greens to taste. Season on both sides of the beet leaves.Bake the beet greens for about 15 minutes, turn the beet greens and continue baking for 10 minutes or until the greens are crisp.

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Baked Kale Chips with Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Everyone has their vices. Admit it. I know each of you has a food weakness that you find yourself giving into when times get rough. Or tough.

I have many food vices that I turn to when I need a spiritual lift after the end of a long, mentally exhausting day. Some of you I know reach for the tub of ice cream, secret stash of oreos, snicker candy bars or bottle of tequila. Yes, I know who you are but I’m not judging! Sugar and sweets pick you up from exhaustion or after a bad break up. You are totally deserving of this.

For me, anything savory, salty and spicy are my paths to mental health and clarity. Salt, all the way, makes my world go round. Though my list can be extensive, they all have the same thing is common, carbs and of course, salt. French fries and crunchy potato chips are like my aspirin pills.

When I have a headache, all I need is a few crunchy sea salt and black pepper kettle potato chips to heal myself. I don’t know what it is, but the salt, black pepper, crunch and carbs really satisfy me when I need them most. But every vice has it’s downfall and for me, it’s when I look at the bottom of an empty bag of sea salt and pepper potato chips that I realize a trip to the gym is the second part of mental healing.

Potato chips in almost every shape, form and flavor is my vice and total weakness. But since I discovered baked kale chips, my world of indulgence has turned over for the better. Rather than eating fried potatoes, the light crunch of kale chips is equally satisfying. My first recipe for spicy kale chips are  my go-to treat for salty crunch and they are so incredibly easy to make. I don’t know why I didn’t discover them when I was in high school.

Now that I’ve been eating spicy kale chips, I’m reminded of why I love sea salt and pepper potato chips so much. Just four simple ingredients: fresh kale, sea salt, black pepper and good olive oil has pretty much replaced my need for potato chips.

I’ve been making these simple baked kale chips for a while now, but I realize that I never shared this recipe with you. Until now.

And now you know where my food weakness is. I’ve love to hear what you to say about what your food vice is.

hugs,

diane

Yield: Serves 2

Total Time: 30 min

Fresh kale leaves look very voluminous and full when they are fresh. But when baked, they shrink down considerably. So consider making two bunches of kale if you are serving more than two people. For me, I can eat one whole bunch of kale by myself! And make sure to splurge on that nice sea salt for these. It is completely worth it.

one bunch of fresh kale,Sea saltFresh cracked black pepperOlive oilPreheat oven to 350 degrees.Wash kale. Remove tough inner stems from kale leaves.Tear the kale leaves into large pieces. They will shrink, so tear them into pieces that are a little larger than what you'd like to eat.Dry kale leaves well with paper towels.Place kale leaves in large bowl. Start by tossing in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil at a time, when needed. The kale needs to be lightly coated with oil. Too much will make the kale limp and greasy. Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh crushed black pepper.Layer kale leaves in a single layer in a baking sheet lined. You can use parchment paper if you like for easier cleaning.Bake for 12-14 minutes or until crisp. About 5 minutes before they are finished, gently toss them on the sheet pan for more even baking. They will burn easy, be aware of how they are baking.

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Spicy Smoky Kale Chips

Baked Kale Chips are always one of our forgotten favorites. When we plow through a big bowl of kale chips, we’re always reminding ourselves to make them again soon. But for some reason, this recipe gets buried under our pile of “must make again” list and regrettably, forgotten. That is, until someone makes them for us and our brains get re-freshed with these healthier “green” chips.

Indeed, it had been a few months since we crunched on a platter of kale chips. It wasn’t until we filmed Michelle for her Whole Family Cookbook promo, that we were reminded of these wonderful crispy greens.

A cooking scene we filmed for Michelle in her new cookbook trailer was a recipe for her baked kale chips. We followed her around in her beautiful garden, picking and preparing the chips for her family. Of course, we were happily reminded of how we love kale when we snuck a few to munch on during the shoot.

The aroma of baked kale is certainly unique and rather pungent. Kale greens are a part of the cruciferous family and although they release a rather sulfer-like aroma, the smell is easily forgotten when you bite in to their feathery light chips.

To make these this baked kale a little more exciting, we added some chile flakes for a fun and spicy-kick. After they were baked, you can also add a touch of paprika or cheyenne pepper on top for the smoky bonus flavor. Either way, these spicy smoky kale chips are fabulously addicting. They’re so light, crunchy and absorb the flavors of a good sea salt perfectly.

If you’re ever got a hankering for potato chips, try making a big batch of crispy kale. Kale is obviously lighter and less caloric than fried potatoes, and they’re also greener, which means many more vitamins to add to your daily intake. You’ll be feeling less guilty if you ate a bag of kale chips than heavy potato chips.

start with small amount of olive oil to coat, add chili flakes

better than potato chips! (well, almost)

More Baked Kale Chip Recipes :

 Print This Recipe
Spicy Smoky Kale Chips Recipe
recipe adapted from Whats Cooking With Kids

Ingredients:

about one bunch of kale, rinsed and driedOlive oilSalt, to tasteabout 1 tablespoon of chili flakes (or to taste)sprinkling of paprika or cheyenne pepper power (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Remove the kale leaves from their tough end and inner stems. Cut longer leaves in half or preferred bite size pieces.Place kale chips in large bowl. Start by tossing in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. The kale leaves only need to be lightly coated with oil. Too much will make the chips too limp and greasy. Only add about  1 tablespoon of olive oil at a time. Then sprinkle in sea salt and chili flakes.Put the kale pieces in a single layer in a baking sheet lined. You can use parchment paper if you like for easier cleaning.Bake for 12-14 minutes or until crisp. About 5 minutes before they are finished, you can gently toss them in the sheet pan for more even baking. They will burn easy, be aware of how they are baking.For more smoky or spicy flavor, lightly dust the kale chips with paprika or cheyenne pepper power.

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General Tso's Potato Chips, a Taste Test

While shopping at the horribly chaotic Target at the Atlantic Center several weeks ago, I noticed something strange in the freezer aisle. Maybe I was just oblivious before, but there was a good number of frozen entrees based on Chinese takeout. Yes, frozen egg rolls and dumplings have been around for a while, and Trader Joe's is no stranger to frozen-foodifying Asian dishes. Now it seems PF Chang's has a shiny new line of "Home Menu" dinners, including Orange Chicken, Beef with Broccoli, and Shrimp Lo Mein, just waiting to be taken home and zapped in the microwave. (These are apparently for all those times late at night when the Golden Panda around the corner is closed, or when 15 minutes of waiting for the delivery guy is too much to handle.)

From an anthropological standpoint, I was dying to buy a package of P.F. Chang's Sweet & Sour Chicken to try in my own microwave. What a great blog post that would make! Then I read the ingredients, became dizzy with complex chemical terms, and turned my cart away from the frozen food section. 

That was when I stumbled on a huge display of Archer Farms products, and an entire row of "General Tso's Thick Cut Potato Chips" at eye level. It seems that after exhausting all the possible barbecue and chili flavors on the market, the potato chip industry may have pinpointed Chinese takeout flavors as The Next Big Thing.

(I was also reminded of Lay's Potato Chips in China. Lay's in China is a whole different beast. At some point the chief flavor scientist must have had a field day, thinking up such exciting and perplexing flavors as Red Wine Chicken, Italian Red Meat, Blueberry, Lychee, and Numb & Spicy Hot Pot. A walk down any the junk food aisle at any Chinese Carrefour, or other big grocery store, is something to be experienced.)

I bought a bag of the Archer Farm chips, went home, and did some research. Apparently Terra Chips also made a General Tso's flavor. Whole Foods didn't carry them but the Fairway on Broadway and 74th did. 

Several weeks later I held a mini taste test, appropriately right before a meal of leftover Chinese food (which sadly did not include General Tso's). Here are the results from the commenters:

Archer Farms' ridged General Tso's

Characteristics: Vinegary, with a lot of garlic powder and preservatives. Artificial flavors are very "in-your-face". Not very spicy. 

Tastes like: "A barbecue potato chip but with Asian flavors." "Bad hot and sour soup with lots of MSG." "Something I've had many times in Chinese restaurants but can't put my finger on." "The chili sauce you get with spring rolls."

Would buy again?  Mixed 

Terra Chips non-ridged General Tso's 

Characteristics: Immediate lime taste, a tinge of sweetness, followed by a slight chili powder kick. More subtle, good for long periods of snacking.

Tastes like: "Tom yum goong." "Pad thai dusted with some chili flakes." "Makes me really want a Thai iced tea."

Would buy again? Yes

Conclusion: Neither really tasted like General Tso's chicken, but both are good snacks while waiting for your Chinese food to reheat. 

_________________________________

Similar posts:

General Tso's Chicken recipe

A Globetrotter's Guide to Unusual Chinese Restaurants 

When Chinese Food was Glamorous in America

Vintage Chinese Restaurant Ad, Texas

Orange Chicken, or Remembrance of Kosher Chinese Past

View the original article here

General Tso's Potato Chips, a Taste Test

While shopping at the horribly chaotic Target at the Atlantic Center several weeks ago, I noticed something strange in the freezer aisle. Maybe I was just oblivious before, but there was a good number of frozen entrees based on Chinese takeout. Yes, frozen egg rolls and dumplings have been around for a while, and Trader Joe's is no stranger to frozen-foodifying Asian dishes. Now it seems PF Chang's has a shiny new line of "Home Menu" dinners, including Orange Chicken, Beef with Broccoli, and Shrimp Lo Mein, just waiting to be taken home and zapped in the microwave. (These are apparently for all those times late at night when the Golden Panda around the corner is closed, or when 15 minutes of waiting for the delivery guy is too much to handle.)

From an anthropological standpoint, I was dying to buy a package of P.F. Chang's Sweet & Sour Chicken to try in my own microwave. What a great blog post that would make! Then I read the ingredients, became dizzy with complex chemical terms, and turned my cart away from the frozen food section. 

That was when I stumbled on a huge display of Archer Farms products, and an entire row of "General Tso's Thick Cut Potato Chips" at eye level. It seems that after exhausting all the possible barbecue and chili flavors on the market, the potato chip industry may have pinpointed Chinese takeout flavors as The Next Big Thing.

(I was also reminded of Lay's Potato Chips in China. Lay's in China is a whole different beast. At some point the chief flavor scientist must have had a field day, thinking up such exciting and perplexing flavors as Red Wine Chicken, Italian Red Meat, Blueberry, Lychee, and Numb & Spicy Hot Pot. A walk down any the junk food aisle at any Chinese Carrefour, or other big grocery store, is something to be experienced.)

I bought a bag of the Archer Farm chips, went home, and did some research. Apparently Terra Chips also made a General Tso's flavor. Whole Foods didn't carry them but the Fairway on Broadway and 74th did. 

Several weeks later I held a mini taste test, appropriately right before a meal of leftover Chinese food (which sadly did not include General Tso's). Here are the results from the commenters:

Archer Farms' ridged General Tso's

Characteristics: Vinegary, with a lot of garlic powder and preservatives. Artificial flavors are very "in-your-face". Not very spicy. 

Tastes like: "A barbecue potato chip but with Asian flavors." "Bad hot and sour soup with lots of MSG." "Something I've had many times in Chinese restaurants but can't put my finger on." "The chili sauce you get with spring rolls."

Would buy again?  Mixed 

Terra Chips non-ridged General Tso's 

Characteristics: Immediate lime taste, a tinge of sweetness, followed by a slight chili powder kick. More subtle, good for long periods of snacking.

Tastes like: "Tom yum goong." "Pad thai dusted with some chili flakes." "Makes me really want a Thai iced tea."

Would buy again? Yes

Conclusion: Neither really tasted like General Tso's chicken, but both are good snacks while waiting for your Chinese food to reheat. 

_________________________________

Similar posts:

General Tso's Chicken recipe

A Globetrotter's Guide to Unusual Chinese Restaurants 

When Chinese Food was Glamorous in America

Vintage Chinese Restaurant Ad, Texas

Orange Chicken, or Remembrance of Kosher Chinese Past

View the original article here