I recently purchased a bag of Kale Chips at Trader Joe's just to give them a try. I really wasn't expecting that a chip made out of kale could be very good. Honestly, although I really love a pile of steamed kale, I thought kale chips would be a sadly lacking substitute for Doritos. And I don't even like Doritos.
Was I ever WRONG!
Before we even get into the nutritional analysis, I want to talk TASTE. These chips are crunchy. They are almost meaty as they are thickly coated with a delicious flavoring powder. However, they are not greasy at all. They have not been fried. Nor have they been roasted.
Instead, these chips are air-crisped at low temperatures to insure that nutrients are retained. And these babies are definitely nutritious! In a one ounce serving, you will only be ingesting 150 calories. Yet, you will be getting 130% of the RDA for Vitamin A. In addition, you will receive 15% of calcium, 10% of Vitamin C and 10% of iron. (RDA's are known to be on the low side--basically the amount you need just to survive.) The same one ounce serving also contains 9 grams of fat (no trans-fat of course!), 11 grams of carbs (3 from fiber, only 4 from sugars), and 6 grams of protein.
What are the ingredients in these awesome chips, you ask?
In order of appearance: kale, cashews, sunflower seeds, carrot powder, red bell pepper powder, onion powder, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, chipotle powder. That's it! No preservatives, no MSG (which you will find in many kinds of chips!), no trans-fat, no cheap vegetable oils, no refined sugar or flour.
I would report what these wondrous chips cost, but I'm afraid I have forgotten! Never fear, I googled the price and am now feeling a little bit faint. A two-ounce bag costs $3.99! Now I understand why people try to make their own kale chips at home.
I don't take back any of the kind things I just said about this product. However, at a cost of about $2 for a very small serving, I'm not sure I'm going to put these on our weekly grocery list. I'll probably stick with the steamed kale instead.
Was I ever WRONG!
Before we even get into the nutritional analysis, I want to talk TASTE. These chips are crunchy. They are almost meaty as they are thickly coated with a delicious flavoring powder. However, they are not greasy at all. They have not been fried. Nor have they been roasted.
Instead, these chips are air-crisped at low temperatures to insure that nutrients are retained. And these babies are definitely nutritious! In a one ounce serving, you will only be ingesting 150 calories. Yet, you will be getting 130% of the RDA for Vitamin A. In addition, you will receive 15% of calcium, 10% of Vitamin C and 10% of iron. (RDA's are known to be on the low side--basically the amount you need just to survive.) The same one ounce serving also contains 9 grams of fat (no trans-fat of course!), 11 grams of carbs (3 from fiber, only 4 from sugars), and 6 grams of protein.
What are the ingredients in these awesome chips, you ask?
In order of appearance: kale, cashews, sunflower seeds, carrot powder, red bell pepper powder, onion powder, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, chipotle powder. That's it! No preservatives, no MSG (which you will find in many kinds of chips!), no trans-fat, no cheap vegetable oils, no refined sugar or flour.
I would report what these wondrous chips cost, but I'm afraid I have forgotten! Never fear, I googled the price and am now feeling a little bit faint. A two-ounce bag costs $3.99! Now I understand why people try to make their own kale chips at home.
I don't take back any of the kind things I just said about this product. However, at a cost of about $2 for a very small serving, I'm not sure I'm going to put these on our weekly grocery list. I'll probably stick with the steamed kale instead.
LOVE KALE CHIPS!!!!
ReplyDeleteI make my own. It is incredibly easy.
ReplyDeleteTake a large amount of kale. Cut out the stems and make chip sized pieces from the kale. I usually get four chips per kale leaf.
Put light olive oil, paprika, salt and whatever other spice floats your boat in a bowl. I like Emeril's Essence as the extra spice. I have also used cayenne to make hot spicy chips.
Dump the kale in the bowl and mix with your hands to lightly coat the chips. Lay them out on non stick baking sheets and put in the oven. I low cook them at 250° for about ten minutes. Too high and they can burn. When they are crispy, take them out. Ours usually don't last long enough to save them for later.