Food + Drink + Life + Health

Butternut squash & kale chips.

butternutkale2.jpg

I swear I don’t mean to be turning this joint into a food blog! I do a lot more cooking in the winter than in summer, though, and a lot less in the way of house stuff.

Since we hadn’t done our weekly grocery shopping yet, I put a really simple, really delicious lunch together for Evan and I Evan and myself Evan and me (GOOD GRIEF—thanks, Kate!) today using the remainder of the vegetables we had in the fridge. It took just over an hour to get it on the table, but the prep time was only about 10 minutes. (I’m amazed I thought to start it early. Usually weekend lunch is something that starts to take shape after we’ve both realized we’re starving.)

If you’ve never had kale chips before, well…you really need to hop to it. Even if you think you don’t like kale, it’s hard for me to imagine anyone not liking kale chips. They’re like ultra-thin, nutty-tasting potato chips, only way, WAY better for you. Did you know that kale is one of the most nutritionally-dense foods in the world? Seriously, it’s like magic, and you should be eating lots and lots of it.

butternut squash

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH (vegan)
Serves 2 hungry people

1 butternut squash
6 cloves garlic
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp agave nectar (or maple syrup)
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black peper
dash cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Peel squash and scoop out flesh/seeds., then cut into 1″ chunks.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl until thoroughly coated, then pour into a medium casserole dish. Roast for 50-55 minutes (turn halfway through cooking), or until squash is tender.

Serve as-is, or mash up a bit with a wooden spoon. If you have leftovers, try heating them up the next day with some brown rice.

kale chips

KALE CHIPS (vegan)
Makes enough for 1-4 people, depending on greediness

1 large bunch kale
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice
fine sea salt

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Wash and thoroughly dry kale. Cut out the thick center stalk, then cut into bite-sized pieces (I just do this with kitchen scissors—you don’t need to be precise).

In a large bowl, combine kale, olive oil, and lemon juice. Make sure the olive oil gets all over the kale.

Spread the kale in a single layer on a couple of cookie sheets. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20-30 minutes. The time will vary depending on the amount of moisture in your kale. You want the kale to get nice and crispy and dark. Just keep a close eye on it and make sure it doesn’t burn.

When your kale is good and crunchy, you may want to put a little more salt on it, or toss it with some nutritional yeast. Whatever you do, you’re going to want to eat all of it, trust me.

butternut squash & kale

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116 Comments

  • Reply Rachel January 16, 2011 at 7:29 pm

    funny: I just made butternut squash and rosemary soup and kale chips to go with it yesterday! love your blog: even the food parts 🙂

  • Reply Lori E. January 16, 2011 at 7:33 pm

    I have heard of kale chips but have never tasted them. Sounds yummy AND easy. And I got a new salad spinner for Christmas so this would give me yet another reason to get it out again. 🙂 And I have a butternut squash that has been hanging around for a while. Time to break that bad boy open.

  • Reply Michelle January 16, 2011 at 7:41 pm

    I loooooove kale chips! I also like to sprinkle a little bit of nutritional yeast on them before baking, to give them a little bit of a cheesy taste.

    • Anna @ D16 January 16, 2011 at 7:51 pm

      Interesting. You put the nutritional yeast on before baking? I thought about that, but I was worried it would burn. I’m going to try it next time, though, thanks!

    • Lisa March 30, 2012 at 6:14 pm

      Whats nutritional yeast?

  • Reply Bethany Joy January 16, 2011 at 7:46 pm

    NICE! I got a butternut squash this week in my Bountiful Baskets pick up and had no clue how to prepare 🙂

  • Reply lindsay January 16, 2011 at 8:01 pm

    I love kale! It’s one of the last standing veggies in our garden here in MI. Can tolerate heavy frost, no prob. Too bad our doggie loves it too. Little furball eats right down to the ground. At least she’s healthy 🙂

  • Reply Jenna @ sweet fine day January 16, 2011 at 8:03 pm

    I LOVE kale chips. I’ve been wanting to make them for awhile now. Thanks for the reminder – maybe I’ll do it this week!

  • Reply Krystle January 16, 2011 at 8:20 pm

    I love reading your food posts. I tried an onion ring recipe from the Appetite for Reduction book and it was incredible. Thanks again for the recommendation.

    • Anna @ D16 January 16, 2011 at 9:43 pm

      I can’t wait to try the onion rings!! Glad to hear they’re good.

  • Reply Lesley January 16, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    I JUST heard about kale chips for the first time a couple of weeks ago, bought kale with the intention of making them, the kale rotted, I didn’t make them, sadface. Then I saw kale again at the market today and thought about the chips but didn’t buy it.

    Now that I’ve seen this, I think fate is really pushing me to try kale chips, haha. And I mean, can you ever go wrong with butternut squash in any form? I think not. : )

  • Reply jennifer in sf January 16, 2011 at 8:30 pm

    I am oddly squash-phobic, but I think I need to just get over it.

    Kale on the other hand, I am all over. I usually just steam it and add some olive oil, lemon juice and salt. But clearly I also need to be making these chips everyone is talking about.

    • Anna @ D16 January 16, 2011 at 8:35 pm

      I’ll eat kale in any shape or form (yes, even raw!!), but the chips are really something to behold. I don’t like to talk about “food guilt”, but let’s just say that there is none of it with kale chips. 😉

  • Reply kelly January 16, 2011 at 8:42 pm

    Thanks for the kale idea, have some in my fridge right now and wasn;t sure how to use it….love yur blog!

  • Reply me @{life or something...} January 16, 2011 at 8:46 pm

    i have eaten 2-3 heads of kale in one sitting by eating it in chip form. only one head at a time, when i sautee it with olive oil, salt and pepper. either way kale = yum!

    • Anna @ D16 January 16, 2011 at 9:42 pm

      I thought I was insane for eating an entire head of kale today, but you’ve topped me! I feel better now. 😉

  • Reply kate hart January 16, 2011 at 9:03 pm

    oh wow, I know what to put on my shopping list. I love kale raw, but surprisingly haven’t ever cooked it. kale chips sound truly delightful!! thanks for the inspiration!

    • Anna @ D16 January 16, 2011 at 9:41 pm

      If you like kale raw, I guarantee you’ll like it cooked, too. You can do anything with it! It’s very durable, so it holds up to cooking in stews, sauteing, etc.

  • Reply Wga January 16, 2011 at 9:29 pm

    YAWN. A Vegan with a ow skin rug. Interesting

    • Anna @ D16 January 16, 2011 at 9:35 pm

      Wendy, I assume you mean cow skin? Though I suppose “ow” is sort of appropriate, too.

      Anyway, yes, I’ve never tried to hide that—in fact, I’ve written about it before. I’ve been a vegan for less than a year, and I’m still trying to figure out exactly how that plays out in the rest of my life in terms of things I already own—wool sweaters and wool upholstery and wool coats, leather shoes and belts and bags, and yes, the rug in my bedroom. I’m not sure that throwing everything in the garbage is the best answer. Do you?

      You may find the subject tiring, but I think it’s important to talk about these things and be forthright and honest.

      Figuring out how to live life, as always, is a work in progress.

    • dkzody January 17, 2011 at 3:24 pm

      I have passed along some of your recipes to my vegan daughter. She has been vegan for about 6 years now and does not wear any animal products. I tried to steer her towards silk one time and her reply, “you don’t know how they are treating those silk worms, so no.” 😎

    • PrettyModern January 17, 2011 at 8:35 pm

      Fantastic answer to the vegan question….plus, your grammar is spot on!

  • Reply tracy January 16, 2011 at 9:29 pm

    sometimes i throw a little bit of aged balsamic in the kale leaves before I bake them. SUPER good.

    • Anna @ D16 January 16, 2011 at 9:40 pm

      Oh, nice! I’ve seen some recipes call for apple cider vinegar, but balsamic sounds even better.

  • Reply brianne January 17, 2011 at 1:56 am

    Oooh, yum. You can never have too many food posts. Haven’t made Kale chips in awhile, but we do have half a head in the fridge. I know what I’m doing tomorrow night!

  • Reply Monica January 17, 2011 at 4:24 am

    I like your food posts and we probably all think more about food in the winter. Have never heard of kale chips, but they sound delish. Not sure that I will be able to convince my son or husband, but thenI can have it all to myself. 😉

  • Reply Sue January 17, 2011 at 7:32 am

    Looks so yummy, I’ll be trying it soon. I also picked up the Appetite for Reduction Diet cookbook this weekend. I think I will try the onion ring recipe first!

  • Reply Isabelle January 17, 2011 at 8:23 am

    Never heard of this wy of preparing kale; kale is theeeeeeeee vegetable in the German winter kitchen. I mainly use it for making stuffed cabbage, but your recipe sounds like mega fun.

    And yes, we had butternut pumpkin also yesterday in the form of vegan waffles. Delicious! ;-)))

  • Reply nicole January 17, 2011 at 9:52 am

    more food posts! love them. i just made roasted butternut squash, fennel, shallots and garlic and tossed it with fresh spinach, olive oil, brown rice past, and nutritional yeast. heaven. somehow i still haven’t tried kale chips, despite hearing about them everywhere for the past year. i’ll try your recipe this week.

  • Reply Louis-Pierre (lp°) January 17, 2011 at 9:52 am

    Love your blog, I’ve been following for a long time.
    I make the same chips but instead of kale I use Rapini’s… you should try it.
    My kids love it… that’s always a good sign!

    • Anna @ D16 January 17, 2011 at 10:10 am

      By rapini, do you mean broccoli rabe? (this stuff) I’ve never seen anything else with the name rapini (both names are used interchangeably depending on the part of the US you’re in), but if you’re in another country it means something else…?

      Just curious, since I can’t imagine how you’d make “chips” out of something resembling broccoli!

    • Louis-Pierre (lp°) January 17, 2011 at 6:28 pm

      Yes it’s what you have on the picture link, in my original “Montréal French” we call them rapini’s like in Italy. I detach the leaves and cook separately. You can do it as well with fresh spinach 🙂 Sometime as soon as they come out, I sparkle some Parmigianino or Romano.

    • Anna @ D16 January 17, 2011 at 6:49 pm

      Goodness, that sounds like a tiny amount of food! I cook an entire pound of kale at once. Six or seven leaves off a head of broccoli rabe are just going to make me crabby. 😉

  • Reply Rachell January 17, 2011 at 10:12 am

    I have/will always love/d butter nut squash. Just by itself, with couscous, blended and used as pasta sauce, made into a soup, blended with bread crumbs and apples for stuffing….

    Yum.

    I am still working on getting around to making kale chips. I really want to!

  • Reply yves January 17, 2011 at 10:43 am

    I love your blog, but please learn the usage of I and me. You’re starting to sound like the housewives of Bravo.

    • Anna @ D16 January 17, 2011 at 10:57 am

      You’re right, I did make a mistake! I am a terrible writer with the grammatical skills of a dinner plate.

      Thanks for pointing it out. Now I can go back to recording auto-tuned dance music and getting Botox injections.

    • Lindsay January 17, 2011 at 12:15 pm

      Hah! Ok, not only do you suggest yummy food that I should definitely be making (and, of course, have a house that I drool over), but you are also officially hilarious! 🙂

      (and how DARE you make a mistake!! heh – people are crazy sometimes)

    • Anna @ D16 January 17, 2011 at 4:21 pm

      I don’t watch any of those Real Housewives shows, but I’m aware enough of the personalities on them to know that I am pretty much the polar opposite. 😉

  • Reply Dawn January 17, 2011 at 12:56 pm

    Thank you for yet another informative piece, Anna. Shame on the cowards who post negative responses. I question whether these same individuals would have the gall to confront you in real life sans the convenient benefit of internet anonymity. I applaud you for addressing the issue of the rug in an honest and dignified fashion.

    • Anna @ D16 January 17, 2011 at 4:18 pm

      They come and they go…what can you do, you know? I feel very proud of the fact that the comments on my blog are 99% respectful–not just of me, but of other commenters. I’m an advocate of general decency in real life, and I see no reason why that shouldn’t extend the to internet as well. 🙂

    • Dawn January 18, 2011 at 1:15 pm

      A genuine bravo to you, Anna. Also, I think I speak for all of your devoted readers when I say that we are far too busy relishing the wise and wonderful content of your blog to even take notice of any grammatical faux pas.

  • Reply tracy January 17, 2011 at 1:23 pm

    Hi- I’m back again! We also grind up our kale chips and sprinkle them over popcorn!! They are really good over a white bean soup too!

    • Anna @ D16 January 17, 2011 at 4:23 pm

      Yeah, I saw the kale popcorn on Smitten Kitchen!! Popcorn is probably my favorite food ever, so the thought of combining it with kale pretty much has me drooling all over myself.

  • Reply yves January 17, 2011 at 6:20 pm

    I really didn’t mean to be negative. Your blog is so lovely and your attention to detail is what I love about it, so the I/me thing just really bugged me. The Bravo reference wasn’t aimed at you, but more towards a public acceptance of things that are popular but wrong.

    • Anna @ D16 January 17, 2011 at 6:43 pm

      Since you criticized my grammar, I’m going to go ahead and criticize your etiquette. How’s that? In the future, I would suggest one of the following three options the next time you feel compelled to leave a comment about a single grammatical error on someone’s personal blog:

      1. If you truly feel you must note the correction, do so in a tactful way. For example, “I know it might seem minor, but I couldn’t help noticing that you made a mistake in your use of pronouns in your post” is a nice lead in, followed by the corrected sentence. That way, instead of just coming across like an asshole, you will at least sound like a helpful person.

      2. Contact the blog owner privately. Unless you have a driving need to publicly humiliate and insult people, that’s a much nicer route. Of course, I would take option #1 into consideration when composing the email. Nobody likes a smartass, even in private.

      3. If you have absolutely nothing else to contribute to a discussion of the subject of the post (in this case, recipes for roasted butternut squash and kale chips), let it go. Move on. Especially if you’ve never commented on the blog before. The phrase “nobody’s perfect” maybe be slightly hackneyed, but it’s a good thing to remember as you trudge your way through life.

      (And by the way, you have got to be kidding me. You didn’t mean to be negative? The Bravo reference wasn’t aimed at me? Please. If you’re going to use words with the intention of shaming someone, at least own them and believe in them. If I completely misinterpreted your earlier comment, that’s a sign that you have piss-poor communication skills, not that I need to improve my reading comprehension.)

    • Alicia January 17, 2011 at 6:56 pm

      Actually I commend you for venturing that it ought to be “myself.” I would have never caught that, and gone with “Evan and me,” even though “myself” does seem to be the best option! I’m not being sarcastic at all when I say I feel like I actually learned something, but how dare someone be so negative about such an insignificant mistake, as though you aren’t amazing articulate and intelligent and know no better. Shame.

    • Anna @ D16 January 17, 2011 at 7:00 pm

      I’m actually feeling pretty proud of myself right now, so maybe I should thank yves for being such a lame-o! 😉

      I love grammar and language in general, so it is embarrassing to make a little errors like that. Ironically, I was JUST explaining this particular rule to a friend LAST NIGHT, so obviously I know better.

      I have no problem at all having errors pointed out to me (everyone makes mistakes!), but there’s a right way and a wrong way, you know?

    • Anna @ D16 January 17, 2011 at 6:48 pm

      Oh, and by the way—are you sure it should be “me”? I’m pretty sure I should have used the reflexive pronoun (“myself”) in this case.

      I love your comments, but please learn the usage of me and myself. You’re starting to sound like the cast of Jersey Shore.

    • kate. January 18, 2011 at 3:33 am

      Hi, Anna. Long-time listener, first-time caller. 🙂

      I have had lots of fights with my dissertation supervisor about grammar and the changing rules in modern American English. And as much as I want Yves to be wrong just because level of snark (and personal criticism) in the comment, s/he is right. 🙁

      Here, it is less about reflexive pronouns and more about the (compound) indirect object. We can parse the sentence as following:

      “I” (subject)
      “really delicious lunch” (direct object)
      “Evan and ___” ([compound] indirect object)

      The problem lies in the (compound) indirect object. If the indirect object were singular, you would be correct in using the self-reflexive “myself” as the indirect object pronoun if you had prepared the butternut squash and kale chips just for you.

      However, since you prepared it for Evan + Anna, this is a compound (or two-part) indirect object. As such, the compound pronoun defers to the non-reflexive, first-person indirect object pronoun “me.” So, just like in the similar sentence, “Evan gave the ball to me,” “me” is the proper first-person indirect object pronoun. Since you have a compound indirect object, you would also want to use “me.”

      The proper sentence construction would be “I put a really simple, really delicious lunch together for Evan and me.”

      My apologies for the really long (and boring!) explanation. I do hope that it was clear and, more importantly, non-insulting. Your grammar is extremely, extremely fluid, and I enjoy reading your posts precisely because you have such good prose while maintaining a strong authorial voice!

      P.S. I lust after your house. LUST. It’s absolutely perfect. 🙂

    • Anna @ D16 January 18, 2011 at 8:38 am

      Thanks, Kate! Not insulting at all. I’m a big nerd when it comes to grammar and sentence structure (I took five years of Latin in high school, which, though absolutely horrible at the time, seems to have stayed with me over time!), and I actually think it’s really fun to talk about this kind of stuff. 🙂

      I know that rule-wise what you’re saying here is absolutely correct, but as modern English-geeks are reminded over and over again, sometimes what’s “correct” is actually what sounds right, even if it’s technically wrong. It’s that non-rule that always makes me hesitate in situations like this. With compound indirect objects, I was taught to use the trick of taking out the second/third-person to determine the correct pronoun…which, as you pointed out, would be “myself” in this case. I know you’re right here, though (and if I’d been paying attention when I wrote this post originally, I would have used “me”…but people make mistakes!), which is what’s killing me. I want the “trick” to work!

      Well, I suppose as long as nobody burned their kale chips, the post was good enough. Right? 😉

      Thank you!! (And my house isn’t perfect, either, but that’s totally okay!)

  • Reply Darbi January 17, 2011 at 6:50 pm

    Yet another kale chip newbie here! I had never heard of them, but made them tonight.
    WOW! we loved them!
    I already had something in the oven at 450, so I cooked them at 450 for 10 minutes and they we delicious~ crispy and a little golden. I’m going to make some more tomorrow.
    Thanks!

  • Reply Emma Jay January 17, 2011 at 7:11 pm

    Like many other people who’ve left comments, I keep meaning to try these kale chips and always forget! They looks so utterly delicious. Would be nice to make a dip from the roasted squash and dip the kale chips in, hey? MMMMM. I’m doing that TODAY.

    By the way, ‘yves’, who gives a fuck about me/I/myself?! If one exceedingly minor mistake annoys you that much that you need to comment on it, perhaps you need to think about getting some sort of life?

    • Anna @ D16 January 17, 2011 at 7:17 pm

      Okay, okay, everyone back in their corners, let’s not let this get ugly. 😉

      Back on topic…KALE CHIPS!!! Kale chips will fix everything. (I think they’re probably too fragile to use with dip, but give it a shot!)

  • Reply CapreeK January 17, 2011 at 7:27 pm

    Me, Myself, and I would love to try this recipe! Jeebus knows I need to eat more vegetables.

  • Reply EFT Therapy January 17, 2011 at 7:36 pm

    This dish looks very fine and delicious!

  • Reply Sara January 17, 2011 at 7:41 pm

    Love your food posts. In fact, your veggie chili has become a staple in our house — my husband BEGGING for it if I go more than a couple of weeks without making it! I’ve never heard of kale chips. I love kale, so will definitely be trying this sometime soon.

    Thanks for such an entertaining and informative blog!

  • Reply Grumble Girl January 17, 2011 at 8:09 pm

    I was just thinking this weekend how I should try making kale chips… and here they are. Gorgeous. I’ll try them this weekend, maybe… yummy!

  • Reply Juli January 17, 2011 at 8:22 pm

    Sometimes food is a nice break from house. We can only do so much with our homes!!! I am going to make this soon. Yum.

  • Reply Bethany Joy January 17, 2011 at 8:35 pm

    How do you know when a butternut squash is ripe?

  • Reply Lori E. January 17, 2011 at 9:02 pm

    This whole discussion made me laugh. At myself! 🙂 After the whole grammar lesson from Mr. Negatory, I re-read the post and still couldn’t figure out what the heck he was talking about. It all sounded fine to me! 🙂 And dare I admit I watch the “Housewives” at times? Me likes some brain candy!! About the cow rug… I have always thought making shoes, purses, etc out of cow hide is like the ultimate in recycling. The poor cow already had to give his life so might as well not let it ALL be in vain. Just MY thoughts on it. I am sure there are many that would disagree! And, kale chips and dip. LOVE that thought!

    • Anna @ D16 January 18, 2011 at 12:38 am

      Shoot, if the Housewives make you feel happy, who am I to judge? I had to mostly cut myself off from reality TV a while back because it was making me feel bad about…well, about everything, but I definitely understand the appeal. (I do still watch Project Runway and RuPaul’s Drag Race, though!)

      I totally understand what you’re saying about the rug, and on one hand I agree…but on the other hand, we all know the cow didn’t “give his life”—it was taken from him in the most horrible and inhumane way possible. I know that the entire meat industry is incredibly wasteful of natural resources and endangers the lives of human workers within it. Plus, the process used in tanning leather is environmentally horrible, further compounding the problem. That said, yes, of course it’s better to see the entire animal being used (which is not the case in the fur industry), but we can’t kid ourselves into thinking the process is anything like what we learned in 3rd grade about Native Americans using all parts of the buffalo, you know?

      But there’s the rug on my floor, and there are leather shoes on my feet (well, they’re in my closet right now, but you get the point!). I grapple with whether to continue buying leather shoes (what’s the environmental impact of producing PVC-based substitutes? And if a good-quality pair of leather boots lasts me for over a decade, isn’t that better than having to continually replace shoes made from a less durable material? I don’t know…), or if I’m “glamorizing” cowhide rugs or sheepskins by having them in my house if I’m going to share pictures of them on the internet?

      I dunno. But I’m trying to figure it out, and I’m not going to let these questions get in the way of my commitment to having a vegan diet.

  • Reply Jennifer January 17, 2011 at 9:46 pm

    I agree with Lori. However, I can see why someone who is vegan or otherwise would want nothing to do with leather and such at all. If you already own these things, you should definitely not trash them, at least donate them to someone else. Also go Anna for tellin’ it like it is (sassy finger wag)! Also I did make kale chips with nutritional yeast and they were great! Thanks!

    • Anna @ D16 January 18, 2011 at 12:41 am

      I made them with nutritional yeast last night (yes, I made kale chips twice in one day!!), and YUM!!! So good. Like Michelle (above) suggested, I put the nooch on before baking, and it didn’t burn. 🙂

  • Reply Dan @ Manhattan Nest January 17, 2011 at 10:06 pm

    KALE CHIPS are totally where it’s at. Even my 54 year old carnivorous vegetable-phobic-eats-like-a-child father loved them.

    Re: grammar… I feel like I just saw you do three snaps in the z-formation and the mental image makes me really happy. Don’t worry, I just print and read your posts with a red pen in hand, but I keep that habit to myself.

    • Anna @ D16 January 18, 2011 at 12:42 am

      Believe me, if I tried to do a Z-snap, everyone in the room would immediately die of embarrassment on my behalf.

  • Reply juliet January 17, 2011 at 11:59 pm

    Don’t worry about the food posts! I love them and they’re helping me stay inspired to eat healthy!

  • Reply chrispito January 17, 2011 at 11:59 pm

    YUMMY! Hell, blog about food all you like, it looks great!

  • Reply dab / old brand new January 18, 2011 at 2:27 am

    I think all the food stuff compliments your blog nicely. The butternut kale looks scrumptious. You keep doing your thing, whether it’s glamorizing animal rugs or leather books, because you rock.

    and DAYAM, I / ME girl got served! You crack me up silly.

  • Reply Melanie January 18, 2011 at 5:01 am

    Kale chips are AMAZING. Thanks for sharing your method!

  • Reply PhillyLass January 18, 2011 at 9:10 am

    Okay, you’ve convinced me! I’ve avoided kale for, well, my whole life. But my big resolution for 2011 is to be more mindful about my eating and to gradually substitute healthy whole foods for the processed stuff that is so horrible for my body and the environment. I’m going to give kale a fair shake! Erm, but what is the big idea behind this nutritional yeast everyone is talking about? I’ve only ever thought of yeast in the context of baking bread. Do you basically sprinkle it around like salt to add a dash of flavor?

    And what’s with all the snark on a friendly thread about sharing recipes? Don’t readers know by now that this is a hate-free, drama-free, spam-free zone? Don’t like Anna’s cow skin rug? Don’t like that she makes the occasional error of grammar like everyone else? Then don’t frequent her blog. It’s not complicated.

    • Anna @ D16 January 18, 2011 at 10:34 am

      Nutritional yeast (aka “nooch”) is totally different from the yeast you would for baking! For starters, it’s not active, and it won’t make your bread rise! Here’s a good description of what it is and what’s good about it. It gives foods a nice nutty, cheesy taste—sort of like Parmesan cheese. You can sprinkle it on food or use it to make sauces or put it in smoothies…it’s really versatile!

      (And I’ve gotta say that I think I have the nicest, friendliest commenters in all of blogland here at D16, so I’m not going to let a couple of crabapples ruin my day!)

    • Valerie January 18, 2011 at 12:05 pm

      Where can you find nutritional yeast? I’ve seen it mentioned plenty of times on blogs that I read, but I have no idea where to find it! I decided to become vegetarian recently and I’m trying to ease my way into veganism in the near future as well, but I didn’t realize there were so many soy-based substitutes for animal products; is nutritional yeast actually a yeast or is it also soy-based?

      Also, I sympathize with your cow skin rug dilemma. I’m going through a similar issue. I became vegetarian for a variety of reasons (animal treatment/environment/health) but I’m not sure that tossing away a whole bunch of my belongings is a good thing for the environment. I could give them to charity, but then I’m left with the problem of spending money to replace perfectly good items. Isn’t that wasteful as well? And, like you mentioned above, I’m not so sure it’s all that great to replace my items made from animals with items made from plastic (which is also bad for the environment)!

      Of course, the more you think about things like this, the harder the dilemma gets! I should probably just try to get my diet right first 🙂

    • Anna @ D16 January 18, 2011 at 2:35 pm

      Nutritional yeast is real yeast (not soy!), but it’s inactive. Here’s a good description of what it is. You can buy it at any health food store or at Whole Foods. Trader Joe’s probably has it too (I don’t know for sure), and any grocery store with a health food/”natural” section will probably also have it. It looks like yellow fish food!

      I don’t use a lot of soy substitutes, actually. Check out the comments on this post about my new favorite cookbook. 🙂

    • PhillyLass January 18, 2011 at 10:17 pm

      Thanks. That link is super helpful. I’ll give it a go.

  • Reply Essie January 18, 2011 at 10:51 am

    I’m a little afraid to try the kale chips. I have a mild fear of really green leafy things (spinach, kale, umm…oi, I can’t think of the other one off the top of my head) but I appreciate the health benefits. I may have to just go for it this week though. It won’t kill me.

    • Essie January 18, 2011 at 10:55 am

      Swiss Chard! My coffee just now kicked in.

    • Anna @ D16 January 18, 2011 at 11:10 am

      Consider kale a stepping stone to Swiss chard and mustard greens! I love them all, but I think kale and collard greens are probably the most easily palatable to the greatest number of people.

    • Anna @ D16 January 18, 2011 at 11:08 am

      What’s the worst that can happen, right? They’re really easy to make, and you never know…you might wind up with a new favorite snack!

      Evan used to be an avowed veggie-phobe, but he’s actually become a leafy green fiend in the last few years. I think it just comes down to learning how to prepare the stuff in an appealing way. One childhood experience with pile of soggy spinach can traumatize you for life. 😉

  • Reply Becky January 18, 2011 at 10:52 am

    I was just craving kale chips the other day! What a crazy coincidence. Kale is fantastic – I have no idea why it’s often times so hard to find in some of the grocery stores near me. I have to drive out to a big box store just to get it for a reasonable price, and even then it’s difficult. Anyway, fantastic food and fantastic pictures!

  • Reply dew i January 18, 2011 at 1:12 pm

    Thank you Anna.
    KALE CHIPS ROCK!
    Satisfies my crunchy-salty carving. I just finished making these for the first time.
    I’m on Weight Watchers and this is beyond perfect.

  • Reply Rose January 18, 2011 at 5:34 pm

    Then I made some kale/
    now I’m a believer!

    I just made the kale chip recipe. I only made half a bunch b/c I didn’t know if I would like it. Good thing- I ate the whole pan full. OMG! So delicious…Thanks for sharing it with us.

  • Reply Sara January 18, 2011 at 5:54 pm

    Oh YUM. Just made the Kale chips – didn’t have lemon, but it still is really good! Maybe my kids will even have some??? Always trying to find a new way to shove veggies down them!

  • Reply kelly January 18, 2011 at 7:47 pm

    Wow Anna, I have to give you credit for replying back to so many of the comments you received. I know this takes alot of time to do and it really shows how much you truly appreciate the feedback you get from your readers. If I were you, I would pay no attention to the comments on your grammar, your posts are fun and creative and always visually appealing, if people really want to dissect your posts so much, then I think they have completely lost sense of what your blog is all about. Keep it up, we all appreciate you!

  • Reply Bethany Joy January 18, 2011 at 8:33 pm

    YUM. I just made the squash and it was delicious! I only wish I had made more. 🙂

  • Reply Tricia January 19, 2011 at 12:18 am

    I LOVE Kale, and trust me, I know how hard it is to convice others of how yummy it is. I was watching something on tv that showed you how to de-stalk your kale and it blew my mind. Just hold the end of the stalk in your right hand, then with your left hand, grab the end of the leaves and pull. The leaf comes right off the stalk! It sounds so stupid and trivial, but it makes prep a breeze!!! Just thought I would pass it on!!

  • Reply Pam January 19, 2011 at 12:44 am

    Okay, besides the fact that the kale LOOKS delicious and my stomach started to growl the moment I saw the photos, the comments alone have convinced me that if I don’t try kale chips then I have not yet lived. Definitely trying BOTH recipes this weekend. Thanks, Anna.

  • Reply Diane January 19, 2011 at 2:16 am

    I’ve never tried kale chips before, but I’m totally going to now. I do like to eat roasted laver (seaweed) like chips, though. You can buy it at most Asian grocery stores (those with a Japanese or Korean influence to them). You get a package with a bunch of sheets of the roasted laver seasoned with a bit of oil (usually sesame) and salt. Then you just cut up the sheets with a pair of scissors – insta chips!

    I personally think they’re mighty delicious, but I could see how they might be an acquired taste. I grew up eating them with rice (Korean mother), but my very Mountain Man father finds them to be repulsive. More for me!

  • Reply Mary Maru January 19, 2011 at 2:22 am

    I tried kale chips for the first time recently and didn’t realize how easy they are to make. Thanks for the recipe!

  • Reply kbd January 19, 2011 at 9:31 am

    hi Anna, love your blog so much I put you on my blog!
    http://southofthesahara.blogspot.com/2011/01/skinny-in-new-york.html

    Thanks for the constant inspiration!

  • Reply Emily Fitzhugh January 19, 2011 at 12:56 pm

    It’s official. I am making this tonight. What a great recipe. Also boy am I keeping that both are perfect side dishes. Love it.

  • Reply elissa @ faucethead January 19, 2011 at 1:00 pm

    i must try those kale chips. how simple! thanks for sharing.

  • Reply Adam January 20, 2011 at 8:10 am

    I am going to try these kale chips! They are not something I would ever have thought of before but they look delicious!

  • Reply elisabeth January 20, 2011 at 10:08 am

    Hi Anna!

    So happy to see that your blog is once again nominated for the Homies over at AT. I think that with all of your fab food posts, your blog could also be in one of the food categories. I personally love the food posts.

    And, well done at defending your blog turf…..not trying to stir the pot but as a blogger and long time blog reader, I have noticed that folks come here more so than other places and make rude comments. You may be a “nerd” but you are a force to be reckoned with.

    • Anna @ D16 January 20, 2011 at 10:13 am

      Oh, I didn’t even know they were doing the Homies again! Neat.

      I’m confused by the second part of your comment, though. Did you really mean to say that people make rude comments more here than on other blogs? I’m really surprised to read that, only because I’m pretty sure I can count on one hand (or maybe one and a half…) the number of times I’ve received off-base remarks here. I don’t even consider it a problem at all. I’ve been very lucky in that regard!

      Maybe it just seems like a lot because of the volume of comments?

      I care a lot about keeping the tone here civil, so I apologize if my blog comes across as being a forum that encourages anything other than that. You can always feel free to email me if you feel there’s a comment that’s inappropriate or offensive that I may have missed!

    • elisabeth January 20, 2011 at 10:19 am

      Well, I have seen more here than I have at others…..maybe I just read tame blogs where folks don’t get riled up by anything anyone posts. Not to say that it is a lot or common, but more than I am used to seeing (not counting places like AT). You have a v. loyal and devoted following. Me included.

  • Reply galiana street January 20, 2011 at 10:57 am

    I adore your blo, your home and your photos!
    I gift you an stylish blogger award in my blog!
    BIg KiSSs
    ***

  • Reply April January 20, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    Can’t wait to try the kale chips! Thanks for sharing!

  • Reply Lonely Wife Project January 20, 2011 at 5:37 pm

    Kale is one of my absolute favorites and we get it almost every week in our CSA box. I’m going home and immediately to make chips! Also, thanks for the book recommendation. Going to Amazon now!

  • Reply Jaimie January 23, 2011 at 10:35 am

    Wow, grammar drama. Those kale chips look yummy. I’ve been making a lot of boiled kale lately, but I’ll have to try these.

  • Reply Kati at sohappyhome.com January 23, 2011 at 4:57 pm

    Ok, I JUST made your recipe… fanTAStic! I admit to never having had kale chips before, but I’m a convert now. Thank you for sharing! I think design and food go hand in hand – I see no reason why you shouldn’t share all of your passions with your eager followers. Oh, and by the way, nutritional yeast (we grew up calling it brewer’s yeast, though I think that’s an actual other thing) is amazing on popcorn. With a bit of freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt… yummm! (And I love the blog, too, the occasional disputable grammar question included. Thank you for writing and sharing your home/ideas with us! xoxo)

    • Anna @ D16 January 23, 2011 at 5:25 pm

      Just in case anyone comes across this comment, I feel compelled to reiterate that brewer’s yeast is COMPLETELY different from nutritional yeast, and the two are NOT interchangeable. Brewer’s yeast is quite bitter, and you probably don’t want to be sprinkling it on popcorn or kale chips. 😉

  • Reply Jo January 23, 2011 at 10:01 pm

    Anna,
    I love your blog, and though I was skeptical, I made the kale chips. Delicious! Thank you for posting the recipe. When one is trying to eat local foods in season, this is one of the most difficult seasons. Kale is perfect for January! (So is winter squash).
    Thanks again.

  • Reply Elena January 24, 2011 at 10:11 pm

    Anna, I am a long time reader, first time commenting. Let me just tell you those kale chips were fantastic. Even my four-year-old son loved them. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I love you blog so much…

    • Anna @ D16 January 24, 2011 at 11:42 pm

      I’m a BIG fan of 4-year-olds eating kale!! That’s awesome. 🙂

  • Reply Sara January 25, 2011 at 1:22 pm

    Oh dear I tried but I think the oven was too hot as mine were very bitter and brown (I only did 10 mins). I will try again though as they sound delicious.

    • Anna @ D16 January 25, 2011 at 1:32 pm

      It could have been the kale, actually. If the plant was very mature when it was cut, the leaves may be more bitter than with a younger plant. Try buying a bunch of kale from another source and see if that helps!

  • Reply Katherine January 30, 2011 at 6:26 pm

    Thank you so much for posting the kale recipe! It is the total craze at our house right now, I think we have make it every other day. There is no other blog out there other then yours that always seems to have a great gem that enriches my life, thank you yet again Anna, I really appreciate what you do!

    • Anna @ D16 January 30, 2011 at 7:47 pm

      Yay! That makes me happy, Katherine. 🙂

  • Reply Amma February 6, 2011 at 10:30 pm

    I never heard of Kale chips before so I tried to make them but they tasted really bitter. I love greens but I could not eat them at all. Is there any way to get the bitterness out of Kale?

    • Anna @ D16 February 6, 2011 at 11:18 pm

      Amma, if the kale was bitter, it was probably picked when it was too old. Young kale should not have any bitterness. I would try buying a different type of kale or getting it from a different source.

  • Reply Kate February 27, 2011 at 5:01 pm

    LOVED the kale chips, Anna! I made them for an Oscar party today and ended up having to make a second batch before the guests even arrived as I ate most of the first batch myself. Thanks for sharing your recipe so that the masses can fall in love with kale!

  • Reply Schuyler March 7, 2011 at 8:48 pm

    Made both recipes last night and they were dee-lish! Added a little brown sugar to the butternut squash and ate it as a healthy desert. Thanks so much for posting these simple but oh so yummy recipes!

  • Reply Marie-H October 2, 2011 at 11:41 am

    Thank you for the recipe and idea for kale chips, Anna! I tried them for the first time last night, and they were perfectly crunchy and delicious. There’s one thing I noticed. I made one batch on an uncovered baking sheet, the other one had a mat on it; the latter came out perfect, while the first had a slight burnt flavor to them. Next time I’ll use two mats!

  • Reply Kate November 29, 2012 at 8:07 pm

    So I am going to make this tomorrow evening, for a second Thanksgiving celebration on Saturday.
    I was searching for a recipe combining squash & kale…I am planning to roast the squash as you recommended. I am wondering if i should saute’ the kale, so it isn’t too crispy? I have never made kale chips before. Would it work all mixed together? Or should I just do a garlic saute’ and mix once both are cooked?

  • Reply Heather April 4, 2021 at 6:15 am

    Still referencing this in 2021!

  • Leave a Reply to Kate Cancel Reply

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