It took all of my might to not eat them out of the bowl while photographing them.
These chips were made from kale, arugula and mustard greens, fresh from my garden and in amazing abundance, considering so many plants have bolted and are going to seed for the summer growing season. This is my first attempt growing food outdoors and maintaining a garden, and thus, my first experience with more harvest than I could possibly eat in a few days.
Thus, I have utilized my food dehydrator to create this simple, delicious and nutrient dense snack. If you can borrow a friend's dehydrator, or go in on a purchase to share with a community of friends, it's well worth your investment, especially this time of year, when capturing as much as the harvest as you can, is in your best interest. And because these little snacks have been dried, their vital nutrients and enzymes have not been killed by the cooking process, allowing your body to absorb more easily all of the goodness these raw greens have to offer.
What I had on hand:
10-15 kale leaves
5 mustard green leaves
8-10 arugula leaves
1-2 tbs of olive oil
garlic, onion and ghost pepper salt (optional)
nutritional yeast (optional)
What I did:
Pour olive oil in a small bowl. Place dry greens in a bowl. If you wash your greens, send them through a salad spinner or allow them to completely dry before starting. Dip your fingers in the oil and quickly work the oil, massaging it lightly into each green leaf. You may tear the leaves into smaller pieces, but they will tear some on their own. The bigger your pieces, the bigger the chip. Set each oil massaged leaf on the dehydrator tray, until each tray is full. Salt and season lightly. Place in dehydrator at 115 degrees for 4-6 hours, or until "melt in your mouth" crisp! Delicious!
For more information on the health benefits of kale, click on this link:
http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/9-health-benefits-of-kale.html
For more information on the benefits of arugula, click on this link:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/5381-need-health-benefits-arugula/
For more information on the benefits of mustard greens, click on this link:
http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/snacks/dips_and_sauces/benefits_of_mustard_greens.html
