When you have the munchies for something crunchy, Kale Crisps may fit the bill.
Kale Crisps are a refreshing treat to wake up your taste buds and satisfy your craving for a snack that is both light and crunchy.
The secret to this Kale dish is in its preparation. With a little salt and coconut oil, ghee or olive oil for garnish, this alternative to potato crisps offers both satisfaction and a fuller spectrum of flavour than traditional crisps. Because we are using a good quality oil, that will not oxidise, it is also much better for you.
Satisfying the need to crunch
Ayurveda talks about our need for all six tastes to be present in order to feel satisfied with a meal. It also talks about the need to have different textures in a meal, such as having something smooth and unctuous, as well as something chewy and something dry. We also sometimes just need that crunchy feeling.
That feeling of roughness that comes from foods, such as crisps and biscuits, can satisfy that need. If we naturally have a lot of Kapha in our system, or if it is Kapha season, that cold, heavy, unctuous quality of Kapha can stimulate the need for light and rough textures in our food to bring back balance.
Kale Crisps can redeem our crunchy cravings. The desire for something crispy can be condemned as an unwelcome temptation, often because it is associated with diving into a pack of biscuits or crisps, both of which may be highly processed, fattening and can contain bad oils.
But there are other crunchy foods, like kale and celery, that are unprocessed and very health promoting.
The enlivening bitter flavour of kale, along with its crisp quality, helps breaks up any stagnant, thick Kapha that may have accumulated in your body. In the process, it can also help stimulate your circulation. Kapha and Pitta benefit the most from this snack. The drying quality of kale can dry out and thereby overstimulate Vata, if eaten too often.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Kale (increases Vata, decreases Pitta, decreases Kapha)
- 1 tbsp Coconut oil or Ghee (decreases Vata, decreases Pitta, increases Kapha)
- 1 tsp Black Salt or Rock Salt (decreases Vata, pacifying, increases Pitta, increases Kapha)
Recipe:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- After removing the thick stems from the kale leaves, tear them into pieces and place in a large bowl
- Melt the Coconut Oil or Ghee
- Using a wooden spoon (or your fingers), mix together the kale leaves with the salt and the melted oil.
- Spread the leaves evenly on a baking tray.
- Bake the leaves for 10-15 minutes, until they turn slightly brown (but not burnt).
- Garnish with ground coriander or toasted sesame seeds (optional).
