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My name is Lisa Tsakos, Registered Holistic Nutritional Consultant, corporate speaker and author. This blog provides professional advice from a nutrition and weight loss expert (me!) about corporate and family health. Here you'll find recipes and articles that address work-related challenges like eating on-the-go and maximizing your productivity with the right foods. You'll also find out about how you can help your children develop strong immune systems and healthy bodies. As a nutrition instructor, I often found myself thinking, "When I have kids, this is how I will feed them." With two toddlers, I have the opportunity to practice what I have been preaching and to try out my theories. So far, they seem to be working! Follow me on my journey and also on Twitter @NuVitalityHW.

28 Feb 2014

Kale chips with turmeric recipe





You won't find a healthier food than kale, and you definitely won't find a healthier snack than kale chips! 
What you will find, however, is that this recipe is surprisingly quick and easy to prepare (followed by the startling realization that you've been paying $7.99 for a package of kale chips that you can make for a fraction of the cost).

In my seminars lately, I've been talking a lot about the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric. Ayurvedic practitioners have been recommending turmeric as a treatment for arthritis and other forms of inflammation for centuries, but Western medicine is only now appreciating it's benefits. Research indicates that the spice is even more effective than the commonly prescribed arthritis drugs - but without any of the nasty side effects!

This recipe combines the anti-inflammatory powers of turmeric and coconut oil. Nutritional yeast is a rich source of B vitamins (which can help reduce cortisol levels. Cortisol is sometimes the culprit behind inflammation.). You can find nutritional yeast at your local health food or bulk food store. It has a mild cheesy flavour and is sometimes used as a substitute for parmesan cheese. 



Ingredients:
1 bunch kale, torn into pieces, stems removed
1 tbsp. coconut oil (melted)
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. nutritional yeast (optional)
¼ tsp. salt or Himalayan Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°C.
2. Cut the stems off the kale and tear the leaves into potato-chip sized pieces. Place them in a large bowl.
3. Melt the coconut oil and drizzle over the kale. Use your hands to toss the kale, coating the leaves.
4. Sprinkle turmeric over kale and mix well.
5. Place a sheet of parchment paper onto a cookie sheet.
6. Spread the kale on the cookie sheet, spreading the leaves out evenly to avoid overlap.
7. Bake for exactly 10 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and sprinkle nutritional yeast and salt over the kale chips.

I must warn you: these kale chips are addictive! Don't be surprised if you eat them all in one sitting... and if you do, don't worry about it - you just ate an entire head of kale! Not such a bad thing, right?  

2 comments:

  1. OK, so here is my constant dilemma...I know that coconut oil has many benefits...however, it's saturated fat content cannot be disputed. I'm not concerned about the 1 TBSP this recipe call for, but many of my vegan baking recipes call for 1/2 cup +++. Thoughts??

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  2. You aren't the only one with that concern, Melissa! Coconut oil is 65% sat fat. Firstly, research conducted over the past decade has failed to prove that sat fats are a significant factor in cardiovascular disease; in fact, the idea is now considered controversial (good luck convincing Murray). The popular Paleo diet has a lot to do with the current interest in grass-fed beef and high-fat dairy... so it seems that sat fats are back (and now carbs are the problem). Secondly, coconut oil's lauric acid is anti-inflammatory, and some research indicates that it can help reduce inflammation in the arteries. Regardless of the research and trends, my opinion is that it's perfectly safe to use good quality coconut oil in place of other vegetable oils when cooking with high heat and in baking (and on kale chips). As for those who add a couple of tablespoons to their morning smoothies, good luck to them. Only time will tell whether or not that's a good idea!

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