We have some large and very happy kale plants growing in one of the beds of the summer camp/ after school playground. These kale plants survived through the snow and cold of last winter and will likely thrive this fall and winter too. Kale actually tastes better after a frost by converting some of it’s starch into sugar, Mother Nature’s version of antifreeze.
Kale harvesters
I’ve shown the children how to harvest kale by snipping the lower, larger leaves with scissors and letting the smaller ones on the top continue to grow. They are fast becoming expert kale gardeners.
Prepping kale leaves
Once the kale has been harvested, we bring it inside to prep it for kale chips. No knives are needed so this is an easy task for any age. Holding the stem, you rip the leaves off. Stems are put in our compost outside. The leaves are further torn into smaller pieces.
Kale leaves, ready for the oven.
I take the leaves to the kitchen, gently rinse and blot them dry. They are then placed on parchment paper on a large baking tray, a cookie sheet would work nicely at home. Rub the kale leaves down with a small amount of oil, add a sprinkle of salt and put them into a preheated 300 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. They are done when light and crispy, not soggy.
Kale chips are best eaten immediately. When a bowl of kale chips appears in the summer camp classroom fresh out of the oven, it disappears quickly!
Try them at home, they are sure to be a hit! You can also experiment with adding a sprinkle of garlic powder, onion powder or even some smoked paprika.