Kale Chips (Raw Food - Dehydrated)

When I was growing up, veggies were boiled beyond recognition and then buttered into submission; and for a long while that is all I knew. Last year, DH a/k/a "Mr. Wonderful" and I started incorporating more Raw Food into our diets and were pleased with the renewed vitality and strength. Somewhere along in the research for this change in lifestyle, I saw a mention of Kale Chips and their health benefits (vitamins A, C and K; carotenoids that protect eyes from UV rays and cataracts and tons of fiber for happy, healthy innards.) Great! Now, if they're tasty, we've got a deal. I'm here to tell you, we have a great deal!! These tasty little darlings are addictive. DH thinks they are great "football" food!

• Ready In: 7 hrs
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  cup walnuts or 1  cup cashews, soaked for 1 hour and drained
• 1  teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1⁄3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1⁄3 cup water
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  smoked paprika
• 1  pinch cayenne pepper
• 2  bunches kale
•  sea salt

Directions

1. Set walnuts on to soak. They foam a bit, so go ahead and rinse them too.
2. While the walnuts are soaking, wash and trim kale, removing the woody spines and chopping into fairly large pieces (about half the size of your palm). It is OK to "cheat" and purchase the washed, chopped kale. It just speeds the project along. ;D.
3. Load first 7 ingredients (walnuts through pepper) into blender and pulverized into a smooth paste.
4. In a large bowl, combine the kale and walnut mixture, massaging the walnut paste into the little curls of the kale.
5. Line up the chips on the screen of your dehydrator. Sprinkle with sea salt.
6. Dehydrate at 110-115 degrees F for about 5-6 hours. Sampling for doneness allowed, just leave some for the rest of the family!