~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

Cracked Pepper, Sour Cream, and Onion Kale Chips havec some amazing flavors that really fool your taste buds. You first get this incredible hint of sour cream, then you get a hit of onion, but then just when you think you have tasted it all.... the black pepper hits you! I will be making these again and again and again!

I think a key to this recipe is to use fresh ground peppercorns! If you don't have them, that's ok; you can use regular black pepper. But I encourage you to try them with some fresh ground pepper when you can.

Stomach Acid

We all know the importance of stomach acid, right? Hydrochloric acid is necessary for the digestion of proteins and other food components in the stomach. When the body's production of hydrochloric acid is insufficient, food may sit in the stomach for an extended period of time, leading to heartburn or indigestion.

A few years ago, I was seeing some GI specialists due to some digestive issues that I have been struggling with for a long time. After oodles of tests, I sat down in front of the GI doctor, and I asked him if we could test my stomach acid levels... to see if that is why food isn't being digested. He looked me square in the face and said, "There is no need. You don't need stomach acid. In fact, you don't need a stomach. I can just put in an ostomy and bypass everything, and you won't have any more pain." End of conversation, word for word quote. Bob and I sat there too dumbfounded even to respond. I walked out of his office and never returned.

Black Pepper

I sort of got off track here... what I found interesting is that black pepper stimulates the taste buds in such a way that an alert is sent to the stomach to increase hydrochloric acid secretion, thereby improving digestion. I am not stating that it is in the end-all cure-all but if you have come to know a little bit about me... I believe that with every little bite that we partake in, counts towards our overall health! It will never just be "one magic pill or food".... we have to start somewhere, and even it is as small as a grain of pepper... well then at least we are heading in the right direction. :)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked 2+ hours
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp black peppercorns (fresh ground)
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
1 head of curly kale, organic

Preparation:

Kale Prep:

Selecting Kale:
- Don’t use wilted / old kale; it can have a bitter undertone.
- I prefer Curly Kale because all of the folds really hold onto the sauce.
Wash and de-stem your kale.
- Start by washing the kale and blotting it dry. You can also use a salad spinner if you own one.
- Make sure you get as much excess water off of the kale as possible. If you don't, it will make your sauce "soupy." Set aside.
- Starting at the bottom strip away the leaf leaving behind only the stem.
- Tear the remaining leaves into pieces that are a tad larger than bite-size since they tend to shrink.

Sauce Prep:

After soaking the cashews, drain and discard the water.
In a high-powered blender combine the; cashews, water, lemon juice, vinegar, and spices. Blend until the sauce is creamy smooth.
- Due to the volume and the creamy texture that we are going after, it is important to use a high-powered blender. It could be too taxing on a lower-end model.
- Create a vortex in the blender; this will help ensure that the sauce is getting fully blended into a creamy texture.
- What is a vortex? Look into the container from the top and slowly increase the speed from low to high, the batter will form a small vortex (or hole) in the center. High-powered machines have containers that are designed to create a controlled vortex, systematically folding ingredients back to the blades for smoother blends and faster processing... instead of just spinning ingredients around, hoping they find their way to the blades.
- If your machine isn't powerful enough or built to do this, you may need to stop the unit often to scrape down the sides.
- This process can take 1-3 minutes, depending on the strength of the blender. Keep your hand cupped around the base of the blender carafe to feel for warmth. If the batter is getting too warm., stop the machine and let it cool, then proceed once cooled.

Assembly:

Place the torn kale into a very large bowl.
Pour tin the sauce and with your hands gently and evenly coat each piece of kale.
- This is a "hands-on" job. Stirring with a spoon just doesn't do the trick.
- I would suggest removing any jewelry from your fingers. I have temporarily lost a ring here and there.

Dehydrator Method:

Have the dehydrator trays ready by lining them with non-stick teflex or parchment paper.
- Don't use wax paper because food tends to stick to it.
- Spread all the trays out in advance because soon your hands will be covered in sauce and you don't want to get it all over.
Place the kale on the non-stick sheets. You can do this 1 of 2 ways:
- Lay each piece out semi-flat if you want to create individual pieces. More time-consuming and chips tend to a be a little bit more fragile.
- Or, drop clumps of coated kale on the sheets. This will create hardy clusters that are loaded with sauce and flavor. This is my preference.
Dehydrate at 115 degrees (F) for about 6-8 hrs or until dry.
- I tend to pull mine out before it gets 100% dry because I like it a little chewy.
- The dry time is just an estimate. The climate, humidity, dehydrator and how full the machine is can all affect how long it will take to dry.
Store in an airtight glass container and be ready to nibble non-stop till the last crumb is gone!
If the kale chips start taking on some humidity from the house, you can place them back into the dehydrator for a few hours at 115 degrees (F).

Oven Method:

Please use as a guide and closely monitor the kale chips as they cook.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (F), anything higher and risk burning the chips.
Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and place the kale chips on the baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan and bake for another 15 minutes.
- The bake times will vary based on your oven, but it’s a good starting off point!
Once you pull the tray from the oven, allow the chips to cool on the baking sheet.
Store in an airtight glass container and be ready to nibble non-stop till the last crumb is gone!