Cravings is one of the biggest road block to healthy eating. But I say: listen to your gut instinct. There’s something so satisfying about the crunch, the richness and the saltiness when you bite into a potato chip. I have to admit can’t never just eat one.
Why do we crave potato chips?
First, there’s the salt. Sodium, commonly consumed in form of table salt (sodium chloride), is an essential nutrient. Our physiology is designed to maintain a certain level of sodium in our blood to regulate blood pressure and muscle function. Our taste buds are also designed to find the salty taste pleasurable, which is a smart way to ensure this vital mineral is consumed regularly.
But this evolutionary adaptation can lead to consuming too much salt and cause increased risk of hypertension and heart disease. This adaptation can also be confusing. Many minerals have a salty taste and our body will continue to want salt until the other minerals are balanced. (Read this post on how to balance salt cravings)
Second, there’s the fat. After the initial crunch and saltiness is gone, the fat in potato chips produces a warm, gooey sensation that is linked to satisfaction and pleasure. A regular deep fried potato chip is deep fried in vegetable oil. Good oil goes bad during this process because the heat and oxygen turns polyunsaturated fats into trans fats.
Third, there’s the carb. Potato chips contains simple carbohydrates which spikes the feel-good endorphin and serotonin release and our blood sugar, but only lead to an energy crash shortly after.
This simple recipe is not only a quick fix for the potato chip craving but it’s loaded with minerals which help to reduce cravings for salty snacks.
Kale is a super green. You should love kale as much as it loves you:
-Kale is the perfect stress snack: rich in B vitamins that support your adrenal glands and rich in relaxing mineral magnesium
-Kale is good for your immune system: rich in vitamin A which heals the gut mucosa and rich in vitamin C which help the body fend off bacteria and microbes
-Kale is good for your bone health: contains more calcium than milk per calorie and rich in bone-building minerals
This energizing snack takes less than 30 min to prepare. It’s cheesy, crispy and you will become a proud addict of kale. Two words: worth it.
Cheesy Kale Chips
Perfect for the potato chip fix! Cheesy, crispy and packed with stress-fighting nutrients.
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
1 large bunch of kale (150g)
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cajun spice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp pink Himalayan salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Tear kale leaves from the stem into bite-size pieces and place them into a large mixing bowl.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in another bowl until well combined.
Pour the tahini mixture over kale and gently massage until evenly coated. Add a good does of vitamin L (L for love) by massaging the tahini sauce into the kale.
Spread the kale evenly onto the lined baking sheets. Make sure to have only one layer of the kale so these chips can dry evenly.
Bake for 10-12 min, flip the kale and bake for another 10 min until the kale pieces begin to crisp on the edges.
Remove from the oven and cool.
Notes
Although I doubt there will be any leftovers, these kale chips are good in an air-tight container for 2-3 days. The recipe idea is inspired by many bloggers.