Soilint Green Kale Chips, It's People! (Eating Greens)

*Disclaimer* This brief post may contain references to an obscure movie from the 60's in which a future world is struggling with the greenhouse effect, oceans dying, overpopulation and general unrest. (hmmm) In any case, people were dying to be included in the production of a processed food made from plankton in the sea. I do not condone people dying nor do I condone people eating people. I suggest eating kale instead. It is much better for you.

Definitions:
 Soylent Green- A word derived from the two words "soy" and "lentil" used in a 1960's movie. It refers to a chip used as a kind of ration in a purely futuristic society in which poverty runs rampant, unemployment has reached alarming rates, the greenhouse effect is wreaking havoc and the forests and oceans are dying.
In the end, the star of the movie, Charlton Heston discovers the chips are made out of ground up people.
Soilint Green-A word derived from "soil" and "lint". It is a word that is used in this blog to describe a drab green color, such as greenery mixed with soil or the color of lint sometimes found in one's dryer. Smoothies made with greens often are this color as well as kale when it is baked.
Kale is used today in our society which coincidentally just so happens to suffer from poverty, high unemployment rates, the greenhouse effect, and dying forests and oceans.
In the past, kale has been used as a supplement (grown in government and personal gardens) to the nutritionally lacking rations provided to by the English and US governments during World War II.
In the end, kale chips are healthy treats to make for and along with friends. Don't mistake one soilent green for the other!

The following recipe is a solution. The problem is hunger. Previous chips, the pale yellow ones, the bright orange ones, did not seem to provide a satisfaction that these new, soil colored green chips will. They're earthy, a bit salty, and a lot addictive. It's a recipe made by people, for people.

Kale is a super-green that was consumed commonly in the Old World. Europe, Ancient Roman, Greece, peasants and the upper class all enjoyed kale...
Amazingly, with food shortages so rampant during World War II, growing kale was encouraged because of it's nutritional qualities. It was eaten to supplement the nutritionally lacking rations that were handed out. It was one of the vegetables encouraged to be grown in victory gardens at this time. It's high in phytonutrients, has over 1,000% of vitamin k in one serving as well as many many other vitamins and nutrients. It's almost like it was put here on purpose...by whom, you ask? hmmmm

I have to admit, I love kale. I could make these chips and they will be gone by the end of the day. Once I eat one, I just can't stop.  It's the combination of the olive oil, salt and earthy flavor of the chips. My husband even likes them. (Look past these crazy movie references and the finished color and what you have is an amazingly good snack!)

Kale Chips

One bunch of Kale

Sea Salt

Smoked Paprika

Red Pepper Flakes

Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 350

Remove stems from your kale.

Wash thoroughly, then dry

Tear into bite sized pieces

Coat with the the barest hint of olive oil.

Sprinkle Sea Salt, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes.

The kale is going to shrink down, so be careful not to over-salt.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Check kale, you may need to toss them around a bit on the baking sheet and put them back in the oven a minute or two more until they crisp up and become more of a "soilent" color than a rich green. But keep an eye of them. They will burn easily.

When baked, they have an almost pungent and almost earthy smell. They are best eaten fresh. When they are stored they lose their crispness.

Getting the most out of your kale chips: At your next party, wave the chips in the air and yell "Soylent Green! It's People!!!!"
 I guarantee you will be left alone to enjoy most of the chips to yourself (Which is a good thing. If your friends find out how good they are, you may not have any left for you to enjoy.

*Also, can be used as a treat (or costume) for your next Halloween party*
Lastly, if you choose to store them, do not carry them with you in a baggy. They look pretty darn close to an illegal drug and if you happen to get pulled over, well, just sayin' ....just take whatever precautions you need to and eat more greens!!!!
                                      



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