Author Notes
My daughter and son-in-law are obsessed with Southwestern Cool Ranch chips, which cost a king's ransom. I set out to find a recipe to make them -- minus the aforementioned king's ransom. I found some southwestern and some cool ranch variations, but none were both, none were what they wanted. Boldly going where no mother/mother-in-law had gone before, I made something up. After a number of tries, I seem to have gotten it right. I got the basic idea from the ingredients list on the back of a bag of their favorite chips, experimenting with ingredients and proportions till they suited. Although any kind of kale would probably be ok here, I've found curly leafed works best. (Although these are chips, my family also uses them instead of croutons for salad.)
—louisez
Ingredients
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1 bunch
curly leafed kale, rib/stem removed, leaves torn into pieces
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4 tablespoons
lemon juice
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4 tablespoons
nutritional yeast
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1 tablespoon
sugar or agave
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1/4 teaspoon
garlic powder
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1/4 cup
minced fresh or 2 Tbs.dried parsley
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1 teaspoon
dried dill weed
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1/2 teaspoon
onion powder
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1/4 teaspoon
cumin
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1/2 teaspoon
pepper
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1/2 teaspoon
coarse or sea salt
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1/2 teaspoon
smoked paprika
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1/4 teaspoon
oregano
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1/4 teaspoon
chipotle powder or ground ancho chili powder
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1 cup
raw cashews
Directions
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Soak cashews in hot water to cover for two hours. Drain. Put into food processor with everything except kale. Process till smooth (you may need to add a few Tbs. water). Add to kale in large bowl, mixing with your fingers to coat the leaves.
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Place on dehydrator trays ( I use a Nesco dehydrator and use perforated tray liners as well). Dehydrate at 115 for 8-12 hours (it's impossible to give a precise time -- you need to check as you go. It could take more or less time. You can also use a higher temperature if you choose and adjust time accordingly.) Do not store till completely dry and chip-like and cool.
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