Kale Chips with Smoked Sea Salt

I have always been baffled by the cost of kale chips at the store.  Why would it cost over $4 for a tiny bag of chips that I could probably consume in under 5 minutes?  Because I thought the price was ridiculous, and because I knew I could make them at home for cheaper, I never bought them.  I'm glad I didn't because you can in fact make them at home for so much cheaper, plus, things just taste better when you make them yourself :)

You are in for a treat if you have never had kale chips.  All it takes is a bit of oil and salt and a brief roast in the oven and you have the most beautiful-hued, delicate snacks.  They are so delicate, in fact, that they will melt in your mouth making you want another (...and another...).  If you like chips and salty snacks, these chips are for you.  You can eat the entire batch for pretty much the same amount of calories as a single serving of greasy potato chips.  But, why would you want greasy potato chips when you can have these green beauties instead?!

Kale Chips with Smoked Sea Salt
I used lacinato kale, but any kale you have will work as long as you dry it completely before using it.  Also, if you do not have smoked sea salt or cannot find it, regular sea salt will work just as well.

1 bunch of kale, washed and thoroughly dried
1 tbsp olive oil (or any oil of your choice)
pinch of black pepper
a few pinches of smoked sea salt

Preheat your oven to 300F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Remove the center rib from the kale leaves and discard.  Chop the kale into chip-sized pieces.  Put the kale in a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil.  Sprinkle the pepper over the kale, then toss with your hands until all of the leaves are coated with the oil.  Spread the kale out on your sheet, making sure not to overlap the kale.  Sprinkle the kale with a few pinches of the smoked sea salt.  Bake the kale for 20 to 25 minutes until it crisps up.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the sheet before eating or storing in an airtight container.  Enjoy!