"Cheesy" Kale Chips

"Cheesy" vegan kale chips are one of my favourite snacks. I hate paying $7 for a small bag though. So I turned my Organic Box kale order into these delicious chips with my dehydrator.

I really love kale. I get at least one bunch in my Organic box orders each time. I've made this yummy Spicy Garlic Kale Recipe and these classic oven cooked Kale Chips. Soooo I had to create these ones in the dehydrator! AND it's really good for you. A few of the many benefits are:

• High in calcium, magnesium and vitamin k for strong bones.

• Has multiple antioxidants.

• 1 up has more then 70% of the daily recommended dose of vitamin.

• Is a digestive stimulant.

Firstly before we move on with the recipe, I want to point out that I used a dehydrator but I ALSO used the dehydrator function on my oven, since I had LOTS of kale. Which is basically just having your oven set to about 160 degrees Fahrenheit. I found it took long in the oven then the dehydrator, but I got the same taste and texture.  

Additionally, I want to point out that this is recipe that needs a bit of planning since the cashews should be soaked in water overnight. I have found this method for "soaking" them quickly by boiling them, but it still can take an extra 10-20 minutes.

Sooooo back to the recipe.

Ingredients

• Bunch (or two or three) of kale. Washed with the stems removed.

• 1 cup of soaked/boiled cashews

• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp onion powder

• 1 tbsp tumeric (LOTS of health benefits)

My oldest daughter helping me with washing the kale. Salad spinners are awesome to use because I don't really have to pat them dry after.

Instructions

1. Wash. dry and remove the stems from the kale.

2. Take remaining ingredients and blend together in a food processor until creamy.

3. Mix the creamy mixture in with the kale. Rub the mixture onto the kale by hand.

4. Lay on the dehydrator trays or on sheets for in the oven.

5. Takes anywhere from 3-7 hours depending on your device.

Coated and ready to go into the oven. 

Check them every once and a while to get the texture you like. Some people like the still slightly wet texture that makes them a bit more dense. I like them crunchy just like a chip!

Thanks to The Organic Box for providing the delicious ingredients. Make sure to get $20 off your first order from The Organic Box over $55 using the code ORGANICBUNCH20. Fresh organic food delivered right to your door and you can grocery shop from your phone in your pajamas!

Low Sugar, Gluten and Dairy Free VitaFiber Bars

I like trying to make homemade granola and snack bars, but sometimes all the sugar (even honey) poured into them concerns me. And of course a lot of the store bought ones have it too. I like these for having lower sugar and its that perfect blend of sweet and salty , chewy and crunchy.

I've been testing out this new product called VitaFiber a higher fiber, low calorie natural sweetner in a syrup form. It keeps the sweetness but without all the sugar. They sent me a recipe to try for their Apricot Almond bars, and of course, me being me I made them with a little "bitchin'" flare. (Ok most of the change was adding chocolate.) Who doesn't like chocolate though?

Check out this recipe and let me know what you think!

• Calories: 172
• Fat: 11 grams
• Carbohydrates: 20 grams (Net 9 grams)
• Fiber: 11 grams
• Sugar: 5 grams
• Protein: 4 grams

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup almonds (half almonds half cashews taste yummy too)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 10 dried apricots 
• 1/2 cup puffed rice cereal 
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 2 tsp chia seeds
• 1 bar of unsweetened dairy free bakers chocolate. (can also use Enjoy Life Vegan Chips)
• 1/2 cup VitaFiber IMO Syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla

Putting it together:

1. Toast almonds and coconut flakes at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
2. Chop up almonds and apricots.
3. Add almonds, apricots, coconut, puffed rice, flaxseed, chocolate and chia seeds into a bowl. 
4. Add VitaFiber syrup, vanilla and salt into a saucepan, bring to a bubble and let simmer for 2-3 minutes 
5. Add VitaFiber syrup to the fruit and nut mixture. Mix well.
6. Add mixture to a lightly sprayed 9x9 dish.
7. Let set up for 15 minutes in the fridge.
8. Take cooled mixture out of the pan and cut into 12 bars.
9. ENJOY!

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Best Ever Pasta Sauce

I had a nostalgic morning this morning. The babe was playing on the floor, singing away, the toddler dancing to a movies music, laundry everywhere, fog in the air crockpot out and pasta sauce cooking on the stove. Like being a housewife of times past. Actually made me think of my mother. She always wanted to be a stay at home mom. Cook, bake, sew and care for her four children. I feel lucky. Lucky that I get to experience this. That I kind of sort of get to live in my moms dream. Anyways...... on to my newest adventure of domestication. Homemade pasta sauce. I don't think I can buy jarred stuff again. This tasted so fresh and yummy. I got a recipe from Pinterest and it sent me to this lovely blog's recipe.  I shall be watching for more of her stuff I think. I basically followed her ingredients but I never completely follow a recipe to the dot, so here is what I did in modification (which isnt too much)

SAuce

Ingredients:

• 1 large yellow onion. Chopped roughly or in one of those cool pull string choppers from Tupperware and let your toddler do it. (Seriously her favorite thing to do in the kitchen.)
• 2 heaping tablespoons of pre crushed garlic (like from the GIANT jar you get at Costco)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 big can of italian tomatoes
• 1 can of tomato paste
• 2-3 cups of vegetable stock (yay veggie friendly!)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and sage

Preparations:

1. Soften the onions in the garlic and coconut oil inside the pot.
2. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Let simmer. Her recipes says 2 hours, I did 1.5 hours, with adding more stock at like 45 minutes. (hence the odd ingredient amount) It was seeming very thick already so I added more and pulled it off earlier then her recipe.
3. Add the seasonings to your taste. I was tempted to add chili powder but figured I would try a traditional version first.

I ate a bowl of whole grain spaghetti with some sauteed red kidney beans and spinach with this sauce for lunch. So delicious. And toddler approved. AND vegan/vegetarian.

Once relatively cooled I put the leftovers in freezer bags for future use. Next time I will make 2 or 3 times as much for larger batches that will last a long time.

sauce2