Lazy Day Ending with a Healthy Recipe

This morning I woke up at 7am to a whirlwind of activity.  My husband and middle son were gathering things for their trip to our property up north and my oldest son was preparing himself for a long day of work removing a large tree at a commercial property near our house (he works for a lawn service company).  My daughter was away at a sleepover so I just made sure they all had what they needed, then I went back to bed!

It has been a pretty lazy day ever since.  I started reading a really good book entitled Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain.  I leisurely walked through Target knowing I didn't have anything or anyone to rush home for.  I stopped in at my favorite cake and candy supply store just to see what new things she had for fall (a definite future blog post).  I listened to my favorite Saturday afternoon radio show, The Weekly Dish, on My Talk 107.1  I made a HUGE omelet for a very hungry teenager who worked outside all day and I even threw in a few loads of laundry.

One last thing I did today, much to the delight of the two children who are now at home - at least for the next couple of hours - was making kale chips.  These are super, super easy and sooooooo good for you!

All you need to do is tear or cut the kale leaves from the meaty stems of the leaves.  I like to tear mine into bit size pieces.  Lay the pieces on a non-insulated cookie sheet.  It's important not to use an insulated cookie sheet.  If you use an insulated sheet, the chips will not get crisp.  Make sure the pieces are spread out on a single layer.  Drizzle them with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle them with salt.  I like to use organic sea salt.  Bake them in a 350 degree oven until the pieces are crisp.  The timing varies depending on your oven.  Take them out and let them cool then enjoy!  If you have any left over, store them in an air tight container.

The health benefits of eating kale are that it is rich in vitamins A, C and K.  It helps lower cholesterol and fight cancer.  It's considered the new "super food".  It's a cool weather vegetable which makes it readily available at this time of the year.  I get mine from a friend who participates in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and she has been getting more kale than her family can use.  This is one time when I don't mind my kiddos eating CHIPS!

"Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have."  -Winston Churchill