Crunchy Kale Chip Bake-Off

What you need

• Cooking oil, 1 spoonful olive oil
• Salt, 1 pinch
• Plate or tray, 1 baking tray
• Shredded cheese, 1 handful grated cheese (optional)
• Kale, 1 bunch
• Bowl, 1 large
• Towel, 1 clean
• Paprika, a shake (optional)
• Oven mitts, 1 pair

How to do it

Grown-up prep: Wash your hands and clear a counter. Tell kids the oven is only for grown-ups, and that the tray stays hot for a while after baking.

1. Wash the kale leaves under cool running water.
2. Dry every leaf with a towel.
3. Tear the leafy parts off the tough stems into chip-sized pieces.
   Ask: How does a raw kale leaf feel? Do you think it can ever be crunchy?
4. A grown-up preheats the oven to 300°F. A grown-up does this
5. Drizzle in the oil and a pinch of salt, then massage the leaves until shiny.
6. Spread the pieces on the tray so none are touching.
7. Bake at 300°F for 15 minutes, until crisp and dry but still green. A grown-up does this
8. Wait for the tray to cool, then do a crunch test.
   Ask: Can you hear the crunch? How is it different from the soft leaf you started with?
9. Vote for your favorite batch, then share the chips! Which topping will you try next?
   Ask: Which batch wins, and what topping would you invent for the next tray?

Play it again

• Spice lab: try garlic powder, lemon zest or a sprinkle of sesame seeds on new batches.
• Crunch score: rate each batch from 1 to 5 for loudest crunch and tastiest flavor.
• Veggie swap: try the same trick with thin beet or sweet potato slices and compare.