The dials on my oven don’t have numbers on them – I suppose that over the years before I came to inhabit this apartment they have simply faded off. Sadly, this kept me from using my oven as much as I would have liked to. My dad came to the rescue, overcoming my laziness for me, and bought me an oven thermometer. Now I am determined to bake, roast, and…whatever else you can do with an oven!

Eating is a different experience when I cook the meal myself rather than ordering takeout or picking up something quick and cheap on the way home from work – I find I often enjoy the food I’ve cooked more because I appreciate the work that went into it. I also love being creative and cooking is a good outlet for me.

Friday night a friend of mine inherited a huge bushel of kale and suggested we try out as many kale recipes as possible. We made three different kale-inspired dishes. My favorite was the Kale Chips, a healthy alternative to potato chips.

Kale Chips

4 large leaves kale
olive oil spray (optional)
salt
Preheat the oven to 350F. Wash kale and cut into two-inch pieces. (Try to make the pieces all the same size or they will not cook at the same rate.) Spray a baking sheet with oil and place the pieces of kale on it in a single layer. Spray lightly with oil, if desired, and sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 7 minutes. Turn the chips over and bake for 3-7 more minutes, until crispy and edges just beginning to brown. Cool and eat.

These really melt in your mouth, especially if you eat them right out of the oven. I’m not sure how many days they keep for, but they’re pretty quick to make.

I found these recipes here: The Fat Free Vegan Kitchen Blog. She has some great vegan, healthy recipes ranging from entrees to snacks to desserts. I’m not a vegan or a vegetarian, but I’m definitely into eating healthier and cooking more of my own food.

Another recipe I found on her site was for Curry Roasted Chickpeas. I made them on Saturday and my apartment still smells like curry, but I’m sort of okay with that. They came out really nicely. Be careful – they’re addicting!

Curry Roasted Chickpeas from Canned Beans

1 1/2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
Other seasonings you may desire could be cayenne, chili powder, dried basil.

Preheat oven to 400F. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Spray a baking sheet with canola oil and spread chickpeas out in a single layer. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until golden and crunchy, about 45-50 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

I’m determined to cook more! Share your recipes!