"Cheesy" Kale Chips

Vegan cheese is very good. I have been obsessed with Quite Cheesy Kale Krunch for some time now, but at $6 for a 2oz bag... it didn't seem like a wise investment for a poor college kid.

So, I searched the internet near and far for a recipe in order to recreate my own "cheesy" kale goodness. (And by "cheesy" I mean to imply that there is no dairy involved here.)

I stumbled upon this recipe, and while I enjoyed it, I was still seeking a flavor more similar to the Kale Krunch version. So using the recipe I found on Pinterest as inspiration, I created my own version, and I am pleased to say it tastes exactly like my beloved Quite Cheesy Kale Krunch.

Ingredients:

1 Bunch Kale

1 1/2 c. Cashews

1 small Red Bell Pepper

2/3 c. Nutritional Yeast (this is NOT baker's yeast)

Juice of 1 Lemon

2 cloves Garlic

1-2 tsp. Pink Himalayan Salt

1-2 Tbsp Chia Seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Soak cashews in water for a minimum of 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

3. Wash and dry kale. Tear into pieces, removing large stems.

4. Drain soaked cashews and pour into a food processor.

5. Remove stem and seeds of bell pepper, adding it to food processor, along with the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and chia seeds. Blend until an orange paste is formed.

6. Generously massage the vegan cheese spread onto the kale leaves.

7. Spread the leaves out onto a nonstick pan sprayed with cooking spray.

8. Cook in preheated oven for approximately 1 hour (It may be more or less depending on how spread out and how small the leaves are; the chips are done when they are crispy to touch, but the cheese has not turned a dark brown color)

9. Let cool before storing in an airtight container.

Enjoy!! I literally have a hard time not eating the whole batch! They taste exactly like Cheez-It's to me!