Note from Heather: This is a guest post from Jenni at The Urban Poser- one of my favorite bloggers! Back when we lived in Texas she’d stop by sometimes with a sample from her kitchen . . . oh my can this girl cook! Thank you Jenni, for posting at Mommypotamus today!

Kale Chip Nachos . . .

Are a lunch staple in our house. Sometimes I like to put together a mix of flavors that I like for everyone, while other times we do a ‘build your own’ nacho plate. I love this recipe because there are just SO many flavor combinations to choose from. Which translates to….we can find something that pleases everyone.

Ground beef and roasted chicken are both great meat options and diced, pan fried veggies really up the savory factor as well. I do try to keep the toppings from being too heavy or wet, as the kale chips are more fragile than regular corn chips, however, you will find that with the right kind of kale, you can get a pretty sturdy chip!

How To Make Kale Chip Nachos

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of  Lacinato/Dinosaur kale
• 1 tablespoon oil of choice
• Unrefined sea salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 teaspoons oil of choice, for browning the garlic
• 1/2 pound grass fed ground beef (or try finely diced roasted chicken pieces)
• 2-3 teaspoons ground cumin seed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 8-10 green olives, sliced
• 1/4 cup red pepper, diced
• 1-2 sprigs of green onions, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• a small handful of fresh cilantro leaves, lightly chopped
• a small handful of basil leaves chopped
• No-Dairy’ Parmesan* (If you’re a dairy eater, try real Parmesan or grated raw cheddar)
• Drizzle of runny coconut/cashew/dairy yogurt (optional)

Other favorite toppings include: Chopped pan fried asparagus, diced caramelized onions, roasted zucchini, mushrooms, sunflower seeds and more!

Directions:

For the ‘No-Dairy’ Parmesan:

*Take 1 cup ‘crispy almonds’ or 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/4 cup sesame seeds  and 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more if desired) Pulse ingredients in a coffee grinder or food processor till finely ground. Just be careful that it doesn’t turn into ‘butter’. Note: If using almond flour, you may want to grind the sesame seeds a bit first before adding the flour. Great on top of salads, casseroles and of course….nachos!

For the Kale Nachos:

1. Wash your kale, pat dry
2. Tear or cut the kale into long strips by tearing/cutting the leafy part off of the stem. I like to use a kitchen shears to cut it.
3. Place the kale into a large bowl and pour about 1 tablespoon oil of choice over the kale. Using your hands gently rub the oil into the leaves attempting to coat them evenly.
4. Lay the oiled kale out evenly onto two parchment lined cookie sheets. Lightly salt with coarse sea salt
5. Bake the ‘chips’ at 250 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until completely crisp. Watch carefully that they don’t over bake.
6. While the kale chips are baking, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a little oil to the pan. Throw in the minced garlic and cook until it begins to turn golden. Add the ground beef and cumin, cook the beef until cooked through and much of the water and oil is cooked off.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from pan and set aside.

Prepare the rest of the toppings as stated above. Set aside in bowls.

When ready to serve, put all the kale chips down on a serving platter or on separate plates. Add/sprinkle the beef and other veggie toppings evenly over the chips, finish with the cilantro, basil green onions and a sprinkling of no-dairy Parmesan or other cheese.

Serve with a side of salsa and/or coconut/dairy yogurt if desired.