Crunchy Kicked Up Kale Chips

These baked crunchy pieces of kale taste like spicy popcorn and are a healthy alternative to chips.  

Makes 1 serving

4 stalks kale
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cracked black pepper
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wash and thoroughly dry the kale leaves (water on the leaves will prevent crunchiness).  Easily separate the leaves from the ribs by running your hand down the rib, discard ribs. Tear the leaves into potato chip sized pieces.  Pile kale on a baking pan and sprinkle with the olive oil, salt, cracked black pepper and crushed red pepper (go easy on the sprinkling since leaves shrink considerably when baked).  Toss kale with your hands until all the leaves are coated.  Spread out the kale as much as possible so that the leaves are not covering each other too much.  Bake in the oven for about 12-15 minutes (keep an eye on ‘em!) or until leaves are crispy and starting to brown slightly.