Beat Cravings with Cheezy Kale Chips
Maybe you crave salty over sweet, causing you to reach into that potato chip bag over and over… as cravings arise during stressful times and before your menstrual flow comes.
If you know you’re a salt lover and want to amp up your snack choices, I invite you to make my favorite kale chip recipe! I have been keeping this one a secret for years, planning on saving it for my cookbook… however, I am bursting to share this with you!
Or how about craving chocolate before your flow comes? Raw chocolate is high in magnesium, a mineral that many standard American diets are deficient in. Perhaps your body could benefit from more dark leafy greens such as kale, collards, arugula, etc as greens are rich in magnesium! Kale chips are a great way to increase magnesium levels while snacking.
Magnesium is vital for reducing unwanted symptoms during PMS as well as Moonpause… it helps reduce bloating, irritability & anxiousness (anti stress), as well as can increase bone density and improve sleep!
Symptoms of Low Magnesium in the Diet:
- muscle cramping
- anxeity
- low bone density (something to be mindful of especially in peri-moonpause and post-moonpause ages as low levels of magnesium contribute to lower calcium levels)
- irregular heart beat
- increased fibromalgia symptoms
What Causes Magnesium Deficiency?
- stress
- soil depletion
- lack of foods high in magnesium in the diet
- digestive issues
- Celiac Disease or Chron’s (as magnesium is absorbed in small intestine)
- Regular Alcohol Use
So, when considering a healthy snack, I invite you into the world of kale chips!
Crunchy, salty, and full of magnesium…
Plus, my vegan cashew cheeze sauce creates an additional thick layer of crunch and flavor…. trust me.. this recipe goes over well at any party you bring it to. I often bring it to family gatherings as my father loves them!
The main ingredient to make a vegan sauce taste cheesy is nutritional yeast. I find it in the bulk section of the health food store and it looks like yellow flakes. It is completely different than brewer’s yeast.. so it does not affect candida like regular yeast would. Plus, it’s full of B-vitamins, helping stabilize mood and energy levels! 
**Note: this recipe is best made in a dehydrator. My favorite brand is the Excalibur. I have invested in a 9 tray (which is pretty large- a 5 tray should do the trick!)
Some modern ovens will go down to about 115-120 degrees as the lowest setting.
Don’t have a dehydrator? I have made the Nacho Cheeze before and eaten it with the kale raw as a salad, adding shredded cabbage and other yummy veggies! so good!
Blessings for Radiant Hormone Health!
Allie, Modern Goddess Lifestyle
FB & IG: @moderngoddessslifestyle
Want more hormone balance focused recipes? And to learn how to eat for your menstrual cycle? Goddess in Rhythm LIVE Sisterhood version begins July 22nd. Early Bird Special ends July 10th.
Cheezy Kale Chips
Serves: Makes 1 head of kale (about 6-8 servings)
Ingredients:
1 extra large head of kale or 2 small-medium heads
Cashew “Cheeze”
1 cup orange or red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup cashews, soaked 4 hours
3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons lemon
1 large clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoons water
Pinch cayenne
Directions:
- Pull kale leaves off stems and discard stems or save for smoothies or juices.
- Wash kale and use a salad spinner to dry kale.
- Break kale leaves into pieces larger than potato chips. The leaves shrink once cooked so it is important to start with large pieces so they will cook into chips that aren’t too small. Set kale aside in a bowl.
- Blend all “cheeze” ingredients in a high-speed blender until you have a thick cheesy sauce.
- Pour “cheeze” onto kale and massage into kale until all kale pieces are covered.
- Lay kale chips onto dehydrator tray (leaving room between kale pieces) and sprinkle salt on the “chips.” When stacking the dehydrator with trays, leave a gap between each tray slot, as the kale will be puffy and will need additional room.
- Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 7-8 hours.
- Note: Some modern ovens will have a dehydrate setting where the oven can lower to temperatures like 115-120 degrees.
