These chocolate dessert kale crisps are bursting with nutrition and full of fibre and protein. They are made with sunflower seeds so that they are inexpensive and nut-free. Sweetened purely with dates. The seeds are soaked in order to sprout and make the nutrients more bioavailable.
Suitable for a vegan, plant-based, nut-free, paleo, grain-free, gluten-free and if you dry them slowly a raw food diet. Chocolate and kale may sound odd but trust me it really works.
Chocolate Sunflower Kale Chips Recipe
- Total time: 50m
- Yield: 6 servings
- Calories: 110 cal
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Ingredients
- 1 cup / 140g Sunflower seeds
- 14oz / 400g Kale, still on stems
- 8-12 Dates, pitted
- 4 tbsp Cocoa/Cacao powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- pinch of Salt
- ½ cup / 120ml Water
- 2 tbsp Olive oil, optional
- Water and pinch of Salt for soaking
Method
- Soak the sunflower seeds in water for at least an hour or overnight.
- Drain and rinse the seeds then blend with all the other ingredients apart from the kale, salt and oil.
- Rip kale off the stems then tear into bite-sized pieces and scrunch with the oil and salt until it halves in size.
- “Massage” in the sunflower chocolate paste to coat all of the kale evenly.
- Bake or Dehydrate:
- Bake; spread out thinly onto a lined tray and bake at 300F / 150C for about 20-30 minutes. Toss every 5-10 minutes and take out of the oven as soon as they are dry. Watch like a hawk as they burn easily.
- Raw; spread out thinly onto a non-stick sheet. Dry at 110F / 43C for 10-12 hours tossing halfway.
- Enjoy the kale crisps straight away.
- Once cooled they can be stored in an airtight container for a few weeks, but it’s best to have them the same day as they lose their crispiness.
Chocolate Sunflower Kale Chips Video Recipe
Fast video recipe or No music video recipe
You really don’t taste the kale in these, it’s just a crispy nutrient dense base to carry the flavours. Cashew nuts or any other nut can be used instead but I’m using sunflower seeds for some variation and to make it budget friendly.
Dates are used purely to sweeten, I’m just using bog standard dried dates without anything added. Just make sure to check that all the stones have been removed.
Notes and Adaptations
The oil is optional, it just helps give a more chip-like texture and taste. Always use a cold pressed virgin oil like extra virgin olive oil.
I’m using raw cacao powder for these as it has a deeper chocolate flavour. But cocoa powder also works well but does yield a slightly different taste.
If you don’t like dates then you can use any other dried fruit (like raisins) or natural sweetener that you like.
Food Dehydrator
I have a food dehydrator as I was into the raw food diet about 15 years ago and my expensive purchase back then is still in working condition. My food dehydrator is mainly used for kale chips as its full proof to make them, just pop them in before bed then enjoy the next day.
Obviously most people don’t have a food dehydrator and these also work in an oven – you just need to watch carefully as they burn easily.
If the kale chips become soggy then place back in the oven or dehydrator for a short time to crisp up.
Chocolate Kale Chips - vegan and nut free
Ridiculously healthy dessert kale chips that are nut free, raw vegan, oil free and bursting with goodness. High in plant protein and heart healthy fats.
Suitable for plant based, vegan, gluten free and general wholefood healthy diets.
Ingredients
- 1 cup / 140g Sunflower seeds
- 14oz / 400g Kale, still on stems
- 8-12 Dates, pitted
- 4 tbsp Cocoa/Cacao powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- pinch of Salt
- ½ cup / 120ml Water
- 2 tbsp Olive oil, optional
- Water and pinch of Salt for soaking
Instructions
- Soak the sunflower seeds in water for at least an hour or overnight.
- Drain and rinse the seeds then blend with all the other ingredients apart from the kale, salt and oil.
- Rip kale off the stems then tear into bite-sized pieces and scrunch with the oil and salt until it halves in size.
- “Massage” in the sunflower chocolate paste to coat all of the kale evenly.
- Bake or Dehydrate:
- Bake; spread out thinly onto a lined tray and bake at 300F / 150C for about 20-30 minutes. Toss every 5-10 minutes and take out of the oven as soon as they are dry. Watch like a hawk as they burn easily.
- Raw; spread out thinly onto a non-stick sheet. Dry at 110F / 43C for 10-12 hours tossing halfway.
- Enjoy the kale crisps straight away.
- Once cooled they can be stored in an airtight container for a few weeks, but it’s best to have them the same day as they lose their crispiness.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 246Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 0mgSodium 1464mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 5gSugar 11gProtein 7g
