Spicy Orange Fennel Kale Chips

What a fabulous blend of flavors! I'm a huge kale chip fan, but love to discover new ways to make them. This experiment turned out amazing! Some of my favorite flavors, fennel, orange, and red bell pepper. Add a little zip and a little sweet, and you have simply FABULOUS kale chips!

Spicy Orange, Fennel Kale Chips

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of curly kale
• 1 cup fennel bulb, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked 2 hours
• 1/2 cup cashews, soaked 2 hours (or more sf seeds)
• 1 orange, chopped
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup, grade B (or your fav liquid sweetener)
• Dash cayenne, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

De-stem kale and tear into chip sized portions. Spin dry in salad spinner for best results.

In high speed blender, mix all ingredients, except kale. Add water as necessary, maintaining a thick mixture. Use tamper if you have a Vitamix.

Massage mixture into kale, coating each piece thoroughly. Spread on a non-stick dehydrator tray.

Dehydrate at 110 degrees F for 3 hours. Flip chips over and continue to dehydrate for 8-12 hours until dry and crispy. Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.