Baked Spinach Chips

It's been a while since I posted a recipe, so this is one of two for this week :)

I've been meaning to try the Crispy Collard Chips recipe from Annie's Buying Club. Think potato chips, but they're actually crispy bite-sized shreds of real organic leafy greens! It sounded so easy to do, and apparently, lots of kids loved them!

I remember years ago, during one of our many food-filled family reunions in Vancouver, BC, we had one preparation of spinach that I haven't soon forgotten. It was merely a garnish to a beautifully prepared scallop in its shell, served in one of Vancouver's numerous Chinese seafood restaurants. Alongside each scallop was a little cluster of flash-fried baby spinach leaves. They were so light and crispy, and melted in your mouth. Delicious! This quick and healthy snack was inspired by the collard chips, and this spinach garnish that I had years ago.

1/2 bunch spinach leaves, thoroughly washed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sprinkle of fine sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Dry the spinach leaves in a salad spinner. Place the leaves in a large bowl, and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with just a little bit of salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Toss gently with tongs.

Spread the leaves out on a single layer on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.

Bake for about 10 minutes, until the leaves are crispy. Serve immediately.

Mind you, done this way, they won't come out looking as pretty as the picture of those done by Andrea over at cooking-books.blogspot.com. Andrea used store-bought, pre-washed, bagged baby spinach leaves, and looks like she painstakingly laid them out evenly on parchment paper, and ever so carefully peeled off the finished chips. I used organic spinach from our buying club, and merely spread out an even layer of leaves prior to baking. Not as pretty, but still very tasty!

Unfortunately, my little princess wasn't too keen on either the collard chips or spinach chips. That's okay... more for mommy ;)

Spinach chips image courtesy of cooking-books.blogspot.com