Cinnamon Coconut Sugar Apple Chips

I've been experimenting with my new dehydrator with varying degrees of success.  Most of what I've read online talks about how it's a trial and error process and after a few different batches we've settled on these as our favorite for apple chips. 

Normally when drying fruits I have been using a thicker setting on my mandolin, but when going for a "chip" type result the thinner the better.  

All you need to make these tasty little treats are: green tart apples, coconut sugar, and ground cinnamon, and lemon juice.

1. Wash and remove the stems from the apples.
2. Slice on a mandolin set to the thinnest setting or slice as thinly and evenly as possible if by hand.  (No need to remove the core but make sure all seeds are removed.)
3. As the apples are sliced, place them in a bowl with two cups of water and 1 Tbs lemon juice.  Make sure all apples are tossed in the lemon juice water.  (This prevents browning.)
4. Arrange apple slices evenly on the dehydrator trays.
5. Mix 1 part coconut sugar with 1 part ground cinnamon and sprinkle over the apples.
6. Set dehydrator for 135 degrees and dehydrate for 4-6 hours.  If in a hurry set to 165 degrees and they will be done closer to the 4 hour mark.

Nacho Cheese Kale Chips

I got a dehydrator this year for Christmas and I have been making multiple experimental batches of kale chips.  It's really awesome how easy it is to toss some kale and seasonings together, throw it in the dehydrator and have an amazing snack. 

After playing around with lots of different recipes I found online I settled on this combination as my favorite.  It's a mix of a few different ideas I got from different recipes but think that it's just the right combo.  I find that the lacinto kale works best for this recipe because the cashew mixture tends to get really clumpy in the curly kale.  With the lacinto kale you can lay them out flatter for a better chip and a faster drying time.  If you are in a hurry you can get by by soaking the cashews for 2 hours, but the longer you soak them the creamier the sauce will be and the more even of a coating you'll get. 

My favorite part is the freshness of the red bell pepper that's in every bite!  They really do have a nacho type flavor and the cashew coating gives the chips some crunch, substance, and serious flavor.   If you like Trader Joe's Kale Chips, you'll like these.  I bascially was shooting for something that tasted like the TJs kind.

Serve for an appetizer, party snack, or store in a airtight contain for snacking.  We haven't been able to save any so far and end up eating them straight out of the dehydrator!

• 1 bunch Lacinto "Dinosaur" Kale
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3/4 cup of cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours. 
• 1 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• a few dashes of hot sauce
• Salt & pepper to taste  

1.  Wash and dry your Kale and then tear into 3-4 in pieces.  (I don't have a salad spinner so i just lay the kale out on the dehydrator trays to dry.)
2. Drain the cashews and combine with the garlic, red bell pepper, nutritional yeast, cayenne, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.  
3. Using an immersion blender or a high speed blender, blend until completely smooth.
4. Toss the kale in the cashew sauce in a large bowl evenly working the cashew sauce through all the kale.  Use your hands to evenly coat the kale pieces
5. Arrange on dehydrator trays as flatly as possible and dehyrate at 160 degrees for about 4-6 hours.  The chips are done when the cashew coating is no longer soft.  The chips are awesome when they are still slightly warm but the longer you let them cool the more the cashew coating hardens.  NOTE:  These are not raw.  If you'd like to keep them raw you need to dehydrate them below 110 degrees.