Life has slowed down a bit after the craziness of the past few weeks. Between the St. Patrick's Day run that I organized (with over 700 participants!), and my beloved dog passing away, I have been absent from Blogland much longer than I'd anticipated or liked. I didn't realize until these past few weeks how much joy blogging gives me, and how much I would miss all of you.
I am hopping back in the game now, and what better way to jump in than with a giveaway?! My very first giveaway to be exact, thanks to the awesome folks at OXO. I am so excited about what they sent me to share with one of you!! A salad spinner!! A very nice, sturdy, salad spinner.
Why am I so excited about a salad spinner? For a few reasons:
1. My (very expensive) salad spinner that I've had for only a year broke about a month ago. It was the kind where you pull the string to spin it and the string just snapped right off! Rar! OXO sent me a salad spinner too, to try out and review. Great timing OXO, thank you!
2. I hate (hate) washing and drying lettuce and will only do this if I have a salad spinner. Since my salad spinner broke I've been buying pre-washed salad mix, which isn't very budget friendly. I'm back in action now...no more bagged lettuce equals a few more buck in my pocket!
3. I discovered the wonder that are kale chips the day before that stupid salad spinner broke. The kale has to be pretty darn dry before you throw it in the oven. I'm not even going to attempt that one without my precious salad spinner. I am back in kale chip heaven.
Kale chips are the perfect food in so many ways. I have a wild salt tooth, that can only be tamed by greasy, salty potato chips, or something equally unhealthy. Kale chips satisfy the crunchy salty beast inside of me almost instantaneously. But...here's the good news, kale chips are super good for you! Kale packs a nutritional punch that can't be ignored. Kale is extremely low in calories (35 calories/boiled cup) and includes 100% of your daily vitamin K as well as being a great source for vitamins A, C & B6, manganese, fiber and potassium. You go kale! Work it!
The second reason kale chips are so awesome is that they are a snap to make. Chop, spin, toss and bake. Easy. Even Anna could do it (except I don't let her near the oven, so actually on second thought, she couldn't do it).
The OXO Salad Spinner was a dream when making these chips. The pump handle on the top is so much easier to use than the string-pull method of my stupid ex-salad spinner. There is a non-slip bottom that allows for one-handed use of the salad spinner when pumping. It has a good sized bowl that can be used separately as a bowl for your salad and the basket can also be used as a strainer. Finally, this spinner dried my kale chips enough with just ten pumps to immediately toss them in olive oil and then the oven. No waiting around for them to dry. Hooray! I am seriously in love, and so grateful to have gotten this awesome tool for my very own!
Do you want one too? Well, you've got five separate opportunities to get in on the action. You'll get one entry for each one of these you do. Open to US Residents only!!
1. Leave a comment here telling me what you'd use this salad spinner for.
2. Like Kitchie Coo on Facebook, and leave a separate comment telling me that you did.
3. Like OXO on Facebook, and leave a separate comment telling me that you did.
4. Follow me on Pinterest, and leave a separate comment telling me that you did.
5. Follow me on Twitter, and leave a separate comment telling me that you did.
This giveaway will be open until 11:59 pm, MST, Wednesday March 21. I will announce the winner on Thursday. Good luck!!
PRINT THIS RECIPE!
Baked Kale Chips
1 bunch kale
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Preheat oven to 350F.
Remove stems from kale by folding the leaf in half and then cutting along the inside of the stem. Rip or roughly chop the kale into bite sized pieces. Rinse the kale under cold water and then spin in a salad spinner until very little water remains on the leaves. (Alternately, you can rinse them and then press them dry between between paper towels.)
Toss the kale in olive oil and salt until completely coated. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 15-18 minutes or until crispy.
Remove from the oven and...
Eat it!!
I had an oxo salad spinner and the plastic bowl cracked! Bummer but if I still had it I would be drying lettuce for salads and my greens to saute of course! Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteI'm one of those people that if I open a bag of chips I can't stop eating until it's gone, so I've been DYING to try kale chips ever since I heard of them. Great use for your new salad spinner too!
ReplyDeleteOh, these kale chips look fabulous!!! I already have one of these marvelous spinners...but I really need to clean and fry up some kale :)
ReplyDeleteI'd use it for my romaine lettuce!
ReplyDeletejfong1130 at yahoo dot com
I like Kitchie Coo on facebook!
ReplyDeletejfong1130 at yahoo dot com
I like OXO on facebook!
ReplyDeletejfong1130 at yahoo dot com
following you on pinterest, Jessica F
ReplyDeletejfong1130 at yahoo dot com
following you on twitter, @jfong1130
ReplyDeletejfong1130 at yahoo dot com
ohh I'd use it on all the fresh spinach we'll pick over the summer! It's always a little muddy and sandy.
ReplyDeleteMy aunt has a salad spinner just like that, and mostly I just play with it. *pump, spin, watch in child-like glee, repeat*
ReplyDeleteMaggie--so glad you're back in action--you were missed! Happy for your successful run, but sad about your beloved dog, so sorry :( I have a salt tooth, too!! Haven't tried kale chips yet, though I know I'm gonna love them! Will have to use your technique--fortunately I already have an OXO salad spinner, which I adore and use almost daily. But I would love to get another one for my son who will be moving into his new apartment in the summer--and for some, strange reason, loves to cook too. So I have shamelessly followed you on Pinterest and Twitter, and liked OXO on Facebook (why not? I already use most of their tools!) and I've already liked kitchie coo on Facebook. Of course, I'd be so honored if you would like my passioneats fb page, and follow me on twitter and pinterest too...I feel like we're fast blogosphere friends! All the best...
ReplyDeleteGlad to have you back!! So sorry to hear about your dog.
ReplyDeleteThought I was already following you on Twitter, but I guess not. I am now though! Already follow you on Pinterest!
ReplyDeleteI love OXO products - and I tossed my old string-pull salad spinner about 4 years ago, intending to replace it with one of theirs. Never got around to it. I love crisp salad greens freshly spun out....I've missed that. I particularly love chopped salad and getting big green leafy lettuce not to be drippy wet is a challenge. So, sign me up for the giveaway, I see a crisp salad in my future! Ever hopeful :-)
ReplyDeleteI love kale! In fact, I just made some kale chips yesterday! I wound up making two batches because my first batch was a fail :/ Yours look like they came out perfectly!
ReplyDeleteI would definitely use the salad spinner all the time! I've always wanted one, but just haven't been able to justify spending money on one. I'm also totally addicted to kale chips :)
ReplyDeleteI'm now following you on Pinterest (jshontz)
ReplyDeleteI liked you on Facebook! (Jo Shontz)
ReplyDeleteI'm following you on Twitter (@jshontz)
ReplyDeleteI like OXO on Facebook :)
ReplyDeleteI am so intrigued by kale chips! I really want to try them, but I have a big problem getting things crisp in my oven - I must be doing something wrong.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to use this for my spinach for crepes!
Awesome Recipe! I just tried Kale chips at whole foods and they were amazing!!! I got the OXO salad spinner too to try out!!! I LOVE IT.
ReplyDeleteI really think if people tried these instead of prejudging, there would be a lot more people enjoying them. I have to admit, I was not real keen on the idea, but after making them I was hooked! Great post of the healthiest snack I know of-yum!
ReplyDeleteI could finish the whole plate!!
ReplyDeleteMaggie....I've been hearing so much (all good things!) about kale chips and so I'm dying to try them. Love this salad spinner and I am going to try and grow a "salad garden" this year...so this would most definitely come in handy! I'm so sorry for your difficult weeks. And so so sorry about Greta. I hope getting back into blogging will help ease your pain. And I, for one, am so glad you are back!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for offering such a fun and generous giveaway. I have never tried kale chips, but thanks to your blog and recipe... I will! If I am the lucky winner of this fabulous giveaway I will use the spinner to make my first batch. :)
ReplyDeleteclogzilla(at)yahoo(dot)com
I like Kitchie Coo on Facebook - Cindy A.
ReplyDeleteclogzilla(at)yahoo(dot)com
I like OXO on Facebook - Cindy A.
ReplyDeleteclogzilla(at)yahoo(dot)com
I follow you on Twitter - @normawatson
ReplyDeleteclogzilla(at)yahoo(dot)com
I would use the salad spinner to wash lots and lots of salad. I hate washing and drying greens. It is the worst.
ReplyDeleteThese kale chips look so delicious :D
ReplyDeleteSomething I mos definitely must try!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Latest: Come to my Tea Party
I don't know how I missed the news about your dog before, but I am so, so sorry to hear it. My thoughts are with you and your family--I've been there, and nothing helps but time.
ReplyDeleteI love kale chips
ReplyDeletejust started making them one day
didnt even know that anyone else was making them !!!!!