Ginger Wasabi Kale Chips (easy, raw, vegan, tasty!)

I am a complete potato chip junkie...something about that crisp salty tasty snacky goodness gets me every time...but at 150 calories and 10 grams of fat per serving of Lay's Classic Potato Chips, and knowing how easy it is (at least for me. ACK!!!) to scarf down about 8 servings at a time, regular potato chips are something I need to avoid. Imagine my delight when I found that kale chips satisfy that urge for a salty munchie!

This recipe is really easy - all you need is:

• a dehydrator (I love my 9-tray Excalibur)
• a bunch of fresh kale
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. wasabi powder
• fresh ginger, about 1" knob, washed and peeled
• 1/4-1/3 cup miso

1. Wash the kale and shake it dry.
2. Pull the leaves off the kale stems and tear leaves into bite-sized pieces (about 2-3" diameter or so)
3. Place torn kale leaves into a large bowl.
4. Grate ginger over kale leaves.
5. Sprinkle a small amount of wasabi powder over kale leaves.
6. Scoop miso onto kale leaves.
7. Use your hands to mush the miso onto all of the kale leaves, mixing well and distributing ginger and wasabi as evenly as possible.
8. Lay seasoned kale leaves onto mesh dehydrator trays, spreading apart in a single layer (you'll probably need 2-3 dehydrator trays to dry all of the leaves).
9. Dehydrate at 105 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-5 hours, or until completely dry.
10. Store in an airtight container.

Leftover crumbs can be sprinkled onto a salad for extra flavor.
I will be experimenting with different flavors, and will post here the results.

Have fun, and bon appetit!

Happy International Charm Day!

Giveaway Prize No. 1 - music charm by c. hansen

I love Art Charms...partly because there is such a wonderful potential in each one, like a tiny present, from the Art Charm artist to the ultimate recipient/owner. Art Charms are a fun and unique way to make, trade, and enjoy original works of art. While methods and materials for creating Art Charms are unlimited, one rule defines an Art Charm: Art Charms are made by hand, one at a time. True Art Charms are never mass-produced in a factory (but an artist might use mass-production techniques). This is something that can only be created by an artist’s hands, therefore it is precious and unique. Art Charms are a completely inclusive art form – anyone can make an Art Charm!

Giveaway Prize No. 2 - Asian-themed "don't panic" charm by c. hansen

Top Ten Reasons Why Chris Loves ArtCharms (in no particular order):

1. Making Art Charms helps me to practice and refine my skills.
2. Art Charms are individually handcrafted, never made by a factory.
3. When I collect Art Charms, I’m collecting original mixed media art and supporting other artists.
4. The small size and format of Art Charms makes them easy to display and collect.
5. Art Charms have a variety of end-uses above and beyond the basic charm bracelet.
6. Art Charms hold great potential for fundraisers or benefits – just have everyone participating in the swap make and send in an extra charm for a bracelet or necklace.
7. Swapping Art Charms builds connections between people, creates community, and invites the interest of non-swappers.
8. I LOVE the design challenge of creating an original Art Charm while honoring the swap theme.
9. I love getting my swaps back and seeing how the other artists interpreted the swap theme!
10. Making Art Charms is an easy, affordable, and portable hobby. Many materials for Art Charms can be gleaned from discarded items, available as near as the local thrift shop or garage sale...or even in the junk drawer!

Giveaway Prize No. 3 - music charm by c. hansen

In celebration of International Charm Day 2011, I have five of my own mixed media art charms to share with my readers. They’re the eye candy for this post. Just leave a comment on this post before midnight Saturday April 30, 2011, with your email addy or some way in which to contact you, and Sunday morning I will use a random number generator to select the five winners. I’ll post the winners here, and will contact you to get your mailing address.

Giveaway Prize No. 4 - "be here now" mini-domino charm by c. hansen

Want more chances to win awesome stuff? Head on over to my friend Amber Dawn’s International Charm Day blog – she’s giving away a signed copy of Making Mixed Media Art Charms & Jewelry (the book my friend Peg Krzyzewski and I wrote on how to make mixed media art charms). Amber’s got more giveaways and interviews on her blog, as well as some tasty eye candy and links to other blogs celebrating International Charm Day.

Can't get enough of Art Charms? Please consider joining our Art Charms Yahoo group - we're doing swaps, challenges, contests, and weekly online chats.

Here's hoping your International Charm Day is filled with art and charms,
Chris

Giveaway Prize No. 5 - music charm by c. hansen

Fukushima links

I've been following the Fukushima tragedy and have accumulated a number of GREAT sources of information - here goes:

FireDogLake - hands down, THE BEST coverage and analysis...Scarecrow & Lobster have been posting great stuff, as has the rest of the crew:
http://firedoglake.com/japan-earthquake-coverage/

Union of Concerned Scientists:
http://ucsusa.org/

UCS powerpoint slideshow of what happened at Fukushima:
http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documen...ma-Tragedy.pps

Nuclear engineer Arnie Gundersen has been posting brief videos w/his analysis, which explain things in plain English:
http://www.fairewinds.com/

An interview w/Gundersen, published Friday, 4.15.11:
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/n...down-chernobyl

Low Level Radiation Campaign (they study the health effects of ionizing radiation):
http://www.llrc.org/index.html

Two Japanese journalists take a drive into the evacuation zone (radiation dosimeters are on the dash)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp9iJ...layer_embedded

Nuclear Information & Resource Service has coverage here:
http://nirs.org/

and protective measures from radioactivity here:
http://nirs.org/fukushima/radcombined.htm

Real-time volunteer monitoring of radiation in US:
http://www.radiationnetwork.com/

And another radiation monitoring map:
http://www.blackcatsystems.com/RadMap/

Bellona is an international environmental NGO:
http://www.bellona.org/subjects/nucl...ldown-in-japan