Almond-Coated Kale Crisps with Herbed Tofu Dip

• 50 g raw kale leaves, thick stems removed before weighing — Raw kale leaves
• 20 g unsweetened almond butter — Unsweetened unsalted almond butter
• 5 g plain non-fortified nutritional yeast — Plain nutritional yeast flakes
• 150 g extra-firm tofu, drained — Extra-firm tofu prepared with nigari
• 3 g fresh chives — Fresh chives
• 5 g fresh lemon juice — Fresh lemon juice
• 30 g water, divided — Potable water
• 0.3 g fine salt (a small pinch), divided — Fine salt

Method

1. 1Dry the kale and heat the ovenHeat the oven to 300°F and line a large sheet pan. Wash the kale, remove the thick stems, and weigh 50 g leaves. Tear into broad pieces and dry thoroughly with clean towels.10 min · 300°FLook for: The leaves feel dry, including their curled edges; surface water would steam them instead of crisping them.Safety: Use clean dry towels and oven-safe parchment.
2. 2Whisk the almond coatingWhisk 20 g almond butter with 20 g of the water, 5 g nutritional yeast, and 0.15 g salt until the coating is smooth.1 minLook for: The coating spreads thinly from a spoon and has no dry nutritional-yeast clumps.Safety: Use plain non-fortified nutritional yeast without cheese flavoring or added salt.
3. 3Coat and spread the kaleGently rub all the almond coating over the kale leaves, especially into the folds. Spread them on the lined pan in one layer with no overlapping patches.2 minLook for: Each leaf carries a thin coating rather than a heavy clump of almond butter.Safety: Wash hands before massaging the coating into the leaves.
4. 4Bake the kale crispsBake for 12 minutes, turn the pan, then bake for 8–13 minutes more. Lift out pieces as they become dry and crisp; leave any thicker damp pieces in the oven to finish. During baking, prepare the dip.25 min · 300°FLook for: The leaves rustle when moved and feel crisp at their centers, with lightly toasted coating and no scorched edges.Safety: Watch closely near the end; thin kale edges can burn before thicker folds dry.
5. 5Blend the tofu and fold in chivesDrain and blot 150 g tofu. Blend with 5 g lemon juice, the remaining 10 g water, and the remaining 0.15 g salt for 90 seconds, scraping once. Finely chop 3 g chives and stir all of them into the smooth tofu dip.1 min 30 secLook for: The dip is creamy and spoonable with evenly scattered green chive pieces.Safety: Stop the blender before scraping and use chilled ready-to-eat tofu.
6. 6Cool the crisps and serveLet the kale crisps cool on the pan for 3 minutes. Serve every crisp with the entire bowl of tofu dip. Spoon small dabs of dip onto the delicate crisps immediately before eating.3 minLook for: The cooled kale is brittle and crisp, with a creamy chive-flecked dip alongside.Safety: Keep unused dip refrigerated and do not store crisp kale already coated in wet dip.