Savory Kale Chips

1 bunch lacinato (dinosaur) kale
1 tbsp olive oil
juice from 1/4 lemon
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp mild paprika
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
10 grinds black pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 250F and line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil.

Thoroughly wash the kale and slice along the stem, then cut the kale into bite size pieces. If you have a salad spinner or similar device, use it to thoroughly dry the kale. Move the kale to a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Use your hands to mix well, making sure that each piece is coated with the same amount of seasoning. Split the kale between the 2 baking sheets and bake for 90 minutes, turning the pan once halfway through cooking.

Savory Popcorn

1/2 cup popcorn kernels
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp non-dairy margarine
3-4 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp mild paprika
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp dried granulated garlic
1/2 tsp salt

Add the oil and popcorn kernels to a large pot. Cover the with two layers of aluminum foil, then use a knife to poke slits in the top to let steam escape. Heat the pot on medium heat. As the popcorn heats up, grab the pot by the handles and swirl the contents of the pot every 30 seconds or to prevent the popcorn from burning. Continue until the popcorn begins to pop, then swirl the popcorn continuously until finished popping.

In a small bowl, melt the non-dairy margarine, then pour over the popcorn in two batches. After each batch, sprinkle on half of the nutritional yeast, paprika, smoked paprika, garlic, and salt, then stir with a plastic or silicone spatula until toppings are evenly distributed. If needed, add additional salt to taste.

Brined Almonds

3 cups water
2 tbsp salt
2 cups raw almonds

Bring the water to a boil and pour into a medium bowl. Stir in the salt and let the water come to room temperature, then add the almonds. Cover and let soak at room temperature for 6-8 hours. After soaking, the almonds can be baked or the bowl placed in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours until ready to use. The boiling water can also be added directly to the almonds, left at room temperature for 30 minutes, then placed in the refrigerator to soak.

When ready to bake, drain and rinse the almonds and spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (If desired, you can pinch off the almond skins before baking.) Place the almonds on the baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with salt, than bake for 2 1/2 hours, stirring once halfway through. Allow the almonds to cool completely before storing.

Spiced Almonds

Before brining, add the following to the water and salt:

1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
4 whole cloves

When ready to bake, don't rinse the almonds when draining - they should be coated with a sticky mixture of the spices after being drained. Spread this mixture evenly across the almonds and remove the whole cloves before baking. Bake using the directions above.