Kale Chips, Butternut Squash Fries, and Bubble Tea

Happy Summer! I haven't been doing much baking lately, mostly because when I come home I don't feel like doing much besides this...

"mmmm, so cuddly"

But otherwise, I've just been lazy. I been wanting to make a few items that I bought ingredients for, but just haven't gotten around to it. As my father always told me (sarcastically, after seeing me bringing home my flute every night but rarely ever practicing) "All good deeds start with good intentions." So, in the same line of thought, I tend to buy ingredients for projects but it takes me awhile to get around to making it.

But veggies can only wait so long. This week, I had a few free nights so here's what I made.

Kale Chips

I saw this recipe somewhere online a few weeks ago and was immediately intrigued. Kale chips? All you have to do is wash the kale, pat it dry, spread it on a baking sheet (mine was lined with foil so I didn't have to wash the pan... ah laziness), mist with pam (or other spray oil) and sprinkle it with salt or other seasonings (I recommend garlic powder), and bake it for ~5-10 minutes in a 425 degree oven. The kale comes out crispy, light, and AMAZING. It has the taste of slightly overcooked potato chips. Its surprisingly good and satisfying. They're so easy to make and very healthy. You can eat the whole pan and its only about 50 calories.

Also on the same night (once the oven is hot I like to go with it...)

Butternut Squash Fries!

Butternut Squash fries are just like sweet potato fries. Similar texture and taste. Just cut them thin, spray with oil and sprinkle with seasoning, and the bake at 425 for ~30 minutes. I like them dark and toasty. This picture was taken after I flipped them. I didn't get a picture of the finished product as I was too busy inhaling them.

Last, I made bubble (boba) tea. If you're not familiar, brace yourself.

Bubble tea is a popular drink in Asia (at least from what I hear. I've never been there). Its a drink made from tea, juice, watered down smoothy, or whatever you want with "bobas" at the bottom. The bubbles, which look like what I imagine octopus eggs look like, are made with tapioca pearls. They come in a variety of colors, usually black, but the ones I found at my local oriental market (a fun place to spend a few hours, trust me) are green:

Bubbles! aka tapioca pearls

I followed the direction on the package, basically boiled water, dropped them in and let them boil until they floated, then reduced heat to medium and left them with the top on for 5-6 minutes. At the same time I made a simple syrup (1 c. water + 1 c. sugar, boiled) and put the bubbles into the syrup to cool. 

Finished bubbles

To make my finished drink, I put the bubbles in a cup, poured a few T. of the syrup on top, added milk, and cool peach green tea and mixed together. To drink, you need a big straw (I got this one from Panera... they use them with their smoothies). Yumm. The bubbles have a fun chewy texture and the drink is refreshing!

Ta-daa!