Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Roasted Chickpeas

Let's talk about snacks.  I love 'em.  Snacks are truly my weakness - I used to be able to eat a mountain of Wheat Thins, a truck full of tortilla chips and salsa, and don't even get me started on Doritos.


Why shouldn't our snacks be good for us?  Why can't they be loaded with protein and fiber?  Oh, but they can!  Try garbanzo beans, simply roasted until crispy and crunchy.  You can't eat a whole bunch of them (like you would with processed chips) because they are beans, after all.


I know you are wondering about how they taste.  They are very reminiscent of Corn Nuts (remember those?  another high school flashback!) and they taste like whatever you spice them up with.


I've made 4 batches of Roasted Chickpeas in the last 3 days.  The first was spiced with a spice blend I had in my cupboard - African Peri Peri. My second batch was a sweet version with maple syrup and cinnamon.  And my third batch (my favorite) was simply salt and smoked sweet paprika.  Batch 4 was a repeat of Batch 3.


Possibilities are literally endless for ways to flavor these chickpeas.  The Kitchn has a bunch of ideas.  A few more that come to my mind are chili powder and lime juice, barbecue sauce, or Hidden Valley Ranch powder (it'd be like making your own Cool Ranch Corn Nuts!)

However you choose to spice your Roasted Chickpeas, just make sure you do NOT underbake them, and don't be stingy on the seasoning.  These little nuggets are highly disappointing if they don't crunch loudly.  Put them back in the oven if they're not super crunchy.  


Roasted chickpeas are to be enjoyed as a snack.  They are also a great crunchy addition to salads, or on top of this beautiful split pea soup.


Roasted Chickpeas
1 can (or 2 cups) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp spice or spice blend of your choice (paprika, cumin, rosemary, etc)
(instead of salt + spice, you could substitute maple syrup or honey and cinnamon)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking pan with tinfoil.
Use a kitchen towel or paper towels to dry your chickpeas.  Toss with oil and spices.
Bake for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from oven before they burn.

Let cool and enjoy.

THREE YEARS AGO:  Chocolate Peanut Granola

1 comment:

  1. I love salt and vinegar roasted chickpeas! I've got to try these other seasonings! YUM!

    ReplyDelete