Crunch a munch or is it munch a crunch? Either way, roasted chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, make for a crunchy and healthy snack when you have the munchies. Chickpeas roasted in olive oil, salt, and pepper become a simple and satisfying treat – or kick up the flavors by using your own favorite combination of spices or by adding one of the spice mixtures included below. According SELF Nutrition Data: This food is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6 and Folate, and a very good source of Manganese.
Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
Adapted from a Rachael Ray Recipe
BASIC INGREDIENTS
1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/2 T to 1 T olive oil
Salt to taste (approximately 1/4 teaspoon)
Pepper to taste, optional
Spice or spice mixture of your choice, to taste (approximately 1/2 to 1 tsp)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Open can of garbanzo beans and pour into a colander, wire-mesh sieve, or salad spinner.
3. Drain, rinse well with cold water, and drain again for about 10 minutes.
4. Pour onto towels (paper or kitchen) on a flat surface and cover with another towel. Roll the chickpeas between the towels to dry. This also helps to remove any loose skin from the chickpeas. Discard skin.
5. Combine the chickpeas with oil in a large bowl. Add selected spices or spice mixture. Stir to evenly distribute spice mixture.
6. Pour the seasoned chickpeas out onto a parchment paper-lined baking tray and bake until crunchy, about 35 to 45 minutes.
Moroccan-Style Spice Mix:
Fine Cooking Magazine
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Pinch of ground cloves
In a small bowl, mix all of the spices. Store in an airtight container.
Cajun Spice
Whole Foods Cookbook
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon paprika
1/8 cup dried thyme
1/8 cup dried oregano
1 T cumin powder
1 T onion powder
1/8 cup garlic powder
1/8 cup dried sweet basil
1 T freshly ground black pepper
1 T freshly ground white pepper
1 T cayenne pepper
1/8 cup salt
Combine all ingredients. Keep stored in a covered jar in a cool dark place for up to 6 months. Makes 1¼ cups.
Mexican Spice Mixture
Whole Foods Cookbook
1 T chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Combine all ingredients. Keep stored in a covered jar in a cool dark place for up to 6 months.
Homemade Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix
$5 Dinners
2 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp pepper
Add each of the dried spices to a bowl and gently stir. Store in a resealable plastic baggie or small ball canning jar with tight fitting lid in your spice cabinet.
LINNELL’S NOTES
1. Canned chickpeas have a fair amount of sodium. To control sodium levels and to have more flavorful chickpeas, it is best to soak and cook chickpeas yourself. Check out this link on How to Soak and Cook Chickpeas. At the very least, to keep this a healthy snack, use low sodium canned chickpeas.
2. Keep in mind that the chickpeas dehydrate while roasting, so one can does not yield a lot of the finished product. You’ll probably want to double the recipe.
3. Bake the chickpeas until they are Corn-Nut-crunchy, unless you prefer them chewy in the center.
4. About halfway through the baking time, I took the tray out of the oven, stirred the chickpeas around, and then put the tray back into the oven to finish baking.
5. I roasted chickpeas with the Moroccan-Style Spice Mix for the photo.
Enjoy!
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