March has been unseasonably warm in my part of the country (I’m definitely not complaining), so some of our spring rituals have started early. We have been working hard on getting the yard back into shape, planning our garden, and firing up the grill on a nightly basis. This month we are getting on a budget – and sticking to it! – as well as trying to clean up our diets.
One of the unintended side effects of getting on a budget and cleaning up your diet in the same month, is that you spend all of your grocery money the first week and can’t afford junk food the rest of the month, anyway. Not like I know anyone who did this. *ahem* I try to send some munchy, snacky food in my daughter and husband’s lunches, but it has been slim pickin’s around here.
One staple I always keep in my pantry is beans. Garbanzo (chickpea), kidney, black, and pinto are the 4 I almost always have one hand because they are a cheap, easy protein source. I buy a lot of dry beans, but I do try to keep a couple of cans on hand for emergencies. Hunger emergencies.
The other day I was staring in the pantry, wondering what I could make for lunches, when I saw two cans of garbanzo beans. Roasted chickpeas! What I like about roasted chickpeas is that you can season them however you want, so you can create a sweet or savory snack by altering your seasoning.
Chickpeas are a great source of fiber, as well as many minerals like calcium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc. A cup of chickpeas has almost have of your daily recommended fiber, as well as 15g of protein. They also have a different texture and taste than other legumes, and I find that they are more appetizing to those who may not be big fans of beans.
To make a batch of roasted chickpeas, you just need 2 cans of garbanzo beans (or 4 cups if you are cooking them from scratch), some olive oil, and the seasonings of your choice. A fairly “all-purpose” seasoning blend is 1 t salt, 1 t garlic powder, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Rinse, drain and dry the chickpeas, put them in a mixing bowl. Add 2 T olive oil, then your seasoning mix and toss until everything is covered. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. You can place parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on the baking sheet first, if you want. Bake at 450º for 30 minutes or so, until lightly crunchy.
I store them in a mason jar, but who am I kidding, they don’t really last long enough for storage to be an issue. If you are looking for a healthy snacking alternative that packs a nutritional punch, definitely try these roasted chickpeas out! We have made them with Greek seasoning, spicy ones, and even sugar and cinnamon. Have you made roasted chickpeas before? Which flavor are you going to make?
- 2 cans garbanzo beans (or 4 cups)
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 t salt
- 1 t garlic powder
- dash of cayenne pepper
- Drain and rinse garbanzo beans, then add to a large mixing bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir until covered then place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 450 for 30 minutes or until lightly crunchy. Store in a sealed container.
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