It's true, roasted chickpeas are nothing new. I used to make these regularly with my roommate in our tiny little galley kitchen to snack on while we watched countless episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. On vacation in the Bahamas one winter we showed our bed and breakfast owner how to make them too. Clearly, they were a staple in my diet. But somewhere along the way, I forgot all about these tiny, crispy, nuggets of joy. Chickpeas took a backseat to all of the other new and exciting foods that had crossed my path.
Welcome back chickpeas. I recently made these again, and remembered why I loved them so much. A good healthy snack, they occupy my hands while watching the tube, the same way that a bag of chips does, (and that could be potato chips or chocolate chips mind you) but without all the calories or the long list of strange ingredients. Roasted chickpeas give me that salt hit that I often crave, and that crunch that you just have to have while watching a movie, whether it's a good ol' romantic comedy or a nail biting thriller.
On a side note, I have terrible taste in movies. It's like I actively want to turn my brain off when I turn one on. In theory, I would love to watch something that informs me or teaches me. In reality all I want is great clothes, good looking people, and some serious high school drama or a few hilarious hijinks. It never ends well, let me tell you. I can pretty much guarantee that it's going to end with me saying, "that movie was so terrible, I feel like I just lost two hours of my life". And then I'll do it again.
But I would feel way worse if I didn't have chickpeas. Then I would really be wasting my time.
Roasted Chickpeas
2 cups chickpeas, rinsed, drained and dried
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Place the chickpeas in a large bowl a toss with the olive oil to coat. Add the spices and mix thoroughly. Spread the chickpeas out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure they are in one layer only, and not overlapping. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, tossing them halfway through the cooking to ensure they cook evenly. I find these keep well just in a dish on the counter, so they don't lose any of their crunch.
No comments:
Post a Comment