Roasting chickpeas—also called garbanzo beans—never even occurred to me until I traveled to India and experienced the legume prepared innumerable ways. Whether stewed with spices in a chana masala, simmered in a dal soup, fried and sold roadside as a popular snack, or baked into a flatbread, the Indians have perfected the chickpea unlike any other culture.
This simple recipe will add pizazz to any dish (I love them as croutons in my Kale Caesar Salad), but they also make a great snack fresh from the oven. For a twist on hummus, whirl the roasted chickpeas in the food processor with some tahini or sesame seeds and serve with your favorite vegetables.
Healthy has never tasted so good!
Makes 1-1/2 cups
What you need:
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
What you do:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet
with parchment paper. - Pour chickpeas into a strainer and rinse. Place onto baking sheet and toss with lemon juice, cumin, paprika, and salt.
- Bake for 20 minutes. If you prefer them crispier, stir chickpeas on sheet and bake an additional 10 minutes.
Healthy hints:
- >> Add roasted chickpeas to salads, grains, and as a garnish to soups.
- >> Chickpeas are the world's second largest legume crop,
only after soybeans. - >> A staple in India, Africa, and the Middle East, chickpeas are an excellent source of protein and iron.