Roasted Organic Chickpeas

Roasted Organic Chickpeas

This is a very easy way to make a quick snack that’s good for you! I do this frequently and munch on them throughout the day, and my little ones love them as well. Not sure if my poor husband feels the same, because they are usually gone before he can get his hands on them…I suppose I should start making them on the weekends more often…I’ll think about it!

Here’s what you’ll need:

* One 15 oz. can of Organic Garbanzo Beans aka Chickpeas. (I use Eden Foods, because the cans have no BPA in the lining and from my research the alternative they use is safe. You can easily use dried grabanzo beans, just soak them like you would before cooking)

* Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil to drizzle  (read this article by Andy Bellatti to find out how to make the best choices when buying your olive oil. You’d be amazed how often olive oil has other oils added in)

* Sea Salt, Freshly Ground Pepper, and any other seasonings you prefer, such as chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, or creole seasoning.

* A baking sheet and parchment paper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

First, drain and rinse the chickpeas in a collander. If you’d like to remove the skins from the chickpeas(not a necessity), gently roll them around on the bottom of the collander and most will come off quite easily(as seen in pic to right). You can then place them on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper and pick out the skins. I usually take a towel and dry them off a bit which removes even more of the skins. Once that’s done, drizzle lightly with Organic EV Olive Oil and use your hands to roll them around to make sure they are coated. This is when you can add whichever seasonings you like. I usually make mine with simply salt and pepper, because my kids prefer them that way. I’m also trying to get my youngest to actually appreciate the taste of the bean rather than all of the seasoning, but I’ll admit to enjoying them with extras!

Place them in the oven preheated to 400, and let them roast for 30 to 40 minutes. I’ve done this many times, and mine always come out perfectly at 40 minutes, but I know ovens vary, so start checking after 30. You could give the sheet a little shimmy to turn them if you like, but I’ve never found it necessary.

Once done roasting, remove from oven, and I usually sprinkle again lightly with a little salt. Let cool a bit and ENJOY!!! I had a question on the Facebook page about storing these, but wasn’t really able to answer since we eat them so quickly. I usually put them in a glass jar and just snack on them for a day or two. I’m sure refrigerating would keep them safe, but I’m also sure it would remove any crunch, which is part of the appeal. This is one good reason to make them one can at a time, unless you’re having a get together of some sort and know they’ll get gobbled up.

Be sure you visit the Facebook page, which is called Why Go Organic? That’s where I got tips on seasonings and also how long to soak if you’re using dried garbanzo beans…I love my page “likers”, they ask all of the right questions and teach me so much!