Salty Chickpea Snacks

When I tell people that I'm vegan, I often get the responses: what do you eat?!! and where do you get your protein??!!

Well, there are a million things I can eat and plenty of places to get protein, such as nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes (beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, etc). One of my favorite places to get protein is chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans). They are so packed with nutrients we want, like protein, calcium, and iron. And they taste fantastic, so of course I use them a lot; from eating them raw on a salad to smashing them up to put in my homemade veggie burgers. 

For years I've been munching on them as a snack, but although I liked having them as a snack, they never filled the void when I wanted a snack like chips or pretzels. Now, I'm not a health freak that is completely against ever eating junk food. And I'm not shunning it because I'm afraid I'll get fat (but it will do that to you). I still eat it once in a while, but the high oil content and whatever else is put in it always makes me bloated and gives me stomach aches. So, although I never ate much junk food at all, my consumption of it has still managed to declined drastically over the last few years to practically none. 

But I was raised in a culture that likes its junk food, so sometimes I do crave it. I swear the stuff is addictive. Like, if I eat something processed with added sugar one day, the next day I feel like I could eat out a candy store. I don't even like candy! Or chips! But I still crave them occasionally, and if i dare buy them I'm probably going to eat the whole bag. 

So when I found that people baked chickpeas with spices and salt turning them into a yummy and healthy snack, I was psyched. They are crunchy, salty, and flavorful. They remind me a bit of wasabi peas. And I definitely like them better than the chips I can buy in the store. I know they're not exactly chips, but I think they are a great substitute. 

Chick Pea Snacks

1 can chickpeas

1 Tbl olive oil

about 2 tsp of a spice or spices (I like to use hot paprika, but you could use curry or thyme or maybe something sweet - experiment!)

a bunch of shakes of salt (add a few shakes at a time and adjust to taste)
2 cloves of garlic, sliced in half or in thirds

preheat oven to bake 400. Put all ingredients on a cookie sheet (with sides so the chick peas don't roll off) and mix around, coating the chickpeas evenly and adjusting the spices to taste. Stick in oven and cook for 30-40 minutes.

If you want to use dried chickpeas instead of canned, remember that they are not as salty, so when you're soaking them add some salt to the water. ...To use dried chickpeas, soak them in water over night and then rinse them and cook them in boiling water for about an hour. If you don't have that much time, boil water, turn off and add dried chickpeas. let sit for a few hours and then rinse them and cook in boiling water for an hour. The reason to use dried beans instead of canned is that they are much cheaper. But remember, after you cook them, don't just leave them in water for days, they will go bad pretty quick. Drain them, used them, or store them in the refrigerator (if you'll use them soon) or freeze them.