Chickpea Crunch

A week ago, I was poking around the internet looking for new snack ideas for the kids. I'm trying to break them - especially Noah - out of the crackers and raisins rut.

I wanted something nutritious, easy to prepare, and fun for them to eat. I found an idea on the Parenting magazine website. It's basically toasting chickpeas in the oven. We happen to have some, so I gave it a try.

We all loved them and they are so easy to make. Erin thought they tasted like popcorn.

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Read a little more about chickpeas and why they are so healthy for you. They're a great source of fiber, protein and iron.

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Chickpea Crunch

1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
olive oil
salt

Preheat the oven to 400.

Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas. Pat them dry with a paper towel.

In a mixing bowl, coat them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Put them on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes. Stir them every 10 minutes to avoid burning.

They will continue to get crispier as they cool.

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Note: The second batch I made, I didn't let them get crispy enough coming out of the oven. So the next day they were a little soggy.

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Another option - which adds a layer of preparation - is using dry beans instead of buying them from a can. It's much cheaper, and the cans can have added salt (and maybe other things).

I just got done doing a batch that way and unfortunately, they didn't taste as good. BUT I'm not giving up...next time I'll just add some additional seasoning for more flavor.

If you want to do it this way:

1. Take as many beans as you want to use and soak them in water overnight - about 12 hours (don't add any salt to the water).
   
2. Put them in a pot - with a fresh batch of water - and cook them for 45min to an hour (bring to a boil and then simmer).
   
3. When they're done, drain the water, pat them dry and continue with the above recipe.

Happy snacking!