Cinnamon Honey Roasted Chickpeas

By Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

If you haven't tried roasted chickpeas, you have missed out!

The good news, though, is your days of missing out are over - they are so easy to make and there are many different ways to season them.

Have you ever had the cinnamon roasted almonds at the mall during the holiday season?  If you're a fan of that flavor, you will love these!

Not everyone in my family can have nuts, so this is a great alternative to any nut you might use!

Did I mention easy??  With only 5 ingredients that you can probably find in your pantry or spice drawer, you will probably want to double or triple this recipe (if you care to share!).

Ingredients
serves 4

1 (15oz can) chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)
2 teaspoons olive or coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tblsp coconut crystals (or regular sugar will work)
1 Tblsp raw, unfiltered honey

• Drain and rinse chickpeas well
• Dry thoroughly with paper towels or gently with a clean dish cloth (it's ok if the peels come off)*
• Mix all ingredients (except honey) in a small bowl
• Add dried chickpeas and mix until completely coated
• Spread chickpeas in a single layer on a large baking sheet
• Bake 30-40 minutes or until crunchy
• Once roasted, place in bowl, drizzle honey over chickpeas until coated
• Spread back out on baking sheet to allow to dry

Variations:

Chili-Lime Roasted
Drain, rinse and dry as directed above.  Bake for 45-40 minutes until crunchy and let cool slightly.  Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine:
2-3 tsp chili powder
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 Tblsp + 1 tsp lime juice
3/4 tsp sea salt
1-2 tsp cumin
Add cooled chickpeas to mixture and blend thoroughly.  Best eaten immediately or stored in airtight container.

Garlic-Parmesan Roasted
Drain, rinse and dry as directed above.  In a bowl, mix with the following:
1/2 c parmesan
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tblsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
Bake as directed above.

*The key to getting these crunchy is to make certain the chickpeas get dried after rinsing.  I will sometimes leave them sitting on my counter, after I dry them on a dish cloth, for about 30-40 minutes, just to make sure.

Nutritional Information:

Protein:    7,4g
Carbs:      17.6g
Fat:          8.5g
Sugar:     1.8g

Nutritional info are estimates and will vary.