Roasted Garbanzo Beans

I love, love, LOVE Garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas), in any way, shape, and form. Garbanzo beans are not only super yummy, but also SUPER nutritious. They are the most widely consumed legume in the world and for good reason! They have a delicious buttery texture and a nutty taste. Garbanzo beans are a HUGE source of fiber, which lowers cholesterol and helps regulate the digestive tract. They also are known to lower your heart attack risk, lower your blood sugar, and they are chock full of iron and protein. I love to put them on salads, eat them as hummus, add them to soups, but my favorite way to prepare Garbanzo beans is to roast them. My roasted Garbanzo beans are always a hit! They are a great snack when you are craving something crunchy and salty, but much more nutritious than chips. I once had one of my friends compare them to corn nuts, but WAY healthier! There are many different ways you can season your roasted Garbanzos, but I like to make them as simple as possible.


Roasted Garbanzo Beans

• 2 cans Garbanzo beans
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder or granulated garlic (more if you love a garlicky flavor, less if you don't)
• 2 tbsp dried italian herbs
• a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Drain and rinse the beans. In a medium sized bowl, add the beans and the rest of the ingredients and mix until the beans are well coated. Spread in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for about an hour or until the beans have shriveled slightly, are browned, and are crunchy. Because I am a lover of cheese, I sometimes add a little parmiggiano reggiano (parmesan) to them before baking as well.

These are great take along snacks. Daniel LOVES them and if allowed, would eat the whole bowl all at once! I also like to put these on my salads sometimes in the place of sunflower seeds or sliced almonds!

Enjoy and until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!