Chickpeas have been traced back over 7500 years in the Middle East. Chickpeas, garbanzo beans, and Egyptian peas are all the same thing. Hummus is the Arabic word for chickpea. Chickpeas are definitely a healthy snack or food item to include in your diet. A half-cup of roasted, unsalted chickpeas contains 134 calories, 22 grams of carbohydrates, and 7 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, and if no oil is used just 2.2 grams of fat (half of which are heart healthy unsaturated fats!).

Ways to eat roasted chickpeas:

-Seasoned for snacking on

-As salad croutons

-In trail mix

-Crush and use as a breading

Here’s the recipe that made my list of new foods to try:

Toasty, Roasted Chickpeas, Cajun-Style

1 T olive oil

1 T grated Parmesan cheese

¼ t sweet paprika

¼ t regular paprika

⅛ t cumin

⅛ t garlic powder

1 pinch onion powder

1 T lime juice

Ground black pepper to taste

1- 15oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium sized bowl, mix together all ingredients except the chickpeas, making a paste-like mixture. If the paste is too thick, add some extra olive oil. Add chickpeas to the bowl and toss to coat. Spread the chickpeas into a single layer on a lined baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes, then mix them around of the baking sheet. Cook another 10-15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes so they don’t burn. Remove from oven when golden brown, let cool, and store leftovers.
Happy snacking! -HM

Recipe and photo from: https://food52.com/recipes/22455-toasty-roasted-chickpeas-cajun-style