Roasted Chickpeas

While visiting my sister in Tennessee this summer, we were talking about healthy snacks we could make. (Mostly so I wouldn't return home with five pounds more than I went down there with. That always seems to happen...) I had recently heard of roasting chickpeas for a crunchy snack, so we decided to give it a go. Not only are they good for you, but there are so many potential flavor combinations you could try!  We all really like buffalo flavors, so we decided to try this mixture first. Big hit! :)

Best part? It only takes a few ingredients!

1 (15 oz.) can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

buffalo hot sauce

garlic paste 

ranch seasoning (optional)

THAT'S IT!

This recipe is so easy, you don't even have to measure.  Throw a little of this, sprinkle a little of that and then wait.  

Let us know if you think of some yummy flavor combinations to try!

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First off, you're going to want to rinse and drain your garbanzo beans. 

Transfer the beans to a mixing bowl.

Douse the beans in hot sauce and squeeze a little garlic in there.

(We used a combination of Louisiana Hot Sauce and Frank's buffalo sauce because that is what we had on hand, but your favorite hot sauce would work, too! You can also use fresh pressed garlic if you don't have the paste.)

Gently stir to mix.

Add a little more hot sauce if you feel like it needs more!

Sprinkle on the ranch seasoning.

Gently stir again.

Cover with plastic wrap and let it marinate for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

After it's done "marinating", drain the beans off.

(If there is too much excess liquid, they get mushy rather than crunchy.)

Transfer to a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper.

Don't they look yummy already?!

Spread them out evenly.

Bake at 300 degrees for about an hour, or until they reach the degree of crunchiness that you like.  

Check them periodically and stir them up.

We made a few batches and tried it at different temperatures for different amounts of time.

The "crunch level" definitely depends on how long you leave them in there. 

To test them, pull a couple out and let them cool for a minute before eating. You'll get an idea on how crunchy they are.

If you leave them in long enough, they almost get like "corn nut" crunchy, but you also have to be careful not to burn them to get them to that point. :)

Have fun with it! They taste good either way! :)