Chickpea Nibbles

Let me be honest with you for a minute.  Sometimes it's not easy to find the time to blog.  I mean, come on?  There's a bathroom that wants to be cleaned, a movie that's not going to watch itself, and some nails that are badly in need of a little TLC.  There's also a sleepy, cuddly monster guarding my computer.  I wouldn't wanna mess with that guy.

Somehow I braved the scary monster and found my way to this blog because I have to tell you about these chickpea nibbles.  Do crunchy chickpeas intrigue you?  Because they intrigue me.  

I'll admit that at first they sounded a little weird.  A roasted bean?  It sounds overcooked, not delicious.  But I promise they will get you too.

For some reason these remind me a little of the corn nuts I used to eat during the summer as a kid, but these are definitely better.  The chickpeas should have a definite crunch and bite to them with a lot of flavor.   If you find that yours taste dry or starchy then they need a few more minutes in the oven.   A few of mine didn't get roasted enough in the full batch so I threw them in for an extra ten minutes and they were fabulous.  Serve these as a snack at your next dinner party or picnic and they're definitely a must for an extra protein boost on your next hike.

Chickpea Nibbles
Adapted from Power Foods
Makes 1 cup

2 cups chickpeas, cooked
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
sprinkle of cayenne pepper
sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Pat chickpeas dry, then toss in a bowl with oil, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and sea salt.  Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until crunchy, stirring occasionally, 40 to 45 minutes.  Sprinkle with extra paprika and salt if necessary.  Let cool before serving.  Chickpeas may be kept in an airtight container for 3 days at room temperature.