Roasted spiced chickpeas

Don't you find it amazing how much food we consume every day?  I'm reminded of that every time I see a depleted fridge and reload with bags and bags of groceries, only to do it again within a week.
  
So, we need fuel and we need snacks.  And healthy snacks are always welcome, right?  When it's hot out, it's nice to have something other than store-bought chips to munch on with your cold drink. Since I'm too lazy to make kale chips (delicious, for sure...but the thought of washing, chopping, drying, spreading, and roasting to make a batch that I'll likely devour in 3 minutes discourages me), I've been interested in roasting chickpeas.  It sounds far less labor-intensive!

Roasted chickpeas, spiced with curry powder, paprika, cayenne, salt & black pepper

There is a little draining, drying, and rubbing involved in prepping these chickpeas (or garbanzo beans), but it's hardly arduous.  Unfortunately, it does require cranking on the oven.  I don't know what the deal is but my old oven used to put out maybe a third of the heat its replacement currently does.  It gets hot in the kitchen and that's not all that welcomed during these summer days.  But even so, I find it really hard to avoid my oven for long.

So these chickpeas go in the oven to roast for about half an hour until they're dry and crisp.  Then, I immediately tossed them in a spice mixture of salt, sweet curry powder, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne.  The fun thing about making these is you can try any combination of spices you like.  Or it's a fun way to try out a new spice or two.

These were as easy to whip up as I envisioned.  I think it makes a filling and healthy snack that's a good alternative to nuts or pretzels.  They're best eaten, or freshest-tasting, the day they're made. The exterior is at its crispiest while the inside has a bit of that signature butteriness to them.  That said, any leftovers can be stowed away in an airtight container.  They won't be as crispy but we still enjoyed them the next day.  In addition to popping them straight into your mouth, consider tossing some into a salad or plopping some on top of soup.

Chana (chickpea) masala

I'd call 2014 my year of playing with spices when it comes to cooking.  I've enjoyed learning to incorporate some spice - such as turmeric, chili and curry powders, garam masala, paprika, cumin, and coriander - into my food.  I have much to learn and try, but the small steps of expanding my spice pantry have widened my palate and made eating vegetables and legumes more interesting.

A spicy bowl of chickpeas - cooked with onions, tomatoes, peppers, and plenty of spices, finished with lemon juice

Recently, I took some of my spices and made chana masala, a dish of chickpeas cooked with onions, tomatoes, peppers, and plenty of spices to give it a good kick.  I learned about a new spice, amchoor powder, or a dried unripe mango powder, that's typically used in this dish to give it a citrus or sour note.  I substituted with lemon juice but it's good to learn something new and I've tucked it into my memory bank for now.  I actually walked around Penzeys recently but didn't find it; next time, I'll have to look harder to satisfy my curiosity.

I think playing with spices naturally leads me to Indian cuisine, which I am a big fan of.  I love meat dishes and curries but I was inspired to make this particular vegetarian dish after attending an Indian wedding recently.  The wedding was a blast - great music and a joyful vibe in the air that I just want to soak myself in.  The food at the wedding was vegetarian and reminded me, once again, how flavorful and satisfying vegetarian food can be when complimented and heightened with spices. Some fragrant rice and naan on the side doesn't hurt either.

This chana masala is somewhat similar to the Moroccan chickpea stew I made recently but it packs more heat.  I never thought I'd be a fan of chickpeas but its mild flavor and hearty texture makes it so great for pairing with spice.  When I first tasted my finished dish, my lips were on fire!  But it's amazing how quickly our taste-buds adjust.  Once it cooled a bit, it was a lot less spicy.  I also served it with brown rice to offset some of the heat and turn it into a meal.

A dollop of cool, thick yogurt would be nice here.  Given how great avocados are right now, I also enjoyed leftovers with cubes of soft, ripe avocado.