Roasted Mediterranean Chickpeas

Chickpeas!!!  SERIOUSLY, chickpeas!  You may know them as garbanzo beans, disguised as hummus, or the lonely, untouched container at your local salad bar.  I am here to start a revolution for these, creamy, delicious, and underrated legume.  

My favorite way to eat them is roasted.  Let's face it, roasting makes everything taste better, and chickpeas are no exception to the rule.  This dish is adapted from a recipe I found on The Kitchn earlier this week, and it makes a great healthy snack.  The chickpeas are crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside coated in a mediterranean spice blend of sumac, oregano, cumin, garlic, mint, and lemon.  They are a great alternative to popcorn, and much more satisfying and flavorful at that.  Try swapping out your bag of microwave popcorn for a bowl full of these roasted chickpeas the next time you rent a movie.  

And trust me, make a double batch of this recipe because they will be eaten up as soon as you set them out on the table.  Viva la chickpea revolution!  

Ingredients: 

2 15 oz. cans of chickpeas

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sumac

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 heaping tablespoon fresh mint, minced

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Drain and rinse chickpeas.  Make sure to rinse them very well, until all of the protein bubbles stop forming.  Next, dry the chickpeas really well on paper towels and then place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Cook the chickpeas for 20 minutes stirring them halfway through their cook time.  

While the chickpeas are roasting mix together the remaining ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl and combine the spices and oil into they form a slurry.  After the chickpeas have cooked for 20 minutes place the chickpeas into the spice and olive oil slurry and gently fold them in until they are thoroughly coated.  Put the chickpeas back onto the cookie sheet and cook for another 4-5 minutes until golden brown.  Make sure to let the chickpeas cool for a few minutes before serving, as the peas will crisp up as they cool.  These are best served warm.