Good Eating Habits: A Healthy, Flavorful, Crunchy Snack

One way to establish good eating habits is to provide oneself with healthy snacks.

Yet, for a snack to be satisfying, it must be more than nutritious. It needs to be flavorful and have a pleasing texture, such as a light crunch.

Did you know that chickpeas become crispy when you bake them? Add a bit of oil and some spices, and chickpeas may become one of your favorite between-meal treats — and they are nutritiously rich.

One cup of chickpeas provides half of the daily requirement for dietary fiber, 15 grams of protein, 71 percent of the daily dose of folate, and significant amounts of thiamin, vitamin B6, vitamin K, and riboflavin. Chickpeas are also loaded with minerals such as manganese, copper, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.

Chickpea Snack

This snack is crunchy, flavorful and not too spicy. It takes five to 10 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to bake.

Ingredients you will need:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 dash crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 can chickpeas, 15 oz, rinsed and drained

Preparation:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Add the chickpeas; toss to coat.
3. Spread the peas out on a baking sheet (single layer).
4. Stir the chickpeas occasionally while they roast for about 45 minutes, or until they are gently browned and a little crispy.

Note: If you are on a special diet, it is best to check with your doctor or nutritionist before adding a new food to your culinary repertoire.

Source: Food.com