Craving crunch? Try healthy roasted chickpeas delight
Even if you maintain a healthy diet, you don't have to completely give up crunchy snacks. Just limit highly processed and deep-fried products, such as chips or salted peanuts. Instead, try roasted chickpeas. Toss them in your favorite spices and enjoy an aromatic snack during home movie sessions.
You can prepare the chickpeas in two ways – traditionally in the oven or in an air fryer, which, thanks to the circulating air, allows you to prepare crispy dishes with little or no added fat. Dry chickpeas work best for roasting, but if you're short on time, you can also use jarred or canned chickpeas. It's certainly a much faster solution.
How to prepare chickpeas for roasting?
Before placing the chickpeas in the oven or air fryer, you need to soak and cook them first. It’s not difficult or labor-intensive, but it requires prior planning. Cover the seeds with three times the amount of cold water, put the lid on, and let them stand for 8-12 hours. In the morning, drain the water and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly. Pour fresh water over them and bring to a boil with a pinch of salt for 15-20 minutes.
Nutritional value of roasted chickpeas
Let's compare the nutritional values of oven-roasted chickpeas to those of popcorn and peanuts in shells. Peanuts are the most caloric (555 kcal in 3.5 oz), popcorn is second (441 kcal in 3.5 oz), and roasted chickpeas, which contain about 250 kcal in 3.5 oz, are far behind.
This snack is also a rich source of plant protein and fiber, which regulates blood sugar levels and provides a feeling of fullness. Chickpeas contain valuable minerals such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as B vitamins. Peanuts would be a valuable snack without the salt and shell.
Recipe for oven-roasted chickpeas
If you want to prepare chickpeas using an air fryer, you can use just one tablespoon of olive oil instead of two. You will get about 3.5 oz of roasted snack from 10.5 oz of cooked legumes, as a significant amount of water will evaporate during baking.
Ingredients:
- 10.5 oz cooked chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Mix the cooked and cooled chickpeas (or drained canned chickpeas) in a bowl with olive oil and spices.
- Spread evenly on a large baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Place in an oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes.
