These garbanzo beans are so crunchy you’ll want to eat them by the handful.
They’re so healthy that there’s no reason not to do so.
Last Friday night was one of those rare instances where dinner is just one of the kids and me. On this particular evening, it was our 15 year old son who was home with me. After a busy day at the office for me and an afternoon of hanging out with a friend, dinner was going to be a simple meal. We chose to make sandwiches (roast beef sub for him; apple and cheddar wrap for me), and I decided to make a healthy side to go with the sandwiches.
Yes, I know that a 15 year old boy would prefer a bag of chips, but that wasn’t going to work for two reasons. One, he had already consumed a fair amount of junk food throughout the afternoon. Two, wrestling season was three days away, and he needed to start thinking about eating a healthier diet than Pringles and candy corn.
Choosing a healthy alternative
So, I was left to consider what could be an alternative to chips or french fries that would be appealing to both of us. My typical go-to is something roasted. With a little seasoning and the use of heat, vegetables become more snack-like. Although I could have made roasted brussel sprouts, I wanted something that was a finger food sort of snack.
What were the results of this experiment? I loved the garbanzo beans. I thought they had a nice amount of crunch and that the Old Bay seasoning added a nice amount of saltiness and savoriness. My son, who is not as big a fan of garbanzo beans, thought this was a better way to enjoy them than plain. When my 13 year old daughter came home and found extras, she grabbed a handful. She also found them to be an interesting, crunchy treat.
Make a batch, place a bowl of them on the counter, and see what response you get.
- 1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- Old Bay seasoning*
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Rinse beans in a colander and drain well.
- Transfer beans to a large bowl, and add oil.
- Toss well, then sprinkle with seasoning to taste. (It is better to go lightly and add more once done roasting.)
- Place seasoned beans on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then stir.
- Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Check for doneness; they should be slightly crunchy but not hard.
- If still soft on the outside, bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Taste and add more seasoning, if needed.
- *Old Bay can be replaced with salt and pepper or seasoned salt.
