Sometimes in life, things are better simpler.
Take my experience this past weekend. Dustin and I were lucky enough to receive a gift certificate to a local hotel and spa from his parents for our engagement. They are always so thoughtful in their gifts! I am lucky to be marrying into a gracious family! So we pondered whether to use the gift certificate for an overnight stay, or really spoil ourselves during the hectic moments of planning a wedding and enjoy a relaxing spa day. Bingo. That’s the winner!
So, Sunday we planned our massages and off we went. I was so giddy. What women doesn’t get thrilled over a 90 minute, deep tissue massage? Just the thought of it and I am in zen mode. Well that is what I thought I was getting. But I believe my masseuse with the kung fu grip had planned differently. When she used her forearm against my back, it felt she was running over railroad tracks. Yes, lady I have a few knots, Sheesh! But this is not what I signed up for. So, as I laid in bed that evening, my back was more sore than when I got up that day. Note to self, simpler is better (and be sceptic of tiny ladies as masseuse’s…)
But you know what is super simple and go from mixing bowl to snacking bowl in 45 minutes? Bruschetta Roasted Chickpeas. It’s no secret that I adore anything bruschetta flavored. And I ADORE roasted chickpeas. I have been whipping up different flavors for quite some time. They are popable; portable and are the perfect topper to any salad! The chickpeas when roasted are lil gems. The sweet aroma from the sun dried tomatoes perfectly off set the saltiness from the parmesan. But the flavor possibilities are endless. Ranch, BBQ, Cinnamon & Sugar, Nacho, Chocolate….whoa, I have some work to do!
They are a sinch to make. First get your oven super hot. You want those babies crispy! Rinse off the chickpeas, if using canned. You can cook your own but I am too impatient for that. Canned it is. Once rinsed well, put them into a towel and pat them dry. If you roll the chickpeas between the towel, the skins will start to loosen up. I am super weird about the skins, so they all must go. If you’re okay with those sorta things, leave ’em on by all means! Since I am too impatient for dishes as well, I line my baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. At this point, you toss the seasonings into a blender; give it a quick whirl then toss it with the chickpeas ensuring all are covered. Add them to the lined baking sheet in a single layer and cook those puppies! Then after they bake for about 15 minutes, shake them around a bit and cook for 15 minutes more.
Granted, they don’t stay crunchy for more than a day so I have a tendency to cook a small batch at one time. Unless you have some scavengers in your house that like to steal addictive snacks, I would suggest making a larger batch. Consider yourself warned!
5 minPrep Time
30 minCook Time
35 minTotal Time
Yields 4
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 (14.5 oz) can cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
- 2 Tablespoons Sun Dried Tomatoes in oil (with some liquid)
- 2 tsp Italian Herb seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 T grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 415 degrees.
- Place chickpeas on a kitchen towel and rub dry. Remove skins.
- Add sun dried tomatoes with oil, seasonings and parmesan into a blender. Blend until smooth. Toss with chickpeas.
- Line baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Add chickpeas in a single layer. Bake for 15 mins, toss around, bake for another 15 minutes or until crispy.
- Let cool then snack away!
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