This is a quick and delicious snack that the kids, particularly Mr M, are very fond of.  He doesn’t usually eat pulses such as chickpeas, but loves both chickpeas and broad beans when roasted.  I initially bought the roasted chickpeas you can get in the supermarket, but found them very dry, and thought it was surely something I could make myself…

One feature I like that other parents of school aged children will also appreciate, is that as well as being tasty and nutritious, you can pack them in lunch boxes, and on Scout trips etc – unlike nuts in most cases.  They last quite well, certainly through a week of lunches, but the texture isn’t quite as nice after a couple of weeks, so I wouldn’t try and store for months.

We like this combination of flavours best so far, but you could easily use curry powder, or garlic/oregano/rosemary, add more chilli, use coconut oil instead of olive and add turmeric and ginger…the combinations are endless.  Flavoured oils are very useful here, and I often use a lemon infused oil rather than the zest.

I haven’t tried roasting other pulses yet, but might try the broad beans next, as they become super crisp when roasted, almost like mini chips.  That’s about all I’ve got to say about the chickpeas – they’re simple, good for you and very moreish – give them a try!

Roasted chickpeas

Adapted from a recipe in Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Everyday

• 200g dried chickpeas (or approx 3 tins if using tinned)
• 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1/2 tsp flaky salt
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 small sprig rosemary, chopped finely
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Cover dried chickpeas with boiling water and leave for 1 hr, or overnight if you prefer.  Drain and cover with fresh water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to the boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered until tender.  The could be from as little as 45 min to as much as a couple of hours depending on how old the chickpeas are – I recommend fresh if you want a quicker cooking time!

Drain, and spread on a clean tea towel until almost dry on the surface.  Spread out on a large baking sheet lined with baking paper.  Heat oven to 220C (200 fan forced), and bake for 20 min, shaking after 10 min to rearrange and ensure they cook evenly.

While chickpeas are roasting, combine all other ingredients in a bowl large enough to hold the chickpeas.  After the 20 min, toss the chickpeas in the oil, stirring well to make sure all chickpeas are coated.  Return to the pan and cook another 10-15 min until crisp on the outside.

Eat either warm or room temperature – if you want to store, then let them cool completely on the tray before storing in an airtight container.