Day 226: Ranch Flavored Roasted Chickpeas

I have to say, I've never eaten chickpeas (or garbanzo beans depending on what part of the country you hail from) before.  I've seen them at the store, but had no idea what to do with them.  I'm always looking for meatless ways to add protein to our diet (not that I have ANYTHING against meat) and for healthy snacks.  This recipe seemed like a great way to do both.  I've seen roasted chickpea recipes floating around the Internet but never gave them a second look.  Then when I was at the grocery store I thought I'd give them a try. 

I'm pleased to say that I made this recipe up myself.  As I thought about what I wanted the finished product to be, I remembered Corn Nuts.  They were one of my favorite snacks back in high school.  In fact, I had a friend that ate so many of them that she started to smell like Corn Nuts.  As a result, we nicknamed her Corn Nut.  But I'm getting a little off subject...  Anyway, they came in lots of different flavors and were crunchy and yummy.  So, being inspired by Corn Nuts I decided to make ranch flavored roasted chickpeas.

Ranch Flavored Roasted Chickpeas
14" dutch oven

2 (15 oz.) cans Garbanzo beans
2 tsp. olive oil
1-2 tsp. kosher salt or to taste
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix

Drain the chickpeas and rinse well.  Pat dry with paper towels.  This step is really important!  If there is excess moisture they will take longer to cook.  In a Ziploc bag, combine the beans and the rest of the ingredients.  Shake well to coat evenly.  Transfer to a dutch oven and bake at 375° for 30-45 minutes or until the chickpeas are crunchy and not soft in the middle.  Use 1 1/2 rings plus a couple of coals on top and 1 ring on the bottom.

The Finished Product

The Review

These were really yummy!  They make a great snack.  We used them as bribery on the kids to get them to be good in church today.  I think they would add a great crunch to a salad or sack lunch.  I'm going to look for a big #10 can of chickpeas so I can make them in bulk.  BBQ flavor would be good too.  I have some smokey BBQ rub I might try on the next batch.  They would also be good with some chili powder and cumin or even taco seasoning for a southwest flavor.  We loved these!  Grade A.