::Crispy Chickpeas::

few of our crew are burdened with dreaded food restrictions. I am actually included in that sad reality, as I have sworn myself off bread, and too much dairy hurts my stomach lately. So, when I taste a yummy new treat that can be consumed without any guilt or pain, I jump on it. A few days ago. Karin sent me this recipe:

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas with Moroccan Spices

(Inspired by a recipe from The South Beach Diet Cookbook and the Moroccan Spice Mix from Fine Cooking Magazine.)

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 T olive oil
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. Moroccan Spice Mix
salt to taste (I used about 1/4 tsp. kosher salt)

Spice Mix:
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. chile powder (I used Ancho chile powder from Penzeys)
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
(recipe called for a pinch ground cloves, which I did not have.)

Preheat oven to 350 F. (I was making this in my favorite Oster Toaster Oven, If you're using a regular oven, I'd double the recipe and use a large cookie sheet.)

Drain garbanzo beans into a colander and rinse well with cold water until no more foam appears. Let beans drain for 5-10 minutes, then pat dry with a cloth of paper towel if they still look wet.

While beans drain, make spice mix. (This is great on many veggies, so make the full amount and store in a glass jar.)

When beans are well drained and dried, toss with olive oil, spice mix, and salt. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Roast 40-50 minutes, or until they are slightly browned and make a rattling sound when you shake the baking sheet. (I roasted these for 50 minutes, but next time I would take them out a tiny bit sooner.) Serve warm or let cool.

These are so tasty. I would NOT skimp on the salt. And be sure to cook them long enough to get that crunch.