These Sweet Roasted Chickpeas are the perfect snack to satisfy your sweet tooth! As much as we love Christmas cookies and treats, we need to make room for some healthier eating this holiday season.
Naturally, our kids don't share this perspective and would prefer to eat cookies and cake all day if we let them. So, we decided to be a little sneaky and come up with a sweet snack featuring one of our favorite veggies: chickpeas!
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Why Sweet Roasted Chickpeas Make a Healthy Snack
Did you know that the USDA classifies chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) as both a vegetable AND a protein? Chickpeas make for a great healthy snack because they are rich in fiber and packed with protein. There are also important nutrients in chickpeas that may help prevent certain health conditions, like heart disease and cancer.
And the best part is...our kids LOVE chickpeas. I'm embarrassed to share that our kids love not only the flavor of chickpeas...but also their shape. In fact, my kids call chickpeas "butt beans" and they think it's absolutely hilarious.
This Sweet Treat Won't Disappoint
We decided to jazz up our "butt beans" with cinnamon and sugar and roast them in the oven. The result was a delicious, crunchy snack that our kids couldn't stop munching on!
Of course, you can customize these Sweet Roasted Chickpeas to satisfy your sweet tooth (or lack thereof!). Feel free to add or subtract sugar/ cinnamon based on preference.
Ensure a Crunchy Finish
Before Roasting Chickpeas...
The best way to ensure your Sweet Roasted Chickpeas have a crunchy finish is to make sure chickpeas are properly dried before seasoning. After rinsing our chickpeas, we placed them on a paper towel and patted them dry. Once the moisture was removed, we transferred them to a bowl to be seasoned. Optional: If you have the time, consider removing the chickpeas' skins for an even crispier outcome.
After Roasting Chickpeas...
After roasting your chickpeas, we recommend turning off the oven and leaving chickpeas inside with the door cracked open for an extra 10-15 minutes. Doing so can give your sweet roasted chickpeas an extra crispy texture!
Other Ways to Cook with Chickpeas
There are tons of ways to incorporate chickpeas into a meal. Chickpeas can be mixed into soups, pasta dishes or stews or added as toppings to salads, pizzas or sandwiches. And of course, we can't forget that chickpeas are the main ingredient in one of my favorite spreads, hummus! Check out a few of our recipes that feature chickpeas:
- One Pot Vegan Pasta with Chickpeas
- Garlic Shrimp with Chickpeas over Quinoa
- The Best Vegan Romesco Sauce with Quinoa & Veggies
Let Kids Make Sweet Roasted Chickpeas
While this isn't technically a "craft," kids can completely own this recipe and put it together while the grown-ups make dinner. There is no chopping involved, just some simple rinsing, drying, measuring and mixing! As you can see in the video above, my 6-year old daughter made these Sweet Roasted Chickpeas completely on her own.
LEARN ABOUT CHICKPEAS WHILE SNACKING!
While making or munching on this snack, you and your kids might want to take a moment to learn some fun facts about chickpeas!
- Chickpeas are usually round and beige and are the main ingredient in the popular food, hummus.
- Chickpeas have been grown in Middle Eastern countries for thousands of years.
- The USDA classifies chickpeas as both a vegetable AND a protein because they're so nutritious.
- Chickpeas are rich in fiber and high in protein, which makes them a great substitute for meat.
- There are important nutrients in chickpeas that may help prevent certain health conditions, like heart disease and cancer.
Sweet Roasted Chickpeas with Cinnamon and Sugar
Ingredients
- 15 oz can chickpeas
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 T white sugar (or more if desired)
- 1 t ground cinnamon (or more if desired)
Instructions
- Set oven to 375 degrees.
- Rinse chickpeas with cold water in a colander. Spread chickpeas onto a paper towel and pat dry. Set dried chickpeas aside in a medium bowl.
- Mix oil, sugar & cinnamon together in a small bowl. Pour mixture on top of chickpeas and mix with a spoon until mixture is evenly distributed.
- Spread dressed chickpeas evenly onto a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes. Let chickpeas cool for a few minutes and then enjoy your crunchy treat!
Notes
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. While we are not certified nutritionists, we work with a Wordpress-integrated nutrition API to calculate our recipes' ingredient values.
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