My go to snack is usually tortilla chips and salsa or chocolate chips blended with a few raisins to make myself feel better about it, but I’m trying to clean up my act a little bit and try healthier snacks.  This recipe for crunchy curried chickpeas appealed to me since it involved ingredients I always have on hand and was very quick and easy to make.

You start by rubbing the chickpeas (you can either use canned [make sure to rinse them first] or prepare your own from dried form) to get the skins off of them.  It doesn’t take very long to do and is almost therapeutic in its monotony.

Then you blend the skinless, dried chickpeas with a little olive oil, curry powder, freshly grated ginger, and dried thyme.  Simple!  Then they get baked in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes until crunchy.

Once they come out of the oven you sprinkle them with a little sea salt or garlic salt, your choice, and enjoy.  They are a little sweet from the curry powder, savory from the thyme, and of course a little salty.  Great snack, and without the guilt of my chocolate chip/raisin routine…

Crunchy Curried Chickpeas (from “The Sprouted Kitchen: a Tastier Take on Whole Foods” by Sara Forte)

• 3 1/4 cups of cooked chickpeas (about two 15-ounce cans)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sweet curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• sea salt or garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Rinse the chickpeas and drain completely.  Lay them on a dish towel and gently rub them to remove any remaining skins, making sure that they are totally dry  In a large bowl, stir together the olive oil, curry powder, thyme, and ginger.  Add the chickpeas to the bowl and toss to coat.  Spread the chickpeas on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.

Bake the chickpeas, tossing them occasionally, until they are light brown and crisped, 40 to 45 minutes.  As soon as you remove them from the oven, sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt.  Taste and add more salt if you like.  Let them cool completely (this will make them crunchier), then serve.  These are best eaten the day they are made.