Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

This little snack packs as much of a seasoned punch as you like. They're crunchy, full of fiber and very satisfying. For me, they're like a healthier version of wasabi peas. The whole thing can be seasoned to taste, depending on what you like. If you don't have chickpeas, there are other beans work just as well. Black beans, for example, are excellent with chili & lime seasoning. If spicy isn't your thing, just some herbed salt is also wonderful. The trick is using beans that keep their shape well and retain some structure (unlike, navy beans, for example, which have a high moisture content when cooked).

Roasted Chickpeas (Garbanzos)

• 1 c. cooked, whole chickpeas, drained (canned will also work)
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• 1/2 tsp. of cumin
• pinch of cayenne
• Sea salt, to taste

1) Preheat oven to 400 F
2) Pour beans into a mixing bowl. Add olive oil & mix. Season, adjusting to taste.
3) Pour mixture onto baking sheet and roast for approx. 15 min, then mix again on sheet.
4) Bake approx. 15 more minutes, or until crispy
5) Place on a clean, cool baking sheet to cool before storing in an airtight container

Fruit-Sweetened, Nut-Free Granola Bars

Warning: Making these WILL make your house smell like oatmeal cookies.

These were born out of wanting to change things up with my usual homemade granola bars. After some googling for inspriation, I stumbled across this recipe from the Cookin' Canuck. Plenty of grainy goodness and no additional sweetener needed? Excellent.

Of course, I made a few modifications. For one, since I'm deathly allergic to tree nuts, I replaced the nuts with a mix of sunflower and pumpkin seeds. I also upped the seeds and applesauce and went with an unsweetened dried fruit.

Nut-Free, Fruit-Sweetened Granola Bars (Yields 16 bars)

• 3 1/2 c. whole oats
• 1/2 c. sunflower seeds (shelled- raw, if available)
• 1/2 c. pumpkin seeds (shelled- raw, if available)
•  3 large, ripe bananas
• 1 c. applesauce
• 1/2 c. chopped, dried unsweetened cherries
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. cardomom
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbl. flax seeds
• Olive oil spray (or olive oil in a mister)

1) Preheat oven to 350 F.
2) Mash banana and add applesauce, cherries, cinnamon & cardomom and let rest while oats & seeds are toasting. This will allow the cherries to plump back up a bit.
3) Pour oats & seeds onto a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil. Spray the top of the oat mixture lightly with olive oil
4) Place oat mixture into pre-heated oven until lightly toasted (approx. 10-15 min.), stirring every 3-4 minutes to evenly toast
5) When oat/seed mixture is out of the oven, let cool for 5-10 minutes then sprinkle salt and flax. Mix on baking tray to combine & pour into banana mixture
6) Stir until incorporated and pour into a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper or foil sprayed with cooking spray, overlapping sides for easy removal
7) Let cool in pan approx. 10-15 minutes & remove from pan, using foil/parchment, then cool on wire cooling racks.
8) Slice into bars when cool

Kale Chips

They're nothing new, but if you haven't tried kale chips before, you should. Health schmealth, they're delicious!  At one point while toasting in the oven, I swear they smell like popcorn. You can add whatever seasonings you like, though I tend to stick to olive oil and salt because I love the flavor combination. With an abundance of kale in the house, I knew I needed to whip up a batch for movie night. I was reminded that it's been way too long since I've made these. They're kid-friendly, too! Just be careful what you call them or you may lose your audience.

They're light, delicate and crispy... and very easy to make.


Kale Chips

1. Preheat your oven to 350F while you wash and dry the kale. Thorough drying is very important for crispy kale chips. I use a salad spinner followed by a clean towel.
2. Trim the thick stems and tear into bite-size pieces, though not too small (there will be shrinkage). Try and keep them somewhat consistent in size for even cooking.
3. In a large bowl, either toss with a very light coat of olive oil, or use a mister and toss to ensure they're fully coated. I prefer a mister to keep the calories down.
4. Spread them on a large baking sheet and sprinkle with your favorite seasonings.
5. Toast in the oven for 7-15 minutes, depending on your oven and the dryness of the kale, checking them periodically and turning as necessary. 

Keep an eye on them. They crisp up quickly and burn easily if they go beyond that. Enjoy!