Crispy Chickpeas
We love legumes! What is a healthy snack? Something that is crunchy, but contains a lot of fiber and protein and little fat? Turns out the answer is chickpeas.
Chickpeas are a legume, part of that family of foods that if you have four servings a week will help you reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 22%!
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Chick Peas or Garbanzo Beans come already cooked in a can. They don't need any soaking unlike dry chickpeas that come in a sac. So, buy the can - its ok.
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You will want to rinse these off in the sink. There will be some bubbles and things- you just want to get them nice and rinced off in gentle, cold water. |
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Gently dry them off with a kitchen towel. Sometimes they will lose a bit of skin - that is ok.
At this point you have to get a pan and heat it on the stove at a medium high heat. Once the pan is hot then add about 1/2 cup of Canola oil, or a Canola-olive oil mix, or grapeseed oil. Once the oil is shimmering then it is time to CAREFULLY add the chickpeas. Now some use this as a test of hot oil, but I prefer we use sceince. First get the oil up to 350 degrees. Get a laser thermometer for this. It is safe and easy. Speaking of safe - before you put oil in a pan, don't let there be any water in it.So how to put in those dry chickpeas? I recommend putting them in a ladle and gently adding them to the oil mix - or a spider if you have one of those handy.
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You will cook them until they start to turn a golden color. Then - that same strainer you used to rince them off with - pour the pan with oil and chickpeas into it and let the oil go into the sink - or reuse it. |
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Final Product I add some parsley, a bit of garlic salt, parsley, and some Parmesan cheese. A perfect party snack - better and healthier than chips, or some trail mix, or crap. |
Mediterranean Diet Points
You will easily get one Mediterranian Diet Point for the Legumes