2 cans of chickpeas
2 tablespoons of your very best olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried powdered garlic
Salt to taste
Makes enough for about 4 snack-hungry people
Pre-heat your oven to 180C.
Drain the chickpeas well and blot off any excess water with kitchen roll (this will help them go really crunchy). Tip them into a bowl and coat with the olive oil, paprika, garlic and salt to taste.
Spread them out on a large baking tray so that there is enough room for them to roll around a little and pop in the oven. Roast for 30-40 minutes, shaking the tray gently every 15 minutes. The chickpeas are done when shaking the tray makes them rattle against it.
Variations:
You can spice these with pretty much any combination you like but try:
Spicy Indian - switch the paprika for 1 teaspoon of turmeric and also add 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, ginger and coriander.
Sweet Chilli - use 1 tablespoon sesame oil and one of sunflower oil. Add 1/2 teaspoon each of dried chili flakes, ginger and garlic. Roast until almost done then add one tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce and stir to coat the chickpeas. Pop back in the oven for 5 minutes until the sauce caramelises (but remove before it scorches!).
Arthritis diet notes:
Chickpeas are a great sustaining snack as they are a good source of fibre and a good vegetarian source of protein. They will help give you a long lasting energy boost whilst satisfying that snack urge. Chickpeas are also a good source of folate for those of you taking drugs like methotrexate.Cooking them with olive oil means you are getting a dose of healthy monounsaturated fat and adding spices (like paprika, which contains capsaicin) gives them an added anti-inflammatory boost.
