Spicy Chickpeas

Spicy Chickpeas – A light and healthy snack that is the perfect topping to put on a salad. Be sure to make and try this recipe.

So when I share with people that I am vegan and that I do not eat any animal products the follow up questions always seem to amaze me. I’m usually asked questions such as…

“How do you get enough protein?”…

“What DO you eat?”

…and my personal favorite…

“Don’t you get tired of eating salads all the time?”

And to answer the last question the answer is Nope and that is largely due to the fact that just because I’m vegan doesn’t mean I only eat salads. As a matter of fact, I am not a huge salad eater and you can bet that when I do have a salad it will not be a wimpy little iceberg lettuce salad…Not that I have anything against iceberg lettuce.

When I have a salad…I really have a salad! I like my salad to have a lot of ‘stuff’ in it. If my salad is replacing a meal, then it especially needs to be really hearty and filling. I have recently been making a sort of everything but the kitchen sink kind of salad and that has been a great way for me to use up produce in my fridge before it goes bad and it is also the perfect way to get rid of any leftovers that are still lingering around the kitchen.

Now I will say that when I do make a salad I really miss the crunch that croutons bring to the mix, but since most croutons, that are in the grocery store, are not vegan I have found that roasted chickpeas make a wonderful substitute and spicy chickpeas are even better especially when paired with a creamy salad dressing.

Spicy Chickpeas Ingredients: 

• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven 400 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, pour the drained chickpeas and dry them with a paper towel.

Add the olive oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and stir until the chickpeas are well coated. Pour the chickpeas onto the prepared baking sheet and spread them out into an even layer. Place into the oven and allow them to bake for 25 to 30 minutes; until golden and crispy on the outside.

Got any comments, questions, or other ideas for these Spicy Chickpeas? Share them in the comments below!