I have been on the hunt for a snack for work that doesn’t come out of a vending machine but is still grab and go and healthy. I think I have finally found one that works for me.
I am very much all or nothing with healthy eating. I can eat the most protein-packed healthy breakfast and lunch, but then I get in the studio for my air shift at 3 pm and I feel the overwhelming urge to head to the vending machine. Once I give in and grab something I’m done for the day. I always pick one of three things: Cheez-its, a Pop-Tart, or Famous Amous cookies. All three options derail the rest of my diet for the day. Once I finish my vending machine snack then I want a coke, or a piece of candy, or anything else I was trying to avoid for my overall health.
I am all about eating a piece of candy every once in a while, or even one a day won’t hurt you, but it’s the slippery slope that I am trying to stop. I have tried to bring fresh fruit and other snacks and even if I can convince myself to walk the few more steps to my office, I still want something grab and go.
I was surfing Pinterest for some new lunch ideas and I came across a recipe for roasted chickpeas. I love chickpeas in salads and bowls for lunch, so I almost always have them on hand. The recipe is easy, and the result is the perfect salty snack I can munch on in the afternoon without feeling bad about it.
I started by rinsing off a can of chickpeas under cold water.
Once they are all rinsed off, I spread them out on a paper towel to dry them well. Some of the shells started to come off when I was drying, so I pulled the separated shells off and threw them in a bowl.
This is where you can be creative, you can season them however you would like. The first batch I did I used sea salt and pepper. They were good, I just wanted more flavor. I was going to come up with my own spice combination, but I saw the garlic parmesan popcorn seasoning in the cupboard and used that. I bet a cinnamon and brown sugar, or cinnamon and nutmeg combo would be delicious if you usually crave something sweet.
Once you have them seasoned, place them on a baking sheet and roast them at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. I moved them around every 15 minutes to make sure they roasted evenly and didn’t burn.
Once they are done you can pull them out to let them cool. I did what the recipe recommended and turned the oven off and cracked the door. I let them cool that way for about 30 minutes and then put them in an airtight container.
Let me know if you try them and what flavor combinations you come up with!