Crispy Chickpeas

It’s the longest running joke in anyone’s vegan repertoire: just wait until someone asks you where you get your protein.

I remember the first time someone in college grilled me on this and honestly, I was at a loss for words. Even though I knew I was eating healthy, I never paid much attention to my protein intake. At the time, I was adjusting to a kitchen-less dorm and eating plenty of protein-packed foods without even realizing it: peanut butter, tahini, whole grains, and some beans and lentils. I wish I had told her those foods with confidence, because I now find these questions as opportunities to show people how much protein can come from plant-based sources, without becoming a challenge or inconvenience.

Now, I would probably pull out a picture of my crispy chickpeas and show whoever was concerned/interested one of my favorite sources of plant-based protein.

If you’re preparing yourself for the inevitable “where-do-you-get-your-protein” conversation, here are some quick facts you can use while showing off your chickpeas and promptly following through with a mic drop:

• One can of chickpeas typically costs around $1.
• One can of chickpeas contains 21 grams of protein. This snack could account for nearly 50% of a woman’s recommended daily protein intake of 46 grams.
• One can of chickpeas contains 21 grams of fiber, trumping the national average of 15 grams of fiber a day and meeting nearly all of a woman’s recommended daily fiber intake of 25 grams.
• They are oddly reminiscent of chips.
• They are super easy to make and take hardly any work.
• You can mindlessly eat them in front of the computer screen and it’s no big deal at all.
• They are beautiful and delicious.

Oven-Roasted Crispy Chickpeas

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Ingredients:

• 1 can of chickpeas (preferably with no salt added or low-sodium) OR 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbs garlic powder
• 1/2 tbs Sriracha powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 415°F
2. If from a can, drain and rinse chickpeas
3. Pat chickpeas dry with a paper towel
4. Place chickpeas evenly over a cookie pan with parchment paper
5. Add olive oil and mix with chickpeas until evenly coated
6. Place pan in the oven and cook for 15 minutes
7. Remove chickpeas from the oven and mix them around with a spatula, then place back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes, or until crispy (they will turn from chewy to crispy pretty quickly – don’t be afraid to keep roasting them until the chewiness has pretty much disappeared)
8. After chickpeas are finished cooking, let cool for 1 minute and add spices, mixing with spatula until they are evenly seasoned
9. Serve in a bowl as a snack/meal or add to dishes/salads/stir-frys/etc.