Recipe: Roasted Chickpeas

My dad loves chickpeas. When I told him I got a job working with pulses (and then explained that pulses include beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas,) he was thrilled. It seems he eats them plain and raw; I fully support anyone who likes pulses that much.

So I gave him one of APG's handy little recipe books, which includes a recipe for roasted chickpeas. I myself enjoy roasted chickpeas and thought he would too, so I pointed out the recipe when I handed the book to him.

The recipe just wasn't very good.

I was surprised when he told me that over the weekend: I've tried recipes from the booklets before and loved them. The problem, he said, was that the recipe didn't include any proportions for the spices you can use. Essentially, it says use a half-cup of "preferred spices" and lists some options.

Well, like me, my dad operates best with a clear-cut set of rules or instructions. We see most things in black-and-white. A recipe that forces us to improvise might as well not be a recipe at all.

So, dad, this recipe is for you. I got it from the Clean Eating Magazine web site, which has a ton of other tasty, healthy recipes. I've made this recipe several times, and it always turns out - though I don't feel quite like I've perfected it. The chickpeas don't turn out quite as crispy as I would like them to, and I'd like to find some different flavour combinations. This recipe is a good start though, and tonight, the chickpeas turned out better than they ever did before.

1 can       chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
1 tbsp      lemon juice
1 tbsp      olive oil
1 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup (I've used a tsp of sugar / sugar substitute in the past)
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp    coriander
1/4 tsp    cinnamon
1/4 tsp    each salt and pepper
pinch of cayenne

Pre-heat oven to 425. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, then pour the mixture onto a tin-foil lined cookie sheet. Roast for around 12 minutes, toss the mixture, then roast for another 12 minutes or until the chickpeas have dark spots. Remove from the oven and let cool. Store in the fridge.