Turmeric Roasted Crunchy Chickpeas

I’ve been making these oven roasted chickpeas for years now. They are the perfect fix for that crunchy salty craving that will allow you to keep your kitchen chip, popcorn and salted peanut free (although who can resist baked kettle chips once in a while). They take on any flavour you want whether it be spicy or sweet and a great for noshing on the go. For this recipe, I’ve coated the chickpeas in insanely good for you turmeric, nutritional yeast (aka nooch, very high in vitamin b12), a touch of cayenne (a good metabolism boost), and some good quality extra virgin olive oil and then slowly roasted them in the oven. They have a cheesy spicy flavour (almost like ranch) without any dairy or loads of salt!  They’ll keep you full for hours with their high content of  protein, fiber, good carbs and loads of vitamins and anti-inflammatory properties from the seasoning.

Turmeric is gaining lots of popularity these days for its long list of benefits. You can drink it in tea or add it to a variety of dishes for its beautiful yellow colour and its mild flavour. It is a main spice in many indian curries or good quality mustards but the root of the spice is often used to make medicine. The raw material in the turmeric called curcumin can help beat stress, depression, sleep deprivation and fight off infections.You can take turmeric supplement or add the spice to your stir-frys, stews and curries; or just make these chickpeas!

Some use turmeric to help heal:

• arthritis
• heartburn
• stomach pain, diarrhea, intestinal gas, stomach bloating, loss of appetite
• jaundice
• liver problems
• gallbladder disorders
• headaches
• bronchitis, colds
• lung infections
• fibromyalgia
• menstrual problems
• water retention

One word of advice, use a spoon while mixing the turmeric onto the chickpeas. I used my hands and I looked like Marge Simpson for two days and ruined a perfectly good manicure. You even have to be a little careful when eating them by the handful, I highly recommend a spoon! Although these are perfect on their own, stay tuned for some other Clean Eating Goddess recipes featuring these little crunchy guys. As always, this recipe is gluten, dairy and refined sugar free. It is also vegan! Bon appetit!

Ingredients:

• 2 cans or 3 cups chickpeas (rinsed well, pat dry with paper towel)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sea or himalayan salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• pinch of cayenne (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place chickpeas in a medium sized bowl and pat dry with paper towel.
2. Season with salt, pepper, turmeric, nutritional yeast, cayenne and olive oil. Toss well until chickpeas are well coated.
3. Spread chickpeas on a cookie sheet. Bake for about an hour, tossing every 15 minutes until chickpeas are crunchy! (Note: Depending on your oven, you may need to reduce heat to 350 degrees F halfway through because spices will start to burn before the chickpeas have a chance to completely dehydrate. I also keep the fan on during baking. If you don’t have a fan, bake on conventional or you may need to keep the chickpeas in for longer. I find that the crunch factor really depends on the oven. Keep an eye out when you go to toss!)

4. Remove from sheet pan and put in a bowl for serving!