chickpeas anyone?

I have been intrigued by this next recipe I am going to give. I have seen it on cooking shows and on the web. I even got a can of chickpeas aka garbanzo beans. But I never got the gumption to try it. I am talking about roasting chickpeas. They are suppose to be incredibly healthy and a nice nutty snack. Someone had the audacity to say that they are better than potato chips. I KNOW that is quite the statement isn't it. I have a hard time believing anything tasting better than a good ole fashioned potato chip. So, finally last week I decided to do it. I was going to actually roast this can of beans I have had in my cupboard for over 9 months. It was time to get adventurous. I cracked open the can and just dug in! They smelled wonderful while they were in the oven. Then it was time for the taste test. Could it be that they were better than the crunchy goodness of a potato chip? Could it be possible?

NO.

No they were NOT better. They were...how should I say this? They were OK. Not great, but they did not live up to the hype that it was given. I was a little disappointed, but maybe this is an acquired taste. Maybe different seasoning combinations would help. Maybe they just aren't for me. But I think that I get an "A" for effort and for trying something out of my comfort zone. I think that some people will LOVE these. But, they just aren't for me. I might try them again though with some more intense flavor combinations and see if that changes my mind! So give it a try, I think this is the type of food you either love or hate. But you will never know unless you try it! Step out of the norm of everyday cooking and try something different. You never know, you might find something that you LOVE and never knew because of the fear of trying something different.

With that, here is the recipe for the roasted chickpeas.

1 15 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Drain the beans and rinse with cold water. Remove excess water by patting with a paper towel. In a mixing bowl coat beans with olive oil. Add spices and mix well. Spread on a large baking sheet. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until beans are completely dried and crunchy. Check often at the 30 minute mark, you do not want to burn them.

I think that you can mix up different flavor combinations and it would help immensely. I think I might try a sweet one with brown sugar and cinnamon maybe. We will see!