Toasted Cecchi

I have a new snack obsession.

This 24-day challenge includes no pretzels. Yes, you read that right. NO PRETZELS. That's like saying, "No crack" to Dennis Rodman. I need crack ... err, umm ... I mean, pretzels.

Pretzels give me salt. And crunch. Mostly crunch. I love to crunch.

You get crunch from pointless, calorie-laden, nutrient-missing snacks. So, as you can guess, there's not a lot of satisfying crunch on the old cleanse and purge.

(If I'm being honest, in addition to missing crunch, I'm also missing bubbles ... Cherry Coke Zero. And smooooooooooooth ... cheese and chocolate.)

And that, my friends, leads to snack recipe experimentation.

I think I'm on to something. It's not perfect yet, but you'll get the idea and can try it your own way if you think it has legs.

Toasted Cecchi
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed
Olive oil
Spices of your choice (Think Mexican combo of cumin, Tajin or chipotle lime. Or try Indian with curry and cumin. Or BBQ with one of those pre-mixed rubs. Or Italian with garlic, basil, oregano. Or even sweet ... sugar, cinnamon ... but then use canola oil instead of olive oil.)
Salt

After rinsing the beans, pour them out on a towel and pat them dry. Throw them in a bowl and dump a little oil on them. Or you could even spray them with oil in a can. The idea is just to coat them enough so that the spices stick. Next, add the spices. Sweet or savory, add a little salt. Dump them onto a cookie sheet/baking tray and put in 350-degree oven. Cook them until you smell the spices. (I totally have not timed this.) The goal is to get them hard like corn nuts, but you can stop the cooking any time before that if you prefer less crunchy. I usually turn off the oven and let them stay in there for a while so they really dry out.

In my opinion, you don't taste the beans. You taste the spice. Jim sort of disagrees. But if I hadn't told him it was a garbanzo before he tried it, he would have reacted differently. He thinks he hates garbanzos. (Like how I "hate" venison.) Fair warning: They're addicting. And protein vs. empty chip calories.