Happy New Year from the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. team! I am excited to kick off the new year with our first recipe of the month for 2023 – Roasted Chickpeas. I am not a person to set resolutions each year, but I do try to grow and learn by reminding myself to stay curious and try new things. When I started testing and writing up this recipe for the website, I had to remind myself many times to be willing to try new things.

I have a long history of only liking chickpeas in hummus. I am not a fan of their texture or taste in salads or soups. So, it was a stretch for me to try this recipe. It turns out that I do like roasted chickpeas. I like how the texture becomes crunchy during the roasting process and I like the variety of flavors I can add. Here are a couple of important tips from me when making this recipe:

• Roasted chickpeas are most crunchy right out of the oven. Since I like them best crunchy, I usually eat what I can right away. The leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can add the leftovers to soups or salads.
• Boost the flavor of roasted chickpeas by sprinkling them with seasonings or dried herbs right after taking them out of the oven. I like ground black pepper on mine.

Find the full Roasted Chickpea recipe on the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. website.

Enjoy!