Crunchy, Smoky Chat Masala Chickpeas

There's just no getting around it: I'm a snacker. When 2:30 pm rolls around, I get the urge to munch. To keep myself from overindulging, I try to come up with creative, healthy options that are still delicious. One of my go-tos is popcorn, at least in part because you can eat a whole giant bowl of it for just a few hundred calories (assuming it's not swimming in butter or oil, anyway). But if I want something with a little more substance but without the fat content of nuts, I'll choose crunchy chickpeas. These things are so darn delicious. The chickpeas really absorb the flavors of the chat masala, and the chili powder gives it such a great smoky note. You could definitely do this with other spices if you prefer - just follow the same process and switch out the chat masala, chili powder and cayenne for whichever spices you think sound good. These definitely take awhile to make, so you'll want to make a big batch to have around. Most of the cooking time is not "hands on," so you can definitely multi-task. (I squeezed in this great workout from The Skinny Confidential while mine were in the oven.) Once they're done, you can store them in a sealed container at room temperature.

Crunchy, Smoky Chat Masala Chickpeas
Makes 3 1/2 cups

• 16oz dry chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 tsp plus 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp chat masala
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne

Add the chickpeas to a large pot and cover with 8 cups of water. Allow to soak for 8 hours. Drain and rinse. 

Add the chickpeas back to the pot and cover with water again. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tsp salt and reduce heat to a low boil for 15 minutes, or until cooked and soft. 

Drain and rinse again. Dry well. 

Preheat oven to 400F. Toss chickpeas, olive oil, spices and remaining salt together on a large baking sheet.

Bake chickpeas for 30 minutes, shaking pan after 15. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Return to oven and cook for another 15 minutes. Shake pan. Turn off oven and leave pan in the oven for an additional 15 minutes. (1 hr 15 minutes total time with the middle 15 minutes spent out of the oven.) Allow to cool before storing (or eating. They're hot!)