On-the-Go Snack: Chili and Lime Roasted Chick Peas

I know a thing or two about road trips. Last summer, my husband and I drove our 3 children and dog from California to Kansas. (After a one-year pit stop, we will be driving to our destination of D.C. in a few weeks.) We had 3 weeks to make the trip to Kansas, so we stopped whenever it struck our fancy. We had the best time seeing the big sights (and lots of little ones), visiting friends and enjoying our beautiful country.
Road tripping takes a little pre-planning and some forethought. Part of our goal was to eat whatever the region was known for, so we did plan quite a few stops based on food. But there was also a lot of time spent in the car. Having a cooler full of drinks and snacks not only saved us time but also money.

We kept a medium-sized cooler loaded with bottles of water and juice boxes. Because we were stopping every evening, we were able to stock up on things like yogurt, fruit and cheese when needed. We also had a big bag of snacks, like granola bars, nuts, pretzels, crackers, cookies, muffins and raisins. The more snacks we had, the less we heard, “Are we there yet?” from the back seat!

Roasted chick peas are one of my favorite road trips snacks (I love them at home, too). Who ever had the brilliant idea to roast chick peas deserves a hug! Who would have thought that they would get crispy in the oven? You can season them however you like. This time, I made a chili and lime version, but curry, Italian seasoning or simple salt are also wonderful. And did I mention that roasted chick peas are a cinch to make?

Start by opening a can of chick peas and draining them. Give them a good rinse.

Line a baking sheet with foil and then some paper towel. Roll the chick peas in the paper towel to dry them off.

Drizzle the chick peas with olive oil.

Roast in a 400°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes. They will turn brown and get crispy.

Pull them out of the oven and sprinkle with salt, chili powder, cumin and lemon peel.

Roll the chick peas around to coat completely with the seasoning.

Serve and enjoy!