Healthy, crunchy snacks at home
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I travel a lot, so Im always looking for TRULY healthy snacks I can grab on-the-go.
Dry-roasted beans are full of protein and fiber, great for the road, and economical...
But you never see them in the States!Weve got tons of roasted nuts, trail mixes, corn nuts, rice and wheat snacks...
But none of the SUPER yummy roasted fava beans I see in Australia and Mexico.
In Playa, Katie always had bags of roasted garbanzo beans with chile and lime.
So I asked her where she got them when she went home.I make my own, she said, and told me the basic recipe. And the truth is, its pretty darn easy!
This recipe uses dry beans that you soak and then cook, which is key.
Soaking makes the beans easier for your body to break down, so no smelly stuff ;-) The best partI spend about $4 and maybe an hour in the kitchen...And Ive got tasty, crunchy snacks for a whole week!
Katies Dry-Roasted Beans in 4 Easy Steps
You can dry-roast many types of beans, but try starting with garbanzo beans (also called chick peas, the stuff hummus is made out of).Step 1 - Soak your beans. Buy a pound bag of dry (preferably organic) beans and rinse them, picking out any stones or discolored beans. Cover with several inches of purified water in a large bowl or pot, as beans will grow as they soak. Let them sit on the counter overnight.
Step 2 - Boil your beans. Drain your soaked beans and cover them with fresh water in a large covered pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and let beans cook for about an hour, until very soft.
Step 3 - Roast your beans. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and cover two baking sheets with foil. Drain cooked beans and pat dry between layers of paper towels. Arrange in single layers on baking sheets and drizzle each with about 2 tablespoons of olive or coconut oil. Use your hands to lightly coat the beans with the oil. Roast for 15-20 minutes (time will vary with each type of bean), until golden brown and crispy. Watch them closely so they dont burn!
Step 4 - Flavor your beans. Once beans have cooled slightly, test one and make sure its crunchy (return to the oven for a few minutes if not). Pour beans into a large bowl and toss with herbs or spices of choice, such as:
- A tablespoon of sea salt - A teaspoon of black pepper - A teaspoon of dried basil, oregano, thyme, or rosemary - A 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan or nutritional yeast - 1/2 teaspoon of spicy chile powder like cayenne - A teaspoon of garlic or onion powder - Any combination of these - Or anything else you can dream up!
Store roasted beans in an air-tight container in the pantry and enjoy your homemade crunchy snacks for up to several weeks (if they last that long!).Enjoy! :-)
To your delicious health,xoxo Britt
