HANDS-ON: 17 MIN. // TOTAL: 18 MIN. // SERVES 8
Crispy and lightly seasoned—this was how I wanted my chickpeas. But I could never find the right combination of baking time and temp—they either ended up soft or dried out—until a friend shared her trick of toasting the chickpeas in a hot skillet. The chickpeas get a crispy outside while keeping a moist inside, and in half the time it takes in the oven. Dry your chickpeas as thoroughly as possible before cooking to get a satisfyingly crisp result.
1 (19-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Pat the chickpeas dry with a paper towel. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add the oil to the pan; swirl to coat. Add the chickpeas; cook, stirring occasionally, for 17 minutes or until golden brown and crispy all over.
2 Transfer the chickpeas to a medium bowl. Add the garlic powder, lemon zest, oregano, salt, and pepper; toss gently. Serve immediately, or let cool in a single layer on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet before storing in an airtight container.
Note: For a more tender but still crispy chickpea, follow step 1 using a large ovenproof skillet. Preheat the oven to 400°F while the chickpeas are on the stovetop. Following the stovetop cooking, place the skillet in the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
(SERVING SIZE: ABOUT 1/4 CUP): CALORIES 98; FAT 4G (SAT 1G, UNSAT 3G); PROTEIN 4G; CARB 11G; FIBER 3G; SUGARS 1G (ADDED SUGARS 0G); SODIUM 136MG; CALC 3% DV; POTASSIUM 3% DV
add spice to cool down
Turning up the heat and flavor sounds like it might aggravate inflammation, but it actually does the opposite. In fact, incorporating fragrant spices, dried and fresh herbs, and other pungent plant foods like ginger and garlic is considered a key component to reducing inflammation, particularly when it comes to arthritis, joint pain, and swelling. Compounds in seasonings like turmeric, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, black pepper, oregano, rosemary, and cloves have been used medicinally in other cultures for thousands of years, but modern medicine in the US only recently started to use them. And the upside of using fragrant plant compounds is that there’s rarely any harmful side effects associated, which means incorporating them regularly may be worth a shot for those with pain and joint issues.
Skillet-Toasted Chickpeas and Crispy Spiced Edamame (page 248) are perfect recipes to experiment with new spices and flavors. Keep the oil and salt as directed in the original recipes, and substitute one of these combinations for the other seasonings.
• 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric + 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin + 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon + 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger