Spicy ChickPea Snack
A lot of people have their own version of roasted chickpeas, but I have to say, mine are the best. They are crunchy, flavored well and are made with TRUE food and flavorings. I actually think these little guys could go places.
Spicy ChickPea Snack
Start with soaking a bag of garbanzo beans overnight, at least 8 hours. Make sure there is enough room and water in the bowl as they double in size, sometimes more!
(NOTE: Yes, you are going to have to actually cook the beans old school to get the desired effect. Canned beans sit in soaking water for so long that they just end up getting way too smushy and don’t roast as well. Plus, this is a great chance to not have weird preservatives that are in the canning liquid. Little steps people!)
Drain and rinse well. Add to a pot with fresh water that comes a few inches above your beans.
(NOTE: For better flavor, add salt in the last 5 min of cooking. OR start with a piece of Kombu in the water which will add salt and help tenderize)
Bring water to a boil and let sit for about 5min. Then its simmer time. Simmer your beans for 30-45min on low/med heat until they are tender. Depending on the bean, it could take even longer. These took about 40min.
Next drain and let them cool.
Put them in a large enough bowl to coat with spices.
My special blend contains salt, pepper, garlic, chili and curry powder.
(NOTE: As far as the measurements . . . I don’t really measure spices and kind of just go with the flow. Its safe to say I may have used a tablespoon of each except the black pepper. Just use your instinct and taste along the way . . . everybody is different!)
Mix them around and coat evenly.
Place them on a baking sheet sprayed with some cooking spray in one even layer.
(NOTE: these do NOT need to be coated in oil before roasting. Oil acts as a barrier which will keep a lot of moisture in the bean which doesn’t make for a good crunchy snack! Unless of course you want them chewy inside . . . again, everybody is different)
Roast in a preheated oven at 350 for 40min. Half way through, I always give them a shake to make sure all sides are cooked even.
Let cool before handling and start snacking!! I could go through the whole batch in one day. Great as a salad topper too!
(NOTE: . . . . YUM!!! 
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What is your favorite snacky food?
Salsa Chicken
On our first date night with the help of my Twitter friends, I decided to make Salsa Chicken for dinner. This is one of those super easy dinners that just taste good and have endless possibilities.
Besides a Crockpot, you will need these . . .
(chicken breast, salsa, black beans, corn)
Of course, these ingredients are interchangeable. No corn, different beans, add peppers and onions . . . Ect.
Put your chicken breast at the bottom of your crockpot (i had 4 small thin chicken breasts on hand that were thawed) and pour salsa over them. Your going to want enough to cover the chicken. They don’t have to drown in salsa, so a jar should do it.
Next, pour your beans and corn on top or whatever components you chose.
Then, turn it on low for 4-6 hours. It is finished when the chicken shreds easily with a fork. I went in and shredded up the chicken using two forks then mixing everything together. It may seem watery at first but it gets better after the shredder 
Serve on top of salad, tortillas, baked potato or just eat plain by itself! It is good 
Yeah ummm . . . That’s it! I told you it was easy, now go make it and tell me how it was!
What is your easiest dinner recipe?
