lemon-rosemarry roasted chickpeas && homemade granola bars

today was icky weather so i was feelin' some oven lovin'...

so i whipped up these two snacks and thought i'd share the recipes :) 

lemon-rosemary roasted chickpeas

the goodies:

• 1 15 oz can of chick peas, drained & rinsed
• 1-2 tablespoons oil (i used melted coconut butter, but olive oil would work nicely as well)
• juice from 1/2 to 1 fresh lemon, depending on your tastes
• rosemary (as much or as little as you care for)

method:

1. preheat oven to 4325 degrees. then place all ingredients in a bowl and give them a whirl.

     2.  spread on a lined baking sheet and pop in the oven for about 25 minutes, until the liquid is nearly all absorbed and the chickpeas are golden.

 

3. let cool. they will harden and get crunchy as they cool.

 

 4. enjoy as a fiber-protein rich yummy snack, sprinkle on salads, or add as a garnish to hummus to be fancy. 

these can also be made with whatever flavors you want -- curry, cumin, chili powder -- make them anyway you want ! yumm.

homemade granola bars:

the goodies - wet:

•  2-3 tablespoons butter (i used coconut, but regular also works swimmingly)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup honey (you can play with the two liquid sweeteners to your liking)

 

the goodies - dry:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut shreds or flakes
• 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flower, wheat germ, or protein powder
• cinnamon, to taste (i like a lot - probably about 2 teaspoons)
• pinch salt
• 1/2 to 1 cup nuts of your choice 
• 3/4 to 1 1/2 cup dried fruit of your choice

method:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. in a saucepan, combine wet ingredients. it will like, um, really tastey..

 

     2. allow to simmer on low heat until reaches a soft boil. boil for about a minute, stirring constantly, and remove from heat. meanwhile,,,combine the first four dry goodies in a large mixing bowl:

     3.  then add your dried fruit and nuts. (today i had dried cherries, cranberries, and raisins)...

 

... and slivered almonds and chopped walnuts...

 

 proceed by mixing it up!

4. next, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix again:

5. press into a greased baking dish and bake for 20-30 minutes, until lightly fragrant and slightly browned. 

6. let them cool for a few hours before enjoying

enjoy ! you can twist these any way you choose. i sometimes add dark chocolate chunks and/or yogurt chips, nut butters...really anything i have around and am in the mood for. 

no matter how you alter them, these are really yummy.  and healthy too! chewy bar ain't got nothin on these babies.

happy / healthy snacking !