Honey Cinnamon Crunchy Chickpeas

This is another guilt-free snack. This is a perfect alternative to chips because they're tasty, crunchy and you definitely can't eat just one! They are super easy to make, but they do require a bit of patience as they do take a while to bake in the oven. But they are so healthy and yummy that they are definitely worth the wait!

These consist of...
- chickpeas
- olive oil
- honey
- cinnamon
- salt
- sugar
- nutmeg

How to make it:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Strain your chickpeas and sandwich them between 2 paper towels to absorb the moisture.
2. Transfer dried chickpeas to a non-stick baking sheet, and put them in the oven for 50-60 minutes.
3. While chickpeas are still hot, put them in a bowl and toss them with a little bit of olive oil, some honey, cinnamon, a pinch of salt and a dash of nutmeg. Put them back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes to carmelize.

Lauren's West Coast Chop

This salad was inspired by Original Joe's West Coast Chop. I had it recently during a visit home and thought it was one of the best and most unique salads I've had in a while. The secret: BAKED chickpeas! They're nice and crunchy so they're almost like croutons, but tastier AND a great source of protein (not to mention gluten-free)!

Original Joe's version can be found here, but my own version consists of...
- spinach
- chickpeas
- olive oil
- seasoning salt
- cucumber
- avocado 
- craisins
- almond slivers
- goat cheese
- honey dijon vinaigrette

How to make it:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Drain your chickpeas, drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt (or your own combination of spices) and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes.
2. Cut up some cucumber julienne, slice up some avocado and throw it in a bowl with some spinach, craisins, almond slivers, and baked chickpeas when ready.
3. Finish off with some goat cheese and your favorite honey dijon vinaigrette dressing (I used a homemade one).

A Variation:
This salad could easily be made into a meal by adding some grilled chicken!