Soup Chronicles : The Greatest Snack Food EVER

The Greatest Snack Food EVER


This power food was intriduced to me by my maternal grandmother and it satisfies all of the typical snack elements - it's salty , crunchy , and kind of heavy - but the one thing that differs from all other munchies is that this one is GOOD FOR YOU . Don't tell your friends until after they start going insane . You've heard of Halvah and Turkish Delight , here's an age old snack from the southern end of the mediterranean .

Oh , and this is so easy a drunk roofer could do it , which is good because Garbanzos reduce the severity of hangovers.

My Grammo's Roasted Chick Pea Snack

Preheat oven to 225C (425ish Fahrenheit ) and get out a cookie sheet . I line mine with a silicone matt)

Take 1 can Garbanzo Beans (Chick Peas) , drain them and toss them in salt and Ras El Hanout (recipe to follow) or Seasoning Salt . Subsequent batches might require 5-10 cans depending on the crowd.

Spread evenly on the pan and bake for 15 minutes (until some crack open) on the MIDDLE rack , flipping half way through the process.

Turn off the oven and remove the beans 5-10 minutes later . Add more salt if you wish.

Prepare to fight with your friends over the bowl !

Nutritional mumbo-jumbo

Chick Peas are high in Tryptophan but nobody bitches like they do about turkey about the food coma . That's because it's caused by overindulgence and not Tryptophan . Don't worry your head because 1 cup of these beauties contains :

164% of your RDA Molybdenum (good for your teeth and liver , prevents cancer)

84.5% RDA Manganese (essential trace element present in all of your cells)

70.5% RDA Folate ( neccessary for the production of all new cells , prevents neural tube defects , prevents red blood cell disorders in people of all ages , prevents heart disease , cerebrovascular disease , and cancer)

65.6% RDA Phenylalanine ( regulates neurotransmitters , norepinephrine , adrenaline and dopamine . Is a natural painkiller and mood stabilizer . People with PKU should avoid Garbanzos.)

50% RDA Dietary Fibre (prevents colon cancer , colitis , diabetes , and makes you lose weight and lowers cholesterol )

44% RDA Tryptophan (an essential amino acid that aids in protein synthesis and is the source of Serotonin . Tryptophan deficiency can cause suicidal depression.)

41.3% RDA Lysine (another essential amino acid . Builds muscle , ensymes , aids in calcium absorption , and is the building block of antibodies)

29% RDA Protein (we all know what this is)

27.6% RDA Phosphorous (Forms DNA and RNA , is a major component of all cellular membranes , hardens bones and teeth)

26.3% RDA Iron

EVERY Amino Acid including the aforementioned , but very high levels of Cysteine (48.8% - a natural hangover remedy); Histidine (31%) ; Isoleucine (53.9% , cannot be synthesized) ; Leucine (40.7% , cannot be synthesized , builds muscle tissue and repairs your liver) ; Methionine (25.7% , cannot be synthesized but can conver itself to cysteine if need be) ; Threonine (43.6% , cannot be synthesized) ; Tyrosine (37% , regulates the same hormones and transmitters as phenylalanine as well as thyroid hormones , melanin , and pain . Is useful in treatment for cocaine withdrawal.) ; Valine (41.5% , cannot be synthesized)

All of these other essential vitamins and minerals and more : Copper (29%) ; Magnesium (19.6%) ; Zinc (16.7%) ; Potassium (13.6%) ; Thiamine (12.7% ) ; Vitamin B6 (11.5%) . Rich in Omega 6 fatty acids .