Snacking, I think it’s something we all do (even if you claim you don’t). I mean, who doesn’t love a sugary or salty (in my case) snack on a good movie night or get together with friends. I think snacks are essential! Finding zero waste snacks can be quite hard, if you’re tied to a ‘normal’ supermarket. But, there are tons of zero waste snacks out there and today might be just right for you. I want to share a recipe for a zero waste snack: roasted chickpeas!
Zero waste snack
If there’s one thing I should mention if someone asked me what I find hard about zero waste, I would be snacks. And then in particular, potato chips. Potato chips are my ultimate guilty pleasure, but I haven’t been able to find them anywhere without plastic or packaging. I’ve tried making them myself, but it’s no success. So, now I’m on a quest to find other zero waste snacks that are salty and crispy. And I’ve found one!
Chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas! I can’t really say if it’s a healthy snack, but I think it’s better than anything fried (like potato chips). And also, they’re peas. And peas are healthy. At least it can be zero waste and it’s vegan, that’s a major deal for me. If you buy them organic I think you’d have the perfect snack! If you have a bulk shop in your city, great! Buy them loose there and you have them zero waste. If you don’t have a bulk shop near, you can still buy chickpeas. I recommend buying them in a paper bag then, and in a big amount, something like 5 kilograms. This way you’ll minimize the waste.
The way I make them takes a little bit of preparation, but it’s been worth it to me every time. You just have to plan ahead and you”ll be fine. Anyway, here’s the recipe:
Roasted Chickpeas Recipe
Ingredients
– Uncooked chickpeas. Bought in bulk or in a big paper bag.
– Any type of oil (I use olive oil, since I can get that package free). You can buy this in bulk or in a glass jar at a store.
– Any type of spices (whatever you prefer here, I use the ones we have in our home, mom usually buys spices used for preparing chicken, I like those). Spices can be bought in bulk or in an aluminium or glass jar in a store.
Cooking instructions
First, let the chickpeas soak for a night in water. Uncooked chickpeas are very hard and so you’ll need to soak them to get softer peas. Some recipes suggest cooking the beans here, but I prefer soaking them since it takes no effort nor electricity. After they’ve soaked, remove the water they were in. Don’t throw this water away, you can use this to water your plants or garden.
Then, put the chickpeas in a small bowl and pour the oil and spices over them. Mix it thoroughly so that the chickpeas are seasoned. Put them on a baking tray (I use a baking mat) and bake them in the oven at 220 degrees Celsius. The amount of time depends on how crispy you like your peas haha. I like to bake them around 30 minutes, till they’re very crispy. Every oven is different too, so I suggest you just test it. I never preheat the oven. First I put the baking tray in there and then I turn of the oven, so the chickpeas are already in there when it’s starting to warm up. This way no energy is wasted in my opinion.
There you have it, a zero waste snack!
What do you think of roasted chickpeas a zero waste snack?
Yours sincerely,
Romee
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