Oven-Roasted Spicy Chickpeas

As you know, I love chickpeas. I think they’re great for meals, snacks, sides, etc, and I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate them into my diet. A few weeks ago, I threw a small get-together with friends and wanted a healthy snack to have out.  I actually stumbled upon a Roasted Chickpea recipe on my Facebook feed and decided to give it a try.  The recipe was super, super easy and quick.  I tried two different flavors (Spicy and Sriracha flavored), but the possibilities for flavor with these are really unlimited.

Here’s what you need:
2 cans (15 oz) of chickpeas
4 tablespoons EVOO
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt & Pepper
Sriracha Sauce to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

For the Sriracha flavor, I threw one can of chickpeas in a bowl with 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 tablespoons Sriracha, and salt & pepper to taste. You could use more/less Sriracha depending on how spicy you like it.

For the spicy flavor, combine one can of chickpeas, 2 tablespoons EVOO, paprika, cumin, garlic salt, and salt & pepper in a bowl.

Lay out all the chickpeas on a baking pan and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes -- until they are browned and crispy.

I baked the Sriracha flavor a bit longer - I actually prefer them a bit more browned. Like this:

While I ended up eating the majority of these (they'll never compete with chips and gauc), they are a great snack for dinner parties or a side dish for dinner. The chickpeas end up with a great roasted, crunchy, and salty flavor.  If you’re not into spice, they could even be good with just salt, pepper and a little garlic salt. 

Spicy flavor:

P.S. While I’m on the chickpea topic, I thought I’d share this recipe I found for CHICKPEA BLONDIES on the Ambitious Kitchen blog (great recipes). I am dying to make them. 

Restaurant Review: Locanda Verde

Locanda Verde, Tribeca
To me, Locanda Verde is the epitome of what dining out should be in NYC. It’s on a quiet corner of a cobblestone street in Tribeca. I felt like I had already escaped the city before entering the restaurant.  The ambiance is lively and trendy while keeping a rustic and romantic feel at the same time.  I loved the open kitchen, exposed brick, and art-lined walls.

Per usual, we checked out the cocktail menu first. They had lots of creative options. We tried the Pera Dea -- Vodka, Spiced Pear, Prosecco, Citrus which was amazing. It was perfectly sweet and went down very smoothly. We also tried the Old Fashioned Speziato – Chai Infused Michters Rye, Montenegro Amaro, Vanilla Bean – Also delicious and very flavorful. Definitely order this if you like cinnamon and spicy cocktails.

At LV, you have to order everything at once.  This was a bit overwhelming for us as everything on the menu sounded so incredible. We put a lot of faith in our waitress and asked her to pick our entire meal.  She was spot on with all of her recommendations and ordered us perfect combinations and portions.


To start:
We started with the Blue Crab Crostini with jalapeno and tomato – flaky and fresh crab, subtly seasoned with a kick and served on perfectly toasted bread. Definitely recommend starting with this one.

Lamb Meatball Sliders with Caprino and cucumber – These were delicious – tender, well-cooked lamb meat. While delicious, they lacked the “wow” factor that I found in the rest of the meal.

Pasta
Next, we split 2 pasta dishes. As expected all of their pasta is homemade and cooked perfectly al dente. You can truly taste how fresh this pasta is. It genuinely tastes like it was made on the premises just minutes before it was put in front of you. Per the waitresses recommendations we ordered the Strozzapreti Verde pasta and Pappardelle with Bolognese.

The Strozzapreti Verde was served with white duck ragu, pancetta and chesnuts.
-The noodles were a lovely green from the spinach rolled within them. This dish was very unique and unlike any pasta I’ve ever had – There were so many different flavors complementing each other so that every flavor blended together into one creamy and complex dish that literally melted in my mouth.

The Pappardelle with Bolognese ragu and solo di bruna
-While the green pasta was memorable and probably the pasta winner, there are few things better than a hearty Bolognese. The sauce was absolutely perfect with not too much seasoning and nicely sized chunks of meat throughout.

What I especially loved about both pasta dishes was how the sauces complemented the pasta itself so perfectly. You could still appreciate the taste and texture of the noodles which were equally as delicious as the accompanying sauce and flavors.  Both pasta dishes were surprisingly light and a good-sized portion – leaving you perfectly satisfied.

Dessert
For dessert we ordered their Chocolate Torta with chocolate caramel and caramel gelato. The torte was beautifully done and delicious, but I preferred the caramel gelato which was out of this world.

One of my favorite Italian traditions is Limoncello – lemon zest infused vodka.  It’s so refreshing and cleanses your palate after a big meal. LV’s limoncello did not disappoint and was delicious to sip on after dinner.

LV is doing a lot of things right. I cannot wait to go back for dinner or brunch.  It’s great for family, friends, a date, or special occasion.  I fully appreciate impeccable service, the right environment, and fresh food -- all of which LV nailed for me.

**One more tip – If you need a good after-dinner drink spot (I usually do), I highly recommend Smith & Mills. This hidden and quaint bar is just steps away from LV. They have a killer drink menu and are known for their Dark & Stormy’s – definitely recommend if you love ginger and rum.