Healthy Fall Snack Mix

It’s time to carve those jack-o-lanterns!  And it’s getting to be pumpkin pie/ muffin/ bread season.  I have posted before about roasting pumpkin seeds, which my family always did when it was pumpkin-carving time.  But  the other day I was at a party and the hostess had a pumpkin seed snack mix with toasted garbanzo beans.  I asked her for the recipe and turns out, it is actually healthy!  It’s a really different combination of ingredients, including baked garbanzo beans (chickpeas).

Garbanzo beans are high in vitamin C, B6, and folate, and are loaded with essential dietary minerals.  You can use either dried cherries or dried cranberries in this mix.  It is getting to be cranberry season, and these are high in vitamin C and iron.  Dried cherries are loaded with copper, a mineral which aids in collagen production, helping to keep tissues strong.  They are high in vitamins C and A as well.  Pistachios are tasty, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, and an excellent source of antioxidants.  They have lots of B complex vitamins, vitamin E, and carotene.  So as you can see, this really IS a healthy snack!

Ingredients:

1-15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

2 Tsp. spices of your choice, such as chili powder or curry

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 ¾ cups raw pumpkin seeds, cleaned

¾ cup dried cranberries, dried cherries, raisins, or a mix

¾ cup raw or roasted pistachios (can substitute other nuts like cashews, peanuts, or almonds, or a mix)

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread the garbanzo beans on paper towels and pat them dry.  Place them in a bowl and toss with 1 tbsp. of the olive oil, 1 tsp. of the spices, and salt and pepper to taste.  Coat the beans evenly, then place them on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake the beans until they are golden and crispy, for about 25-35 minutes.  Shake the tray gently to toss them after the first 15 minutes.

Remove the beans from the oven and transfer them to a serving bowl.

Reduce the oven temp to 300 degrees.

Arrange the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake them for 10 minutes, then remove them from the oven.  Heat the remaining tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Reduce the heat to medium low, add the pumpkin seeds and cook, stirring for 7-10 minutes.  Add the remaining tsp. spices and salt and pepper to taste.  Continue to cook, stirring, until the pumpkin seeds are golden and crispy, another 3-5 minutes.

Transfer the seeds to the serving bowl.  Add the cranberries (and/or other dried fruit) and the pistachios (or other nuts).  Toss well.

Happy Fall!  Enjoy!

Blessings to you,

Nurse Anne