herbiehancock

I've seen many recipe variations for Roasted Garbanzo Beans (aka Chickpeas) and have come to the astute observation that you can roast these bumpy little beans with whatever flavors you  like -- be it spicy, smoky or simply with only salt and pepper.  I saw these today on Beth's blog, Rhubarb and Venison . Beth roasted her chickpeas simply, with only the addition of salt, pepper, and smoked paprika (which is what piqued my interest!), so after way too long of telling myself I was going to make these someday, I decided that today should be the day. Cumin has become one of my favorite spices lately so I knew I would use some of it and another of my favorites - smoked paprika. While perusing my spice cabinet, I saw other flavor combinations that might be good on the garbanzo beans. How about garlic and sea salt; or cayenne, cumin and black pepper? I like the sound of red pepper flakes, garlic, and dried parsley! I'd like to try some pre-mixed seasonings I have, too, like the c...

We all know that beans are good for us.   Rich in protein (6-7 grams per half-cup serving), high in fiber (one half-cup serving gives you about 25% daily fiber) and inexpensive! Besides being nutritious, they are versatile.  You can boil them, bake them, fry them; put them in soups, stews, chili and salads; serve them with meat or have a vegetarian dish! Rancho Gordo is a company that sells heirloom beans.   I’ve heard of heirloom beans, heirloom tomatoes, heirloom seeds… but really, what does that mean?   As it turns out, an heirloom is tough to define.   Some say it must have been passed down through the generations and that a particular variety must be grown for at least 50 years before it can be called heirloom. What is constant in what is deemed heirloom is that it is “non-hybrid”… they are pure and aren’t a mixture of two varieties.   To be called an heirloom, the plants must be open-pollinated, which means the seeds were pollinated by wind or insect ...