If you’ve never had crispy roasted chickpeas before, and you’re curious about them, here’s my advice: don’t buy them at the store, make them from scratch yourself.
There’s a huge difference between freshly seasoned and roasted chickpeas and the pre-packaged, pre-made kind.
Of course, if you’re in a pinch, the pre-made ones are an easy alternative that’s just as healthy.
When I find a food I like, I tend to make it for months straight, in various variations, until I become sick of it and then I don’t have it for months, even years!
When I was younger, it was peanut butter and fluff sandwiches and then in high school, it was Honey Nut Cheerios and ham and cheese sandwiches. Still to this day, I don’t think I can have a ham and cheese sandwich, I really overdid it.
Now, I’m into roasted chickpeas and oatmeal bowls with nut butter and spiralized apples (like this one.) I can’t get enough of these two, and today, we’re talking about the chickpeas!
These chipotle spiced chickpeas offer the perfect spicy crunch to this Tex-mex dish, full of heart-healthy veggies like bell peppers, butternut squash, and of course, avocado (a fruit, not a veggie, though.)
The avocado dressing is my favorite part – it’s slightly garlicky with the tanginess of cilantro and lime. I like to also thin this out with red wine vinegar and use it as a salad dressing! Here, it works well as a dressing or even in dollops, as pictured.
For me, it’s another short week! I’m leaving Thursday to visit my family in Florida. I’m getting exhausted from all the travel, but it’s a busy month for me! This is a prime example of why it’s important to capitalize on the times that you’re slow, because when times are busy, they’re REALLY busy. When it rains, it storms, right?
Nutritional Information & Recipe
Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 10 points
*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.
Tex-Mex Spiralized Butternut Squash with Crispy Chipotle Chickpeas
Ingredients
- For the butternut squash:
- 1 large butternut squash peeled, Blade C, noodles trimmed
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- For the chickpeas:
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce chopped + 1.5 teaspoons sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- For the corn:
- 1 large ear of corn or 2 small ears of corn
- pinch of salt
- For the dressing:
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ripe avocado peeled and pitted
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 garlic clove minced
- water to thin
- salt and pepper
- For the pepper mixture:
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Place the chickpeas in a medium bowl along with the olive oil, chipotle pepper, cumin, and season with salt and pepper.
- On one baking sheet, lay out the seasoned chickpeas. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until crispy, shaking the pan halfway through.
- After 15 minutes of roasting the chickpeas, on the other baking sheet, lay out and lay out the butternut squash noodles. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Roast for 10-15 minutes or until al dente.
- While chickpeas cook, place the corn in a medium pot and cover with water and salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain into a colander and shave the kernels off with a knife and set aside.
- Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan heats, add the bell peppers and onions and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the corn and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook for another minute, stirring. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing and pulse until creamy. Taste and adjust, if necessary. Set aside.
- To assemble the bowls, divide the butternut squash noodles into four bowls and top each with equal amounts of chickpeas, pepper mixture, corn, and top with a dollop of the avocado dressing.
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