Snacks for Toddlers: Candy Chickpeas!!

So I've been trying a few things here and there and forgetting to post about them.  =/
But this recipe made me remember!!

My husband & I have been eating loads of hummus lately because it is so yummy & easy to make.  You can do so many different things with it.  We've really been loving it!  So we tried giving it to our toddler.  She eats it here and there; she'll dip homemade tortilla chips in it, but she isn't really eating much of it.  But this wasn't a total fail, so I decide to explore chickpeas a little further.
(chickpeas are typically the beans used in making hummus.  If you've never heard of them I honestly hadn't either until I was interested in making hummus.  They are also called Garbanzo beans.  That's a fun name, right?!)

So I started looking for other ways to use Chickpeas and found a fun recipe we call "Candy Peas"
It is completely easy to make and anything we call candy gets a taste from our toddler at least once!!

So here it is:

Ingredients

• 15 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) – or 2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons olive oil – liquid
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Drain and rinse chickpeas well.
3. Pat chickpeas dry with paper towels.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the coconut oil and cinnamon. Add chickpeas and stir until well coated.
5. Spread chickpeas onto baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until crunchy and no longer soft in the middle. (I shake the pan every 10 minutes)
6. Place hot chickpeas in a small bowl and coat with honey, mixing evenly.
7. Spread back onto baking sheet and allow to dry and cool.
8. Store in an airtight container at room temperature

Nutrition Information

Serving size: ½ cup Calories: 134.3 Fat: 4.1 Saturated fat: 2.1 Unsaturated fat: 1.1 Trans fat: 0 Carbohydrates: 20.5 Sugar: 4.9 Sodium: 288.9 Fiber: 5.6 Protein: 5.3 Cholesterol: 0

I find that I need to cook them longer than I think because you want them to be very dry and crunchy to get that candy taste.  I also add more honey than the original recipe & even sprinkled a little sugar on them when they were still warm.

I have to say they were a BIG hit with our toddler and me.  They are a little addicting once you start eating them!  They kept well for several days and were a fun addition to snack time and her dinner plate.

I'd love to hear from you if you give them a try! =)