Tasty Tuesday - Roasted Chickpeas

The question I know I will be asked more often than not during this "fast" will be "but what are you eating?" Well trust me, I am not living on salads 24/7. If I were this would be an almost impossible task lol. We went to the grocery store last night and I was just in awe at the number of fruits and vegetables available. It is amazing how much food God has provided for us to truly live by and it is even more amazing that we go everyday not even realizing that such wonderful foods exist. I have some pretty basic guidelines that I am going by for this fast. I am eating only natural fruits and vegetables (aka no frozen entrees with added junk and canned items cannot have added ingredients - just the fruits, vegetables and water). I am allowing 100% fruit and vegetable juices if the ingredients are just the fruit, vegetable and water. Dried fruits and vegetables are ok as long as extra sugar or oil has not been added. And I am allowing natural seasonings and spices for flavoring and olive oil for cooking and dressing but I am not allowing any sugar or honey and I am keeping salt to a minimum. I am also allowing raw nuts like almonds without any salt, seasonings or oils added.
Want to know exactly what I'm eating? Well how does all of this sound: Strawberry, banana, and blueberry smoothies with a touch of vanilla. Zucchini and yellow squash slices tossed with olive oil and toasted in the broiler or cooked on the grill. Fresh green salads with large mushroom slices, tomatoes and tossed with olive oil and garlic and herb spices for dressing (just ate this and that was the most amazing salad I have EVER eaten by far!). Spaghetti squash cooked with mushrooms, onions, garlic and diced tomatoes that were sauteed in olive oil for a mock spaghetti. Apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and slow baked in the oven to make apple chips. Baked potatoes sprinkled with a little salt, pepper, and chives and with the skins coated with olive oil to make them crispier. Homemade baked french fries made from sweet potatoes and a little salt and olive oil. Ok am I making you hungry yet? See, there is a limitless amount of combinations you could make with just vegetables and a little seasonings. This way of eating is certainly far more delicious than I had anticipated. I never knew eating healthy could taste sooooo good :-)

Here is a recipe that I used to eat on another diet years ago. This makes for a good crunchy and salty snack and is totally compatible with the fast.

Roasted Chickpeas ( or Garbanzo Beans as they're sometimes called)

1 (12 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt (optional)
garlic salt (optional)
cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Blot chickpeas with a paper towel to dry them. In a bowl, toss chickpeas with olive oil, and season to taste with salt, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper, if using. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until browned and crunchy. Turn the chickpeas halfway into the cooking time - this can be done by just shaking them around the pan a little. Watch carefully the last few minutes to avoid burning.