Chili Bean Snack Mix

Crispy-baked garbanzo beans make a tasty addition to this healthy snack mix.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce each) cans Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (3 cups cooked)
Butter flavor cooking spray
4 cups toasted wheat, corn or rice squares cereal
2 cups pretzel goldfish or pretzel sticks
1 (8-ounce) package chopped mixed dried fruit (2 cups)
1 (6-ounce) package dried pineapple chunks (1 cup)
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon paprika

Cooking Directions:

1. Dry Garbanzo beans well on paper toweling. Place beans in large skillet and spray generously with cooking spry. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer beans to jelly roll pan and bake at 350°F (175°C). until browned and beginning to crisp on the outside, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Transfer beans to large bowl; add cereal, pretzel sticks, dried fruit, pineapple chunks and pumpkin seeds.
3. Combine Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, garlic and onion powder and paprika; add to snack mixture and toss to coat well.
4. Spray mixture generously with cooking spray and toss. Transfer mixture to roasting pan.
5. Back snack mix at 350°F (175°C). for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
6. Cool; store in an air tight container at room temperature.

Makes 16 servings.

Variation: Sweet Bean Snack Mix – Make snack mix as above, substituting 1 tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon apple juice for the Worcestershire Sauce and 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg and 1 teaspoon ground allspice for the chili, garlic and onion powders and paprika.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/6 of recipe): Calories 216; Fat 3g; % Calories from Fat 11; Carbohydrate 47g; Folate 66mcg; Sodium 351mg; Protein 6g; Dietary Fiber 8g; Cholesterol 0mg

Recipe and photograph courtesy of The Bean Education & Awareness Network.