Roasted Rosemary Carrots and Chickpeas with Walnuts

Peas and carrots have never been all that appealing to me. Carrots by themselves, good. Peas by themselves, or maybe in a pasta dish, good. Together? It’s lost on me. I’m simply not a fan. 

So what do I do when I’m not a fan of something? I make my own version. Sub green peas with chickpeas and magically I find one of my favorite side dishes. 

To be honest, though, this is more more than a side dish. When those chickpeas crisp up after roasting, I eat this stuff almost like a snack mix. 

It’s super versatile, too. Add it to a dinner menu, or top it with an egg for breakfast. 

As far as prep goes, there are few things simpler. Roasting is about as easy as it gets. Toss all the ingredients on a sheet pan and roast them until all the delicious caramelized flavors come out. Flavors that are even better with a touch of earthy rosemary. 

What you’ll need: 

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, patted dry
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots (about 1 small bunch from the farmers market)
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped raw walnuts
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Rosemary for garnish

How to make it:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Spread the chickpeas onto a large baking sheet. Add the carrots and the rosemary. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and toss to coat. Spread into a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes. 

Stir and spread back into a single layer. Bake for 10 more minutes, or until the carrots are tender and the chickpeas begin to crisp on the edges. Stir in the walnuts and return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes. 

Remove from the oven. Drizzle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper, adding more or less to taste. Serve warm garnished with rosemary.