Word of the Day (and a Healthy Snack!): Edamame

Edamame is the word used for fresh soybeans. You can find edamame sold in their pods or out of the pod. You can usually find them in the frozen food section in traditional or "steam-in-the-bag" forms. I love the steam-in-the-bag variety because they are so fuss-free, but if you find the kind you need to boil, it only takes about five minute.

"But...How do I eat that?" I think this is the quesiton that causes many people to shy away from edamame. If you buy the peeled variety, you can use the protein-packed beans in salads or soups or pretty much any other dish as you would another type of bean. The taste is slightly sweet, but it works in a lot of dishes to up the protein count. You can find a great recipe at this website - where I also found the picture above - for a Three-bean Salad using edamame.

My favorite way to eat edamame however is straight out of the pod as a snack. Just steam or boil your edamame, sprinkle a little salt on the pods, and put a pod in your mouh. You your lips to squeeze the beans out of the pods. YUM! And, a half cup has about 15 grams of protein!

Enjoy!

Kristy

Vegetarian Enchilada Bake

This recipe is one of this Sassy Chef's adventures in Vegetarian Cooking. I like the idea of great tasting meals without the meat, but truthfully - they seem hard to come by! Here is a great recipe from Cooking For 2 that is vegetarian and delicious! My husband even ate it without missing the meat! You could also easily make it vegan by using vegan cheese and cutting the sour cream (which is really just a serving condiment in this recipe anyway!).

This Vegetarian Enchilada Bake is filling and healthy! One of my favorie things about Cooking For 2 is that they include the nutrition information right below the recipe. This particular recipe has 286 Caloris, 11 gams of fat, 5 gams of fber and 12 grams of protein in a single piece! The recipe is also gluten free because you use corn tortillas.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 cup frozen corn
3/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 cup salsa
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
3 corn tortillas (6 inches)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream, optional

DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet, saute the zucchini, pepper and garlic in oil until pepper is crisp-tender. Add the corn, beans, salt and cumin; saute 2-3 minutes longer. Stir in salsa and cilantro. Place a tortilla in the bottom of a 1-1/2-qt. round baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread with 2/3 cup vegetable mixture; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers twice. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream if desired. Yield: 3 servings.

Just remember that the recipes in this book are designed to feed two people! Ideal for a couple without kids or a single person with one night of leftovers! If you're having guests though, double up the recipes! I like a spicier dish, so you can easily add jalapeno or more red pepper to up the heat! My version was doubled and easily fed 3 people with leftovers. Chips and salsa are a simple appetizer that work great with the Mexican flavors in this dish!

Kristy