Let’s get one thing out of the way first. Soybean farmers everywhere might want to point out that edamame is just a fancy way of saying soybean. Well…that’s true, although eating edamame is a far different thing from eating soybeans. Edamame is technically the term for immature (green) soybeans.
Also, here’s a weird thing. One of my dogs won’t eat green peas, but she loves edamame. Strange girl!
Meanwhile, back to humans.
We’ve had a lot of snow. As of the local news on 2/12, we’ve had the 4th snowiest January-February on record. If the most recent storm lived up to predictions, we could be in the middle of the all-time snowiest February on record. (Although, when I check the records as reported on our newspaper’s web site, it’s still only the 10th or so snowiest month on record. I feel better. Sort of.) I miss green things. I miss fresh food. Yes, grocery stores exist. Yes, I can get many fresh veggies at the grocery store. Yes, I could even get frozen edamame that had already been shelled.
Come on. Half the fun is popping the edamame in your mouth and spitting the shell out. No? Just me? Table manners? Who needs them!
Edamame is high in protein, vitamins, & minerals. It may lower cholesterol and it doesn’t raise blood sugar levels. It may help protect against certain types of cancer, however, considerably more research is necessary before the cancer-prevention label can be accurately tacked onto edamame. It’s also delicious and simple to prepare and eat. Best of all? It’s a lovely green food that’s available all year long, no matter how many feet of snow have piled up in your neighborhood. Winner, winner, soybean dinner!
Cheers! Here’s to your health!
p.s. that thumbnail image is of freshly-harvested edamame from a wonderful organic farm near Des Moines, Blue Gate Farm!