“Superfood” is one of the trendy words being dropped by foodies and non-foodies alike nowadays. Because of the shift toward adding healthy foods to the diet, “superfoods” have become very popular. One such superfood is edamame (ĕd'ə-mä'mâ), or green soybeans. While edamame have been served in Japan (warm, in the pods, and sprinkled with coarse salt), Hawaii (often stir-fried in the pods with lots of chopped garlic), China, and other places with large Asian populations, they have also become popular in the US. Shelled edamame are added to salads, stir-fries, and side dishes, and are also eaten as a nutritious snack. They can easily be found in the freezer sections of most warehouse and grocery stores, both in the pods and shelled.

100 grams (about 1/2 cup shelled) supply 5.2 grams of fiber and 10.88 grams of protein, as well as 361 mg of omega-3 and 1764 mg of omega-6 fatty acids, not to mention folates, manganese, Vitamin C and Vitamin K. It’s amazing that something so good for you can taste so good. A favorite way to use edamame is in the following Easy Edamame Hummus which is great as a dip for rice crackers, pita chips and fresh vegetables. It is attractive, so it’s a perfect dip to take to a party or get-together, and no one needs to know that it’s extremely healthy. It was also discovered by some of the official Hancock tasters, that leftovers are delicious spread on toasted bagels and sandwiches. The only real drawback to this Edamame Hummus is that once one starts dipping and eating, it’s almost impossible to stop.

About 16 Servings (2 tablespoons each)

14 ounce to 1 pound package frozen shelled edamame, defrosted
6 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Oriental sesame oil
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for a more authentic Asian flavor, substitute wasabi)
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt

Paprika
Sesame seeds
Parsley

1. Place the edamame in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped.
2. Add the tahini, garlic, olive and sesame oils, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper
3. Process until smooth and add the yogurt; taste for salt and add more if necessary.
4. Process until very smooth.
5. If not serving immediately, transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until serving time
6. Sprinkle with paprika, sesame seeds, and parsley; serve with rice crackers, pita chips, and fresh vegetables for dipping.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 77 Calories from Fat 34
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 44% Protein 27% Carb. 29%
Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 4 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 189 mg
Total Carbohydrate 6 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 1 g
Protein 5 g

Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 4% Calcium 0% Iron 1%