Recipe: Edamame Quinoa Salad With Lemon Dressing

If you want to try edamame, but aren't a fan of Asian food, this recipe offers a change from the traditional Japanese or Chinese flavors, and is a great way to incorporate more healthy veggies into your diet! Edamame is great combined with healthy, high-protein quinoa and other fresh vegetables, and this tasty salad is great anytime of year, although it lends itself especially well to summer cookouts or potlucks. If you're looking for a new way to incorporate edamame into your diet, or introduce your kids to a new vegetable, this is a great one to try.

Edamame Quinoa Salad With Lemon Dressing
(Serves About 6 as a Side Dish.)

Quinoa is not a grass, but its seeds have been eaten for 6000 years. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed thoroughly
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup drained and chopped roasted red peppers
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 small zucchini cut in half, then sliced lengthwise
1 cup frozen edamame, thawed (or fresh, lightly boiled)
Lemon zest from one large lemon
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Toast uncooked quinoa in skillet over medium heat for about five minutes, stirring or shaking constantly.
2. Transfer toasted quinoa to a large pot, then add broth and bring to a boil. 
3. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and empty into a serving bowl.
4. Add to the quinoa the tomato, sliced zucchini, peppers, and thawed edamame and toss to mix well.
5. In a separate bowl, Whisk olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice together, then pour over quinoa mixture and toss well. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Recipe: Asian Chicken And Edamame Linguine Skillet

This tasty recipe will give you the flavors of the far East, with the fresh, bright flavor combinations of soy sauce and rice vinegar, accented with mild Chinese cabbage and chicken. These ingredients are all easy to find at any American supermarket, but if you can find them, you can also substitute rice noodles or thin egg noodles for the linguini for a more authentic Asian flair.

Asian Chicken And Edamame Linguine Skillet
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

8 ounces linguine
2 (8 oz each) boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced in thin strips
1 tbsp cornstarch
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small red onion, cut in half and sliced thin
1 pound napa cabbage, shredded thinly
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 cups frozen shelled edamame

Directions:

•  Cook noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions, leaving them just al dente; drain and rinse under cold water, draining well, then set aside.
• Toss chicken strips with cornstarch in a medium bowl, then season with salt and pepper. 
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Cook chicken two to four minutes in batches until lightly browned. Transfer chicken to a plate and reserve remaining juices in skillet.
• Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, then saute garlic and onion one to three minutes until soft. 
• Add napa cabbage and cook three minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
• Add to the skillet the vinegar, soy sauce, edamame, noodles, and chicken, then season with salt and pepper as needed. 
• Cook about four minutes until noodles and edamame are well-tossed and warmed through.