Fab Food Month Week 1: Healthy Snacks
Finding a healthy option to get you through to lunch or satisfy that 3pm sugar- craving can be a challenge. While homemade is often preferable, we understand that it’s sometimes hard to avoid convenience. We take a look at some of the healthier supermarket snack options suitable for school lunch boxes, desk draws and when you’re on-the-go.
What to look for in store-bought snacks:
- Less that 100 calories (418 kj) per serve
- The fewer ingredients, the better
- Low in saturated fat (limit to <10% total calorie intake)
Edamame Bean
![Let's Get Fit Fab Food Month 2015 "Edamame by Zesmerelda in Chicago" by Tammy Green (aka Zesmerelda) from Chicago Upscale Dining + Lounge Republic Pan-Asian Restaurant [http://www.republicrestaurant.us/ in Ontario & Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611] - Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edamame_by_Zesmerelda_in_Chicago.jpg#/media/File:Edamame_by_Zesmerelda_in_Chicago.jpg](http://letsgetfit.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Edamame_by_Zesmerelda_in_Chicago.jpg)
Edamame beans in the pod
Edamame is naturally gluten-free and low calorie, contains no cholesterol and is an excellent source of protein, iron, and calcium. It is an especially important source of protein for those who follow a plant-based diet.
You can find fresh edamame in the produce section, often still in the pod, but you can also find it already shelled. You can also buy shelled or in-pod frozen edamame as well. If buying frozen, make sure there are no additives in the ingredients, only edamame.
Edamame Hummus
Hummus is such a versatile food – serve with raw vegetable sticks, as a sandwich spread, or as an accompaniment to meat. Edamame hummus has great nutritional value making it a delicious healthy substitute for protein sources that are higher in saturated fat and cholesterol.
Edamame hummus – ready to go for a busy week.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
| Serving size 50g | Per serving | Per 100g |
| Energy | ||
| Protein | 4.1g | 8.3g |
| Fat, total | 4.2g | 8.3g |
| -saturated | 0.7g | 1.4g |
| Carbohydrate, | ||
| -total | 2.5g | 5.0g |
| -sugars | 0.8g | 1.7g |
| Sodium | 123mg | 246mg |
More edamame recipes
Edamame has a mild, buttery flavor that pairs well with many dishes. You can add it to soups, stews, salads, rice dishes or casseroles in place of or in combination with other beans.
The most common way to enjoy edamame is straight from the pod, after boiling for 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle (while still in the pod) with sea salt, then pop and snack away. You can also substitute edamame when a recipe calls, for peas.
Simple Summer Peach Salsa
Ingredients
- 3 peaches, mostly skinned and diced
- 1 jalapeno, diced small
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 3/4 cup shelled edamame
- 1/2 cup corn (cooked, off the cob. Canned or
- frozen is fine too)
- Juice and zest from one lime
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Method
Combine all of the above, stir and refrigerate. Serve with tortilla chips or pair with fish or chicken.
Edamame and Goats Cheese Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame
- 1 tablespoon salt-reduced soy sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup (185g) arborio rice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup (125ml) dry white wine
- 4 cups (1L) hot water
- 1/4 cup crumbled goats cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
Method
Time: 40 minutes
Heat the sesame oil in a frypan over medium heat. Stir in the edamame, soy sauce and 3/4 teaspoons of ground ginger. Cook and stir until the edamame is hot and the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy- bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour in the rice and stir until the rice is coated in oil and has started to toast, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the garlic powder and white wine.
Let the wine simmer until it has mostly evaporated then stir in one-third of the hot water; continue stirring until the rice has absorbed the liquid and turned creamy.
Repeat this process twice more, stirring constantly.
Stirring in the water should take 15 to 20 minutes in all. When finished, the rice should be tender yet slightly firm. Stir in the edamame, goats cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil and 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger until the cheeses have melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.
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