Creamy Edamame Dip

I had intended to make a cilantro chumus for my St. Patrick's Day Dinner Party, but a quick look in my pantry revealed I was out of chickpeas!

Plan B: I had a bag of shelled edamame from Trader Joe's in my freezer, and although I had never tried it before, I figured, how bad could it be if I substituted edamame for chickpeas?

It was delicious (pictures didn't come out so great but trust me, it's quite tasty). Unlike chumus, the edamame dip came out lighter and fluffier. Definitely a keeper.

Notes:

• I made this in my immersion blender attachment which is pretty much a mini food processor. I had to do it in 2 batches since not all of it fit at once, but you can also make this in a blender or food processor all in one shot.
• I used unsalted edamame; if yours are pre-salted, add salt to taste rather than the amount in the ingredient list.

Creamy Edamame Dip

Ingredients:

1 lb shelled edamame
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
pinch of black pepper
2 Tbsp water, coconut milk or other dairy free alternative

Directions:

1. Cook edamame according to package directions and cool (not necessary if they are already cooked).
2. Blend together edamame, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add liquid 1 tsp at a time until mixture forms a creamy consistency (you made need only a few teaspoons). Add additional salt & pepper to taste. Chill before serving.

The cost:
edamame: 1.99
other ingredients: <1.00

Grand total: $3.99; serves 12-14 (makes about 4 cups of dip)

Crunchy Asian Slaw

Notice a theme here? Once I started on one Asian-inspired recipe, it kicked off a stream of consciousness where that was all I could think about because (1) I love Asian food, and (2) Asian-style cooking uses flavorful, healthy ingredients.

This is a go-to recipe for me whenever I need to make a vegetable side dish. It's simple, the flavors work well together, and it's a different spin on the average cole slaw.

Crunchy Asian Slaw

Ingredients:

1 package purple cabbage
1 cups shredded carrots
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup shelled edamame (soybeans)

2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp honey
pinch of pepper
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
dash of hot sauce

1/2 cup chow mein noodles

Directions:

1. Toss cabbage, carrots, scallions and edamame in a large bowl.
2. Blend soy sauce, vinegar, oil, honey, pepper, mustard and hot sauce.
3. Pour dressing over slaw veggies and toss to coat. Allow to sit at least 1 hour before serving (overnight is even better).
4. Garnish with noodles just before serving.

The cost:
cabbage: 1.99
carrots: 1.99
scallions: .15
edamame: 1.99
noodles: 2.39

Grand total: $8.51; serves 6-8 as a side