Garlic Edamame

[highlight]A delicious and healthy side dish, these Garlic Edamame jazz up an otherwise ordinary dinner. [/highlight]

I often get stuck in a dinner side-dish rut…making the same vegetables and sides, until I get so bored with my meals that a couple hours after eating I end up eating all the cheese and crackers lurking in my house. Can anybody relate?

I think a lot of times the side dishes and vegetables we serve are a second hand thought. The star of the meal is usually the main entree and the accompaniments are just steamed vegetables or something you sautéed real quick to fill up your plate.

In an effort to get myself out of this dinner time rut, I’ve been experimenting with new preparations for vegetables and exciting side dishes. The other day we had grilled artichokes and they were fantastic, so I wanted to keep the ball rolling.

Last night, I served these Garlic Edamame with our meal and they were so delicious! Full of flavor and something about pea pods just makes me happy. Plus just saying “edamame” makes you feel a little exotic, much better than just saying soybeans. You could even pair these with a nice piece of seared tuna, some white rice and throw in a pair of chopsticks and you’ve just created a fancy looking asian-inspired dinner in no time!

The best part of all (besides the great taste) is that they meet my week night dinner criteria for being easy and quick to make. These days, I have to prepare dinner while refereeing the kids away from each other, or with my littlest one holding onto my legs wanting to be held (if you have kids, you remember this stage), so sides have to be simple to prepare.

I used frozen, whole edamame that I found in the freezer section at Trader Joe’s. I put them in a strainer straight from the freezer and run them under cold water for about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, I sauté the garlic and olive oil in a frying pan for 5 minutes on low. Then I toss in the edamame, bring the heat up to medium-high and sauté for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top before serving and viola!

You can also check out my Side Dish / Vegetable board on Pinterest for some new ideas on healthier side dishes.