Edamame Salad: the Perfect "Bring-a-Dish" Item

Okay, the picture is new (just made it for a party on Sunday), but the recipe is from my first cookbook, Omega 3 Cuisine (word for word). It's a good dish to bring to a party where no one else will be likely to think about people who don't eat animals.

Edamame Salad

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Edamame are green soybean pods. I first encountered them splattered with soy sauce, served as an appetizer in a Japanese sushi bar. You’re supposed to stick the pod into your mouth, bite down, and pull it back out, squishing out the delicious green soybeans (you eat the beans and discard the pods). The beans can usually be found in the frozen section of supermarkets and natural food stores, conveniently shelled. Soybeans are known to be high in protein, calcium, and cancer-fighting antioxidants. Not only that, they’re good to eat! This salad has been a runaway hit every time I’ve served it. I used to grill the corn, but that was before Udo informed me that eating burned food causes cancer. 

Note: I went ahead and grilled the corn for this one time (sorry, Udo), because it really does taste good. I used 3 ears. Don't skimp on the herbs!

1 pound shelled edamame, blanched until tender-crisp

1 red onion, diced

1 1/2 cups diced celery

2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and diced

2 yellow bell peppers, roasted, peeled and diced

2 green bell peppers, diced

2 avocados, diced

1 cup cooked corn kernels

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup Basil Vinaigrette (see recipe below)

1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently to avoid mashing the avocado. Serve in small bowls or on a bed of lettuce.

Basil Vinaigrette

Makes about 2 cups

In addition to being a knockout-brilliant salad dressing, this is also (odd as it may sound) good on a baked potato instead of the usual butter, sour cream, and fake bacon bits.

1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed

1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar 

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup Udo’s Oil

Combine the basil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender and process until smooth. With the blender running, slowly pour in the oil. For the best enjoyment, use this dressing immediately.

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