A zesty edamame spaghetti primavera with fresh kale, garlic, red onion, basil, succulent cremini mushrooms, roma tomatoes, green and orange bell peppers, edamame beans, sweet corn, and fresh squeezed lime juice, topped with chopped scallions for a delightful zing.
Recipe
9-10 kale stalks, destemmed & roughly chopped
5-6 mushrooms, sliced (I used cremini mushrooms)
1 cup of edamame, deshelled
1 cup of corn (I used frozen)
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 roma tomatoes, diced (feel free to substitute your tomato of choice)
8-9 cloves of garlic, minced
½ large onion, diced (I used red onion)
1 box organic edamame spaghetti (I used Explore Cuisine from Wegmans)
5-6 scallions, finely chopped
1 handful basil, roughly chopped
½ lime, cut into wedges
2 tbsp avocado oil
Salt to taste (I used about 2-3 tsp)
A few notes for this dish, my loves! I used frozen edamame pods and removed the edamame after thawing. This was oddly therapeutic for me to do and quite fun! With the exception of the single edamame that catapulted into my shirt and has not resurfaced since. A lot of stores sell frozen edamame already shelled if you want to save yourself an episode of the missing edamame bean.
This was my first time trying edamame pasta, and I must say, after overcoming my initial concerns about the texture, I was pleasantly surprised! I only cooked the pasta in water for about 3 minutes, which gave the spaghetti a lovely al dente finish with the perfect amount of bite.
I used avocado oil for this dish, though as always I encourage you to make any substitutions you wish. You can even make an oil free version of this dish by using water instead!
Please keep in mind that this particular recipe serves about 4-5 people and remember to alter quantities of ingredients if needed.
Directions With A Grain Of Salt
As I’ve previously mentioned I absolutely adore cooking based on instinct or “cooking by feel” as I call it. Hence – directions with a grain of salt! I encourage you to also experiment with this once you’ve got the fundamentals of cooking down. Get creative with it, and as always, have yourself a grand ol’ time!
Bring pot of water to boil and add edamame spaghetti. Cook according to package directions. For Explore Cuisine’s Organic edamame spaghetti, I cooked the pasta for about 3 minutes. We’ll be cooking the pasta again with the vegetable medley for a couple minutes to get that amazing al dente texture without any of the sogginess.
Heat large sauté pan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and add avocado oil. Heat for about 1 minute and add onions and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute and add kale. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add mushrooms to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and peppers, stirring occasionally for 1 minute. Stir in corn, edamame beans, and basil for approximately 1 minute. Add edamame spaghetti into pan and stir in with veggie mixture. Cook for 2-3 additional minutes.
Squeeze lime juice into pan and season to taste. Take off heat and mix in scallions. Leave some scallions aside for garnish if desired.
For anyone who’s not a fan of the spicy zing of raw scallions, add scallions in with the corn, edamame beans, and basil, or feel free to leave them out entirely!
Health Benefits
Kale – Kale is a cruciferous vegetable and a potent source of vitamin C and many antioxidants. It contains extremely high amounts of vitamins A and K, and is a good source for manganese, copper, calcium, and potassium. Kale is incredibly nutrient dense and can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol. It can also aid in cancer prevention and promote eye health and weight loss.
Edamame – Edamame beans are good sources of fiber, antioxidants, manganese and vitamin K. They are also a good source of soy protein and contain all 9 essential amino acids. Edamame may help to lower cholesterol, maintain healthy levels of blood sugar, and may reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancers.
Tomato – Tomatoes are the major dietary source of antioxidant lycopene, a carotenoid which reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer. They also contain vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, and folate.
Bell Pepper – Bell peppers have a high amount of vitamin C, potassium, and carotenoids, and can help improve heart and eye health.
Scallions – Scallions have calcium, iron, vitamins A, C, and K. Folic acid, a B vitamin found in scallions, helps the body make new cells. They can also help boost the immune system.
Garlic – Garlic contains manganese, vitamins B6 and C, and selenium. It has incredible medicinal properties including combating illness, reducing blood pressure, lowering LDL cholesterol, and promoting longevity of life.
Onion – Onions includes high levels of sulfuric compounds, which stimulates the body’s anti-inflammatory processes to promote healing. It also has folate, vitamin C, and fiber and can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Cremini Mushrooms – Creminis are rich in selenium, copper, niacin, pantothenic acid. Selenium is a nutrient that plays a key role in immune function. Niacin assists in carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism. Copper is essential in our body’s iron absorption. Pantothenic acid is also known as vitamin B5 and is needed to metabolize protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Cremini mushrooms can help decrease the risk of atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
Lime – Limes are a good source of Vitamin A, B, and C, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Like other citrus fruits, limes promote healthy immune function and are a fantastic source of antioxidants. It can also help increase absorption of water and make the body more alkaline versus acidic.
Basil – Basil is an anti-inflammatory herb that contains powerful antioxidants. It also has antibacterial properties and high level of magnesium which promotes blood flow.
Corn – Corn is a grain that is a good source of antioxidant carotenoids and promotes eye health. Corn may also reduce the risk of anemia. It is a rich source iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid. Corn may help lower blood sugar and maintain healthy levels of cholesterol.
Happy eating folks! And remember, food is art.
“Let food be thy medicine.” – Hippocrates
If you liked this recipe, share with a friend! What are your favorite ways to use edamame?