You’ll find them in Japanese and Asian restaurants where they are usually served salted and at room temperature. Typically, you eat the beans inside and discard the pods. Check your grocery or specialty foods store – they can sometimes be found in the frozen foods aisle.

In Chinese, young soybeans in the pod are known as maodoujia which literally translates as “hairy bean pod.” No matter what you call them, they are a specific species of soybean grown for early harvesting and are different than soybean crops grown specifically for their mature beans.

Cook them by steaming or boiling for 3 to 5 minutes. Don’t overcook – you don’t want a bunch of mush.

We are used to seeing edamame served salted at Japanese restaurants but edamame without salt is equally delicious.

Edamame calories are high in protein, fiber and potassium. According to http://www.soygrowers.com, soy beans are the world’s foremost provider of protein and oil.

Edamame in the Shell © Seapoint Farms

10. “Healthy” is the first word that should come to mind with edamame – they are a low-fat, low-cholesterol, and high-protein food.  What more can you ask for: easy preparation, super taste and high nutrition value?
9. Look for bags of frozen edamame in your local specialty food or health food store.
8. Edamame are popular in Japan and China but are catching on in the US – you will find them served as appetizers in Japanese and Chinese restaurants.
7. Worried about edamame calories?  You shouldn’t be.  There are only 125 calories per 100 grams.
6. Farmers in Kentucky and other states are now growing edamame.  The USDA has an interesting web page discussing US growing of edamame.
5. US products include those by Woodstock Farms, Trader Joe’s and Seapoint Farms.  You can buy Seapoint Farms products online from Amazon.
4. Grow your own edamame!  Buy seeds from Wannamaker Farms or other vendors online (See the “Grow Your Own” section below).  You can grow edamame just about anywhere in the US.
3. Edamame nutrion equals soy foods nutrition since they are made from the same thing.  There is a great facts sheet at soyfoods.org which discusses all aspects of soy-related nutrition issues.
2. Sprinkle the edamame with lemon juice after cooking or add soy sauce/tamari to the water when cooking to subtly enhance their flavor.
1. Edamame, maodoujia, vegetable soybeans, beer beans, sweet beans,  garden soybeans, green soybeans, immature soybeans, edible soybeans – they are all the same thing.

Edamame: 60 Tempting Recipes Featuring America’s Hottest New Vegetable – “These tasty beans are highlighted in 60 mouthwatering recipes. Whet your taste buds with Grilled Tomatoes with Edamame and Goat Cheese, Flank Steak with Jeweled Salsa, Balsamic Glazed Winter Vegetables, or Warm Scallop and Edamame Salad. Not just delicious, these recipes are packed with nutrients. But health benefits are just a bonus because the recipes are ones that any chef would be proud to serve his diners. No bland health food here but instead rich appetizers like guacamole and creamy soups such as Thai Seafood Bisque. Although the market has many cookbooks, this is the first to focus completely on Edamame-America’s Hottest New Vegetable.”

Soy of Cooking: Easy-to-Make Vegetarian, Low-Fat, Fat-Free, and Antioxidant-Rich Gourmet Recipes – “Soy of Cooking Now, you can create elegant meals that are as healthy as they are delicious. Soy of Cooking is a gourmet guide to preparing savory meatless dishes that incorporate nutrient-rich soyfoods into your diet—high in antioxidants and phytochemicals, as well as fiber and vitamins. With more than 170 enticing recipes, this innovative cookbook shows how to combine creative techniques and easy-to-find soyfoods to make healthy starters, main dishes, desserts, and more with tempting, artful presentations. Soy of Cooking defines 30 new and traditional soyfoods, most of which can be found in supermarkets and health food stores around the country. It also includes a guide to useful cooking techniques, tips on using spices,and soyfood exchange information.”

A few varieties include: “Envy”, “Besweet 2020″, “Beer Friend”, “Butterbaby”, “Butterbeans”, “Early Hakucho”, “Green Pearls”, “Misono Green”, “Shironomai”, “Tohya”  Seed companies that carry Edamame:  vermontbean.com, johnnyseeds.com, and Wannamaker Farms. Here are some direct links to buy seeds on Amazon.com: Edamame Green Soybean Seeds 50 Seeds at Amazon and Soybeans Edamame Black Seeds 7 Grams at Amazon

Soybean Plants © ARS/USDA

Growing your own healthy low-calorie edamame is easy.  Here is one person’s discussion of growing soy bean plants in flower pots on their deck.  Of interesting note in this blog post: soybeans have small root systems and thus you can plant them close together – in 2 inch spacings.  They put six plants in a large flower pot – lots of beautiful foliage and lots of edamame pods!

If you often find yourself in coveralls driving a tractor, then you will find the USDA page on growing edamame as a row crop more informative.

Finally, you will find this article at the National Garden Bureau web site to be most informative: history, seed varieties, growing and harvesting are all covered.

Many grocery shoppers are seeking ways to lead healthier lifestyles but also want foods that offer value, selection and convenience. Research shows that they prefer organic and natural foods — the demand for these foods has grown 10 to 15 percent annually over the past 15 years as shoppers have become more mindful of the ingredients in foods they buy.

The increase in demand for organic and natural foods is partly attributed to parents who see the value in feeding their families food that is free of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. Others eat organic and natural foods because they believe they taste better since they have not come in contact with pesticides.

Eat well, live well
The secret to eating well and living well can be as simple as choosing organic and natural foods from the wide array of privately branded supermarket foods. These store brands are often as good or better quality than their national brand counterparts, and are priced lower. And, because of recent demand, shoppers can now expect to find all their favorite foods in an organic or natural variety.

For example, the Wild Harvest brand of organic and natural foods, available nationally at SUPERVALU stores including Acme, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Cub Foods, Shaw’s and others, offers 250 organic and natural products, all priced at approximately 15 percent lower than national-brand organic and natural foods.

Products include mealtime staples like milk, eggs, meat and fresh produce, and other foods like pastas, sauces, cookies, crackers, cereal and juice. Recently the Wild Harvest brand expanded to include more family favorites, including pizza, kids’ juice pouches, ready-to-drink tea, fresh herbs, artisan bread and muffins and organic baby food.

Food experts have long known the appeal of fresh and organic foods. Among them is Chef Bill Telepan of New York City’s highly acclaimed Telepan restaurant and author of the cookbook, “Inspired by Ingredients.” Telepan has been using fresh, natural and organic foods for more than 15 years, cooking for his family and customers alike. “Today’s families, like my own, want affordable, natural and delicious foods — I feel the impact of this trend through the requests I receive from customers for these types of foods in my restaurant. Wild Harvest organic foods address the need for a good selection of fresh and healthy foods that are convenient and a good value,” says Telepan.

Defining “organic” and “natural”
It’s important to check labels as you grocery shop for healthy and nutritious foods. When foods are labeled “organic” it means they were produced by avoiding exposure to potentially harmful additives such as chemical pesticides, fertilizers and preservatives, which are also environmentally harmful as they can end up in the ground, air, water or food supply. Shoppers concerned about these additives can read ingredient statements and avoid products containing unpronounceable ingredients, as well as look for the U.S. Department of Agriculture organic seal on packaging. Products that are labeled “100 percent organic” contain only organically grown ingredients.

When a product is labeled “natural” it means that the food or the ingredients in the product have been minimally processed, contain no chemical or artificial ingredients, and remain as close as possible to their original and natural state.

Five easy tips for “going organic”
With today’s supermarket products, it’s easy to incorporate wholesome and nutritious organic foods into your family’s daily diet:
1. Tuck organic juice pouches, organic applesauce cups and organic animal crackers into the kids’ backpacks.
2. Serve organic pizza at your teen’s slumber party or after sports events.
3. Set the table with a healthy breakfast assortment: cage-free eggs, Wild Harvest Banana Walnut Granola, organic yogurt and vibrant fresh berries.
4. Marinate all-natural chicken breasts using bottled organic marinade. Choose an interesting flavor, such as roasted garlic balsamic vinaigrette.
5. Give your baby a nutritional head start with organic baby foods.

With the variety of choices available at today’s supermarkets, one-stop shopping for affordable organic and natural foods is now a reality.

Visit www.wildharvestorganic.com for more information on where you can find SUPERVALU’s Wild Harvest organic and natural foods and for printable recipes and coupons.

Courtesy of ARAcontent