Egyptian Edamame Stew

A riff on the Egyptian classic ful medames, a highly seasoned fava bean mash, this version is made with easier-to-find edamame. Edamame (fresh green soybeans) have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. They can be found shelled in the freezer section of well-stocked supermarkets. This stew is great served with couscous, bulgur or warm whole-wheat pita bread to soak up the sauce. Yum!

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 10-ounce packages frozen shelled edamame (about 3 cups) thawed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 large zucchini diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or mint
3 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add edamame and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.

2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, covered, until the onions are starting to brown, about 3 minutes more. Add garlic, cumin, coriander and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the edamame and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in cilantro (or mint) and lemon juice.

Tip: Edamame are found in the natural-foods freezer section of large supermarkets and natural-foods stores, sold both in and out of the “pods.” For this recipe, you’ll need the shelled edamame. One 10-ounce bag contains about 2 cups of shelled beans.

Yield: 4 servings, about 2 cups each.

Recipe Nutrition
Per serving: 257 calories; 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 3g mono unsaturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 15 g protein; 10 g fiber; 520 mg sodium; 304 mg potassium. Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (90% daily value), Vitamin A (35% dv), Iron (25% dv). 1 Carbohydrate Servings. Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 very lean meat, 1 fat.