Monday, March 15, 2010

Day Thirty - Seven : What do you crave?

Watermelon? Indian food? Mac n Cheese? Ice cream sundaes? Pancakes? Do you ever get weird cravings for a very specific food? I know I do! I'm pretty sure most people do, it's definitely not a feeling limited to pregnant women...whether its a cuisine or a specific type of food, sometimes you really need to "scratch that itch" and satisfy your craving.

Did I want something decadent and outrageously over the top or something bad for you but soooo good or an old standby, something I just hadn't in a while? The first two options were immediately nixed as I am running a marathon in four days, I'm trying to be very conscious of what goes into my body this week...guess we're left with option number three.

Right around 3:30pm today while sitting at the office doing client outreach and development and sipping on a nice hot cup of green tea, I started really getting in the mood for edamame hummus with some carrots, some Spring Brook Tarentaise, and toasty multigrain bread...Edamame, in case you're not familiar, is the dressed up and Japanese name for boiled soy beans. See now, if I told you I was craving soy bean hummus, you might turn up your nose at me, not that you might not turn up your nose at me about edamame hummus, but I think the later sounds so much better.

Before we get going on what is in my edamame hummus and you're able to wipe the look off your face of "Wow, she is craving that, really? So not something I want..."; I thought I might tell you a little bit about the excellent health benefits of our superstar for today. A half a cup of edamame provides you with: a sizable amount of fiber, the same amount as four slices of whole wheat bread; exactly equal amounts of protein and carbs, a hard thing to find in a large percentage of foods, especially legumes; it packs a whopping ten percent of the daily value of vitamins A and C and has the same amount of iron as a small chicken breast. Isn't that a reason to try edamame? Well I certainly think so!

Now that I peaked your interest and ears, here's my recipe for Edamame hummus:

I know most people typically think of hummus with chickpeas, another delish legume, but this version replaces the chickpeas with edamame.
Here you go:

1 1/2 cups of boiled shelled edamame
1 garlic clove
Olive oil
1/3 cup of tahini
2 - 3oz of Herbed Goat Cheese Log (Most people do not use goat cheese in a hummus but I love the creaminess it adds to the dip, it adds that extra special oomph!)
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Basil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Blend all together in your food processor. You will get a lovely green colored dip with a nice goat cheese finish and a fresh and light body. Serve with the accompaniments of your choice. You already know what I wanted mine with, carrots but also on top of a nice slice of toasted multigrain bread and with a couple slices of Spring Brook Tarentaise, the Vermont Raw Cow's Milk cheese that I referenced from my meal at Casellula. This cheese is such a delish, delicate, dressed up every day cheese that I only get myself on special occassions due to the fact that it is $24.99 a pound, but it just seems so right with my edamame hummus, carrots, and multigrain bread.

Maybe this isn't what you crave, but it sure is what I am in the mood for. I think its a nice practice to at least once a week, indulge yourself in making or purchasing that one food you really want to eat and when you do, savor it and enjoy the moment you take that first bite.

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