Let's Start a Roasting Revolution

I have been hearing a lot of talk of New Year’s resolutions and it’s gotten me thinking about all my past resolutions. Some worked, some didn’t. Some I whole heartedly tried to follow through with and others I figured

if I said it out loud that would make enough of a difference. We all want to drop those pounds, and eat healthier, and take up YOGA and Japanese and whatever outlandish opportunity we feel we need to embark on. It’s not that I am being pessimistic people. I think it GREAT to think BIG. But what we end up missing is the BIG picture. What are you going to do to stay on track? What is going to motivate you? Who is going to make sure you stick to it?

We want to make all these BIG changes. But what we really need to do is look at the little things we can do to make a BIG change. Let’s face it. I am probably not going to be fluent in Greek by next January (sorry yiayia) but it wouldn’t hurt to learn some useful conversation that doesn’t involve cursing. See, baby steps.

So with all that mumbo jumbo from the heart and off the subject of food, which is I hope why you are really here and taking the time to read my blog, I will get to my point. My new year’s resolution is to be as happy and healthy as I can be, and my baby steps will be through my cooking dear readers. As I am writing this I can see the words of my last few blogs about cookies and Christmas time just drenched in sugars and sinful seduction. We all have to indulge every once in a while though. I think I will make that part of my “happy life” resolution. No worries, the cookies will keep coming.

Onto the healthy food part of my resolution, I am going to start cooking more with vegetables, and have them be the main star of the show on my plate. I’m going green in my kitchen! I love meats so therefore they tend to rule the menu, but after much research on healthy eating and a healthy diet, I have decided that little drumstick needs to be downsized. Snacking on healthy foods between meals is a must as well and I am on a hunt for a plethora of choices that are easy to grab and go, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack.

Today the lunch item/snack is roasted edamame. I picked my lunch up from whole foods the last couple days and sampled some of their vegan options to get some ideas.

I ran across these green little health monsters and boy did they WOW me! I had to go find that recipe. Unfortunately the exact one was not on their website, but I found one that is quite close. Add some roasted red peppers and green olives to this recipe and you have a match made in heaven.

Roasted Edamame

•2 teaspoons olive oil or 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
•1/4 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
•1/2 teaspoon chili powder
•1/4 teaspoon onion salt
•1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
•1/8 teaspoon paprika
•1/8 teaspoon black pepper
•1 (10 ounce) package ready-to-eat soybeans, thawed if using the frozen variety (fresh or frozen, edamame)

Preheat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, stir together oil, basil, chili powder, onion salt, cumin, paprika and black pepper. Drizzle mixture over soybeans and toss to coat well. Arrange beans in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Roast, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once, until soybeans begin to brown.
Serve hot as a vegetable side dish or cooled as a snack.