Edamame and Corn Salad

I wanted something easy and light to make for my lunches this week, because I've felt like a zombie lately and therefore want to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible. I'm also reading a terrific book (The Hangman's Daughter, if you're interested), so that, too, has consumed a lot of my time and interest. This recipe for Edamame and Corn salad, from Veganomicon, caught my eye because I love the namesake ingredients, and also have a weird affinity for sesame seeds... don't ask.

This recipe turned out fantastically. You might notice the peas in this picture, and, if you have the book, you might also notice that the recipe doesn't call for peas. I didn't have quite enough edamame as called for, so I threw in some frozen peas when I added the corn.

I'd also like to add that this recipe gets bonus points. Why? Because it uses some oils/vinegars that I don't use often, but they're handy to have because when you need them, well... you need them. I have a tiny kitchen with super limited storage, which I share with my omni mama. So yeah, picture trying to fit a well stocked vegan and non-vegan kitchen/cupboard in a tiny space. More than once, I've been asked, "Do you really need this oil? Do you need so many vinegars?" And the answer is always a dramatic, "Yes, mom." So, I was super happy to pull out the rice vinegar and sesame oil and say, "See? I use these."

Hottie Black-Eyed Peas & Greens with Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Apples

Source: Appetite for Reduction

Isa Chandra Moskowitz has penned some of my favorite cookbooks; in a word, she's fabulous. As a post-Christmas gift to myself, I bought her most recent book. I've made two recipes from it thus far, and already I'm in love. I'm trying to eat as balanced a diet as possible, and each of these recipes details all the nutritional information! Even better, a single serving of every recipe is under 400 calories. Another bonus? A lot of the foods can easily be made gluten-free with some simple substitutions!

Prior to this recipe, I'd had black-eyed peas only a few times and had never had collard greens. I was excited to try something totally new, and I was pleasantly surprised. The flavor of the black-eyed peas & greens was a new experience for me, one I really enjoyed. I think it was the hot sauce that won me over - I love hot and spicy! And we all know I'd never say no to a sweet potato. It's safe to say my first adventure with this book was a success.