Asian Chopped Salad

Low-Cal But Still Lovely
So, the big question is ... can you eat well and still watch your diet? Of course you can! When I am watching my food intake, one thing that helps me stay satisfied is lots of chewing. This Asian chopped salad with edamame is a really tasty, cold veggie dish which has lots of flavor and lots of chewing — and even heat if you choose to make it that way. I found this recipe on the Weight Watchers website — it serves 8 and each portion is 5 points for those of you who care. It has protein-rich edamame which I love. The points come from the sesame oil sesame seeds and the honey. As you know, veggies are free!

Ingredients
2 cup(s) shredded red cabbage   
2 cup(s) shredded carrot(s)   
2 cup(s) edamame (shelled), cooked and cooled   
1 large yellow pepper(s), seeded and thinly sliced   
2 average Serrano chile(s), seeded and minced (or less to taste)   
8 oz canned water chestnut(s), rinsed, drained, thinly sliced   
6 medium uncooked scallion(s), sliced  
1/4 cup(s) mint leaves, fresh, minced   
5 Tbsp fresh lime juice   
8 tsp toasted sesame oil   
2 Tbsp honey   
2 tsp ginger root, fresh, grated   
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt   
2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted  

Procedure
In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, edamame, both kinds of peppers, water chestnuts, scallions and mint. 
In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, oil, honey, ginger and salt. Pour over vegetable mixture and toss to coat; garnish with sesame seeds. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving. Throw in some tofu, and you have dinner!

Nutty Edamame Salad

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
All I want in this heat is salads, so here is a recipe using Edaname (which are soy beans!). You can buy them frozen out of the shells at our local supermarkets Yum! And super nutritious.

Ingredients
1 pound shelled Edamame
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1/4 cup chopped cashews toasted
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons Tamari
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 shakes Tabasco sauce
Freshly ground pepper, optional to taste

Procedure
Place shelled edamame in a pot of salted boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and cool before mixing with the remaining ingredients. Mix together oil, vinegar and sauces in a small dish and adjust amounts as desired. Toss dressing, edamame and all other ingredients together well in a large bowl. Serve. You could also add some grilled shrimp and call it a meal.