What is a nutritious, high protein snack that's quick to the table, delicious and satisfying?  How about one that contains almost no saturated fat and ZERO cholesterol? Dairy free? Now that we have eliminated beef jerky, cheez doodles, and guacamole......
Give up?

How about edamame?  If you've been to a Japanese restaurant or Sushi Bar, you may have already enjoyed this tasty snack. Also known as Green Vegetable Soybeans, these immature soybeans are harvested early and left in the pod.

Delicious lightly salted, and possibly the worlds oldest and healthiest snack food, edamame are as popular in Japan as salted peanuts are in the west.  Edamame is fun to eat. Just thread the steaming pod between your teeth and the tasty sweet beans pop right out, toss the pod and grab another.

Like mature soybeans, edamame contains significant amounts of all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein equal in quality to that in meat, milk and eggs. Edamame is rich in calcium, iron, zinc, and many of the B vitamins.

A single half-cup serving of edamame contains 35 mg of isoflavones, a sub-nutrient that may lessen the unpleasant side effects of menopause. These phyto-nutrients are thought to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, many forms of cancer, and osteoporosis.

Shelled Edamame (without the pod) is widely available at health food stores and most supermarkets and are a tasty addition to soups, salads and stir-fry dishes.  Shelled edamame look a lot like plump, green lima beans, and do a great job of standing in for almost any bean in many recipes.

Want to try cooking with edamame? Try edamame succotash, a delicious version of a homey standard that includes sliced, golden starburst squash and diced vegetarian Canadian bacon.