During the business portion of my trip to California last month I tried a few new foods. One of the ones I tried and really liked was edamame! I liked it enough that I actually bought some when I got home and I was anxious to cook it up and go to town!
But once I opened the bag and tried measuring a serving out, I ran into trouble.
On the label it said one serving is 1/2 cup, but it was marked with a couple of asterisks. I followed the asterisks to a message that read “measured for the edible portion only”.
Alright, so it sounds like I am to measure the bean, not including the shells or “bean pods”. How the heck do I do that? This is just like shelled peanuts, which I don’t know how to count either! Arg!
Here’s what I want to do. I want to prepare a serving size or two, then eat.
I don’t want to prepare a bunch, then seperate the edamame from the shells, then measure the separated edamame into labeled servings, then eat.
How the heck do I measure this stuff (BEFORE cooking)?
I need some support from you kitchen heads out there…
P.S. – how cool was it that Lee Ann also mentioned edamame recently? I took that as “a sign” that I was eating something good for me. I didn’t even know they came unshelled! But I find that I like splitting and seperating them as I eat. It’s part of the experience.
I don’t know about edamame but I have faced that problem many times. I hate when a package gives the serving size before cooking it or they says 1/8 of the dry package!!! I mean come on, could you possibly make it more difficult for us!!!
An example that comes to mind…. cake. They say 1/8 of the dry mix. Well honestly, I don’t think that Tristan would like me to give me dry cake mix!!!!! LOL
I do the same as Sara and really don’t count them unless I am eating a lot of them. I love edamame- my kids do too! Sam’s sells a bunch of individual packs frozen (in the shells) that are the perfect amount and requires no bolus at all. (salt optional) yum! they are great on salads too!
Edamame rock.
I think of them as healthy potato chips (essentially, a salt vehicle).
My suggestion is the same as what Zazzy suggested: count it out once, and write it down for later (although honestly, I do what Sara does — I don’t count for them (mostly out of laziness)).
I agree with Zazzy – I always go to Calerie King for help. Never tried edamame – maybe I should . . .
I can’t answer your question, but I guess I’ll have to try those. I think I had them one time on a salad, but I am not sure. I’ve heard much about them recently so I guess I have to try them. I can be a bit of a picky eater myself…like I never woulda tried brussel sprouts…uh-unh.
According to CalorieKing, the yield from 10 pods is 2.2g carbs and 29 calories – I’d say that’s a fairly good place to start. I run into stuff like this all the time and my method is to figure it out _once_. Cook the things and take them out of their pods and measure until you have the volume you want. Count the pods and write it down for the future!
I haven’t tried edamame yet but it’s on my list! I am, btw, a big fan of those ziploc steamer bags for veggies.
I love edamame! Here’s my technique:
Buy them frozen in the pod. Put some in a covered dish and microwave for a few minutes. The ice from being frozen makes them almost steam in the dish. When they come out pour a little salt on them and shake them around a little. Then when you eat them you snap them out of the pod with your teeth like snap peas (eww George! Why would you eat the whole thing?!?!)
The brand I have in the freezer right now is 9 carbs for 1/2 a cup BUT 5 of that is fiber. So , you know what I do? I DON’T count them at all! 😛
I’m just beginning to read your blogs – you are hysterical. I blog at No Sugar Needed, my daughter was diagnosed at age 5 (she is now 11). I actually found your blog through Jill at Diabetes Sweeties. I’m looking forward to your future entries.
Pods with Sea Salt and Cumin & Corriandar are amazing! So proud that your trying new foods – YOU ROCK!
k2
I laughed very heartily at your PS, LOL! I agree, it’s definitely a better experience to eat from the pod. Last time I had them like that was at a restaurant, and the pods had sea salt on them. So good even though I shouldn’t eat things with salt on them like that because of the sodium. Measuring them while they’re still in the pod is next to impossible though 🙁
Dude, I have no clue how to measure it. I thought the whole thing was edible! Shows you what I know but that is cool man. There are so many good things out there you just gotta try um. I mean, if they are nasty then be done with it but it’s probably time to check out some old things you may have rejected in the past.
I used to hate HATE broccoli and now I cannot get enough of it.