Wasabi Edamame

by guest blogger Paul Kita, food and nutrition editor at Men's Health

Some foods have mind control powers. They commandeer your gray matter, and your willpower falls subservient to their demands. Edamame, those habit-forming poppable pods from whole soybeans, are one of these mystic munchies.

If you haven't had edamame, you have yet to learn of its salty powers. If you have been possessed by an edamame attack, be forewarned: The recipe that follows makes the snack even more addictive.

All you do is take a little stir-fry sauce, a few sesame seeds, and something called furikake, a Japanese seasoning that tastes like, well, furikake. Most furikake contains nori flakes, sesame seeds, dried fish flakes (tastier than they sound), and powdered soy sauce or miso. (Variations, such as the wasabi-tinged furikake suggested in this recipe, abound.) One taste, and you'll go under.

Go on, give it a try. If you think you're ready.

Wasabi Edamame
Recipe by Todd Lean, executive chef of Pod in Philadelphia

• 1 bag (12 to 14 ounces) shell-on edamame
• 1 Tablespoon vegetarian stir-fry sauce
• ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
• 2 Tablespoon wasabi furikake (found in Asian markets and some grocery stores)
• Sea salt, to taste

1. Boil a large pot of water.

2. Add the edamame and boil until the pods are hot, about 2 minutes. Strain and transfer to a large metal bowl.

3. Add the stir-fry sauce, sesame seeds, and furikake. Toss to coat, transfer to a serving bowl, and finish with sea salt to taste.

To enjoy, eat the beans from their shells and discard the shells. Serves 4 as an appetizer.

Paul Kita is a James Beard Award-winning food and nutrition writer and edits the How to Do Everything Better section of Men's Health. He's also the founder of MensHealth.com's popular food and cooking blog, Guy Gourmet. In 2013, he cowrote Guy Gourmet: Great Chefs' Amazing Meals for a Lean & Healthy Body. Kita has appeared on the Travel Channel, as well as on numerous local radio and broadcast stations.

Adapted from the article, "The Healthy Snack That Tastes Better Than Junk Food," originally published on Men's Health

For more from Maria Rodale, visit www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com