Last year, I came to you with a humble plea: Help! What’s for lunch? I was feeling stuck, and CoJ commenters offered 500+ amazing ideas. To return the favor, I wanted to share a supremely easy lunch in my current rotation…
Welcome to the stage…bowl of steamed edamame. Unlike the vegetables in my fridge that are past their prime or need time in the oven, a bag of frozen, shelled edamame is always happily waiting in the freezer to be called up for a random weekday lunch.
Edamame is a great source of protein and fiber, so I’m not hungry again seven seconds later. While I’m boiling water and waiting for the edamame to steam, I’ll usually grab whatever I have in the fridge (cilantro, half a cucumber, carrots, leftover rice), plus a little soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. But if I’m in a hurry, haven’t grocery shopped in forever, or find myself texting while the water boils, it’s also satisfying with just flaky salt and chili crunch oil. The perfect side: rice crackers.
Hetty Lui McKinnon once shared a simple recipe for ginger and cumin spiced edamame. “My freezer always contains two or three or maybe four bags of edamame beans, just in case the craving strikes,” she wrote. Joanna told me that for years she’s been making the extremely easy parmesan, mint, and edamame salad (#35) from Mark Bittman’s list of 101 picnic ideas. “Don’t forget the lemon,” she texted. Noted!
When it comes to easy lunches, I asked Adam Roberts what he’s been having. “Lately I’ve been making dip salads,” he said. “If I have a dinner party on Wednesday night and I make a beet dip with beets and yogurt, the next day I’ll schmear some of that dip on to plates and make a salad with beets, apples, pecans, and goat cheese and pile it on top of the dip. Same thing works with hummus and a tomato-onion-cucumber mix or a French onion dip and a wedge salad.”
I have to say, Adam’s salad looks like something I would happily pay way too much for at a restaurant. I like the “schmear + salad” template.
So, tell me, is there a standout in your lunch rotation? I’m also a fan of this can of lentils with fresh bread from the bakery near my house.
P.S. Three easy weekday lunches and Joanna’s current hyperfixation meal.
(Top photo from Lena Corwin’s home tour. Food photos by Adam and me.)
