Sassy Little Soybeans

Midori Giant Soybean Seedlings

Ah, May Day. The beginning of the merriest month. That means I only have another 4 weeks to twiddle my thumbs before I can transplant my veggie seedlings. Yeah, yeah... I know. That late planting date is downright depressing. But, what's a mountain lover to do? Start things in the window, I guess.

Are you an Edamame fan? That little goodie tops my list ~ the veggie for dinner that I choose more often than anything else. They're so tasty... so easy... Steam 'em. Salt 'em. Gobble gobble.

The big challenge for this summer is to grow all of the veggies that I plan to eat. I can already tell you that will never happen. I'm a big asparagus fan and since it takes a full year of cajoling to get asparagus to do it's stuff... I'll be back in the produce section before you know it.

But, Edamame? Aka Soybeans? I might succeed at this one. That top photo shows my bitsy baby seedlings that I started in the window a couple weeks ago. I've started A TON of seeds in the house over the last few weeks ~ to get a jump on the harvest time.

Roasted Edamame
• 2 cups of SHELLED edamame beans
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil.
Put these babies on a cookie sheet, roast @ 400 degrees (F) for 10-15 minutes and prepare to be dazzled...

Edamame Growing Tips:

• There are lots of soybean varieties to choose from. Read the fine print to understand which ones are happier in your climate. (Some varieties like cooler temperatures than others.)
• I'm growing Midori Giant because they're fast. Ready to harvest in: 70-80 days.
• Full sun, consistent water, treat them just as you would beans and peas. Bonus: They're not picky about soil.
• It's harvest-time when you see the swollen pods, just like peas. Only Soybeans are fussy and lose flavor quickly. Check them every day or two, and don't try nibbling them as you would fresh snap peas. Edamame needs to be steamed before it's very tasty.

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