Hi friends,

Hope your week is getting off to a good start! As I have shared before, I have to work at staying at a healthy weight, always have and probably always will.  If I don’t exercise regularly, I can easily gain weight. In addition to exercise, I try to eat healthy foods and drink lots of water. I don’t deprive myself of anything, I eat in moderation, but do try to watch what I eat. Chocolate is one of my favorite treats and I don’t think I will ever give it up. A life without chocolate would just be less delicious, haha!

I have been married for a little more than three years and cook more often than I ever did when I was single. Actually, I rarely cooked when I was single and my fridge had limited items, most of which were healthy. I was and still am more of a snacker. I tend to eat small meals throughout the day. It is my system and it works for me. I rarely ate a full meal for dinner when I was single, I would have some crackers or a slice of bread with greek cheese, or maybe a few pieces of chocolate covered almonds, or a piece of fruit or some veggies, accompanied by a sparkling water. I know, sounds odd, but it was simple, tasty, healthy, and satisfied me. I rarely used the stove, let alone the oven – I would eat mostly fresh food and raw fruits or veggies.  Now that I am married, I have way more temptations in the fridge and pantry! Way more! I buy the groceries for our household and try to keep it healthy….but sometimes, my hubby will stop at a convenience store and buy chips or at a bakery and buy donuts or pastries. In addition to that, I  cook dinner for hubby a few times per week and sometimes I eat some of it. How can you not eat pasta or mashed potatoes? They are so delicious and the temptation is just too much when you are the one doing the cooking!

So, on a recent visit to Trader Joe’s ( I shop there every week), I bought edamame. I used to snack on them or have them as an entree for dinner. They are healthy, contain protein and lots of vitamins (plus at about $2 per bag, it is an inexpensive snack). This past weekend, when I got the urge to grab for a snack, I heated a bowl of edamame, sprinkled a little sea salt on them & voila’, a delicious snack! They are also tasty with a sprinkle of lime or lemon juice! I also find that because they have fiber, they make me feel satisfied for a longer period of time. In addition, I eat them from the pod, with my hands, so it takes me longer to eat them, hence my brain has time to register that I am eating and send a signal to my body that I am satisfied (full).

I am trying to get back to my old habit of not eating a full meal for dinner and instead snacking on healthy treats likes veggies & fruits!

Do you like endamame? How have your eating habits changed over the years? If you are single, do you eat a full meal at dinner time? If you are married, do you eat a full meal for dinner – or did you eat a full meal at dinner time when you were single?

Hugs,

Paola

The bag is not very large, enough for three to four servings and is sold frozen. I purchase the unsalted, soybean in a pod bag.

Edamame have vitamins, protein, & fiber.

I simply rinse the edamame and heat them in water. They are ready in just a few minutes!

I strain them. 

Place them in a bowl, add a little bit of sea salt & voila’ – a delicious & healthy snack!