Make Mommy edamame for her special day

(Steamed in their pods, edamame is a nutritious dish)

Edamame is perfect fare as a starter to any meal or when you're in the mood for a satisfying snack. And because it sounds so right, make some edamame for the special mommy in your life today for Mother's Day.

What, you say, that's not so special? In it's simplicity and nourishing components, edamame is a fortifying, tasty treat.
It's soy, after all, which means it's protein-packed, high in fiber and other nutrients and vitamins — it's good for women, guys and kids alike.

(Pop open the pods of edamame for a delicious snack)

I always keep a bag of frozen edamame in the freezer, knowing I can have a satisfying snack ready in minutes. It's perfect with a glass of wine, as you think about what you might make for dinner. Serve edamame as a side to a meal as well.
Simply steamed in the pod, edamame, or green soybeans, need only cook for 5 minutes; then sprinkle with a dash of sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper and a sprinkle of Tamari.

Believe me, they will disappear before you can say, "Oh, Mommy!"

Here's what you'll find in a half-cup serving of shelled edamame (or 1 1/8 cup edamame in the pods), according to www.medicinenet.com:

• 120 calories
• 9 grams fiber
• 2.5 grams fat
• 1.5 grams polyunsaturated fat (0.3 grams plant omega-3 fatty acids)
• 0.5 gram monounsaturated fat
• 11 grams protein
• 13 grams carbohydrate
• 15 mg sodium
• 10 percent of the daily value for vitamin C
• 10 percent daily value for iron
• 8 percent daily value for vitamin A
• 4 percent daily value for calcium

Happy Mother's Day to all, and all the great women I knew in my life.



Although my Mom is long since gone, and all my aunts but one, in tribute to Mom I pick a bouquet of fresh violets. Violets were the first plantings she gave me for a mini-garden of my own when I was a child.
They were easy to grow and spread like crazy.

I could get lost in a patch of violets as a kid, picking them with long stems and adding leaves on the outside of the bouquet for a collar of green.

My Mom had a green thumb, nay, up to her elbow it went, her houseplants and gardening endeavors always thrived under her care.

Violets were a perennial favorite, always in bloom for Mother Day's and a perfect nosegay to pick for her.

If you're lucky enough to have a mom in your life, give her a big hug today, tell her you love her and pick some flowers to make her smile.

Happy Mother's Day!


If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden.

— Attributed to Claudia Ghandi