Roasting is such a delicious way to create a high protein, high fiber snack from legumes. I recently roasted chickpeas for the first time and was hooked. So now I’m experimenting with other types. This time I tried edamame (young soybeans) and peas, because I had both in the freezer. I didn’t cook them before making the recipe below, just defrosted by rinsing under warm water and letting sit for a few minutes. I’d forgotten how satisfying edamame taste! Completely unadorned, they are already rich and buttery.

As a change I used my toaster oven instead of regular oven to save some electricity, because it was a hot day and I was only making a smaller portion. They came out great! As you can see from the nutritionals below, this super delicious snack is packed with protein and fiber and is quite filling. Definitely better than the dried packaged versions at the store that are loaded with sodium. As with most savory snacks, I have trouble eating controlled portions so I purposely prepared only 2 cups of legumes. They were so filling that 1 cup was plenty.

Roasted Edamame and Peas (makes two 1-cup servings)

Ingredients

1 cup frozen edamame

1 cup frozen peas

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Onion and garlic powder (as much as you like)

Parmesan cheese, grated*

Directions

1. Rinse edamame and peas under warm water and let drain in a colander for a few minutes to defrost. Press out any extra water with paper towels to get them as dry as possible.
2. Move beans to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with onion and garlic powder. Mix with hands or a spoon to evenly incorporate oil and spices.
3. Spread beans onto a baking sheet covered with foil or parchment paper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.
4. Bake at 425 F for 30-45 minutes, until desired tenderness (the longer you bake, the drier and crunchier they become).

*For a vegan option, check out this easy recipe for vegan Parmesan cheese made from cashews and nutritional yeast.

Nutrition information per 1 cup (made with 1 tablespoon oil): 250 calories, 20 grams protein, 20 grams carbohydrate, 12 grams fat, 140 mg sodium, 8 grams fiber