By Wendy Monro

We are not football fans in this family; although, I have watched more football this year than ever before. I have learned much more about how the game is played and unexpectedly became a fan of a man named Julio Jones. So, I was more excited than usual to attend a super bowl party this year since I knew a little more about what was going on.

Usually I am only excited to talk to friends, eat tons of snacks, watch commercials and drink wine. I was asked to bring a vegetarian snack. I couldn’t choose one, so I brought three: Buffalo style cauliflower, a citrus salad, and edamame hummus with pita chips. Traditional Buffalo wings are the norm at Super Bowl parties. I used cauliflower instead of chicken. I breaded the cauliflower and baked them for a while. Then, I doused them in wing sauce and baked some more. They turned out to taste delicious. I can eat almost anything in wing sauce. I love to dip most things into wings sauce and ranch. That is the best combination.

The edamame idea came to me as I was searching through my refrigerator and freezer for something else to cook. I saw a bag of edamame and took it out. Edamame are immature soy beans and used extensively in Asian cuisine. They add a lot of fiber, protein and vitamins to your daily intake.

I enjoy edamame boiled and sprinkled with sea salt, which is how they are generally served at sushi restaurants. Our favorite sushi restaurant makes a spicy garlic version that is to die for. Edamame is delicious sprinkled in a salad too. I like coming up with different ways to use them. I add edamame to pasta and pasta salads. There are so many ways to eat them. Before this party, I had never made edamame hummus. I thought it sounded like a good idea.

Our market has so many different varieties of hummus. Over the years, I have tried: jalapeno with cilantro, roasted red pepper, cucumber with dill, garlic and lemon, pine nuts, chipotle and serano, avocado, white bean, black bean, carmelized onion, artichoke and kale, roasted carrot with cumin, garlic and rosemary, spinach, cauliflower, Sriracha, sundried tomato, and zucchini. Yes, I have eaten all of these, and probably more. There is probably no end to hummus flavors. You just need the base of tahini and beans. The beans are usually garbonzo beans (or chic peas) but they can be black, white, or pinto too. And, as I now know, we can use soybeans as well.

There is a young woman in London who has created a company making hummus from vegetables, which would otherwise be wasted. Her name is Hannah McCollum and the company is called Chic P. If a vegetable is deemed unsuitable for the market, i.e. the wrong shade of green for a cucumber, she gets it and uses it in her hummus. This is a great idea and a small way to help end food waste. Her flavors are unique: banana, peanut butter and cocoa; herby; carrot, ginger and tumeric; beetroot, sage and horseradish; banana, avocado and cacao. I told you we could get pretty creative with varieties of hummus.

We could take Hannah’s idea and use it on a smaller scale. If you have some vegetables that are nearing their shelf life, make them into a hummus. Get clever and see what you can create.

My edamame was frozen, so I cannot say I was saving food with this hummus. However, I did use a lemon that was nearing the edge of its life. Other than the infinite possibilities of flavors of hummus, it is also wonderful because it is so quick and easy to make. I almost wonder why I ever buy it at the store? One jar of tahini lasts forever too because you only use a couple of teaspoons. So, there is really no point in not preparing hummus yourself at home. Yet, I still get drawn to it at the store also. I think I have about three, no four, varieties of hummus in my refrigerator right now. I really do.

Yet, I still made more for the party. This edamame hummus took about ten or fifteen minutes to prepare. Most of that time was boiling water and boiling the edemame. Once that was finished, I just tossed it all into a food processor. What is easier than that? I was very impressed with the finished hummus. I liked the green color and thought it would be a great addition to the Super Bowl snacks that evening. I was happy to walk in with all of these goodies for everyone to enjoy.

Edamame Hummus:

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

1 cup cilantro

1 ½ cup edamame

3 garlic cloves, chopped

juice of one lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup tahini

a little water for consistency

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients (except the salt, pepper and water) into a food processor and mix well. While mixing, add water until you reach the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pita chips or vegetables.