Friday, January 28, 2011

Roasted Yam and Edamame Salad


As a child I thought yams were gross, because the only ones I had been exposed to were the super sticky canned sweet ones at thanksgiving that were topped with jumbo marshmallows and baked.  I always dreaded my Mom telling me to take a little of everything and having to eat some of those!  Good thing I have since had the privlidge of roasting my own fresh yams, my mind has completely changed!  I could simply roast a large yam, cut it open, squeeze a lime over it and sprinkle it with sea salt to enjoy alone.  I love yams that much, and if you get a good one it is the perfect amount of sweet!  In the deli I work in we make yam fries, and there are always a few missing from the cooling tray since they are so good that someone always swipes a few.  Roasted yams are a healthy comfort food, and I love them in salads as well!  So I decided to combine them with edamame in a winter salad with an orange dressing last night for a light dinner.  You know, the type that leaves you feeling comforted but not all heavy.  It was beautiful with the green edamame and orange garnet yams, and even better it was delicious!  Here is the recipe if you wish to enjoy it...


Roasted Yam and Edamame Salad
Serves 4-6

2 large garnet yams, cut into small cubes
peanut oil

1 12 oz bag frozen organic shelled edamame, thawed
2 small shallots,thinly sliced
1/2 cup toasted pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Dressing:
2 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees, line a sheet pan with foil, and spray with non-stick spray.  Toss yams with olive oil and spread out on sheet pan.  Roast for about 20-25 minutes until starting to brown at the edges and are tender and cooked through.  Remove from oven and let cool.  When cooled, combine with edamame, shallots, pecans, and cranberries in a large bowl.  Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and pour over salad.  Toss well to coat, and serve! 

11 comments:

Sandra said...

Yum..I love how it look and must be so tasty!

Evan Thomas said...

Looks delicious and hearty!

Stephanie said...

Ooh I love this combo of ingredients! It sounds delicious and healthy too. Can't wait to try your recipe!

Anonymous said...

Salad looks beautiful, interesting combination of ingredients:)

Suchitra Vaidyaram said...

Yam salad looks super good! thanks for sharing..

Medeja- CranberryJam said...

In this salad I like that you used pecans and dried cranberries.. I think they add nice flavor to this salad :)

Fresh and Foodie said...

I love this recipe! Looks fantastic.

Kate @ Diethood.com said...

The combination of flavors is wonderful - and I really like that dressing!

thecoffeebreak said...

What an interesting combination, salad looks very yummy!

Caitlin said...

i make a salad very similar to this. i agree that yams leave your tummy feeling warm and comfy without that heaviness. and i love adding pecans to all my salads!

Terra said...

WOW!!! This looks so beautiful:) You had my attention at Edamame, one of my favorite snacks. This recipe sounds delicious:)
Take care,
Terra
www.cafeterrablog.com