Edamame Avocado Vegan Pesto

I love this delicious, yet simple pesto recipe using edamame beans. It goes great as a spread, or used as a sauce on your favorite raw or cooked pastas. For those of you who prefer not to eat edamame, you can exchange it with delicious fresh peas. If you do use edamame, be sure to select organic. Edamame beans are immature soybeans inside a pod that can be eaten fresh, or peeled and boiled which is a more traditional method of preparation and use. They are high edamame is rich in protein, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, and micronutrients. It's important to find true organic sources of this soybean, as soybeans are one of the top GMO plants next to corn. However, if you are comfortable with the source, you will definitely enjoy edamame and benefit.

When I made my pesto I didn't add any lemon, so it's important to use it right away as the avocado begins to brown. You can slow this down by adding lemon juice to the recipe and storing it in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. 

I used my pesto in a vegan wrap, made with fresh mushrooms, onions, and Mexican squash (also known as Chayote).  I used a gluten free, vegan tortilla and spread the pesto on it. I also lightly sautéed the veggies on low heat. You could marinate them and then dehydrate the veggies, or just prepare it raw. You could also use lettuce wraps or raw wraps in place of the vegan tortilla. 

Here's the recipe for the pesto. Enjoy!

Edamame Avocado Vegan Pesto

Ingredients.

1 cups well packed parsley

1 cup shelled walnuts 

1 cup edamame beans (not the pods)

1 ½ T organic miso

1 cup avocado (about 1 large pitted avocado)

1 T Bragg’s

1 tsp or more Garlic Powder (to taste)

1-3 T water as needed for consistency

Preparation.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth. Add water as needed.