This recipe is satisfying on so many levels. First, it’s easy. It takes less than 20 minutes to prepare this salad and the only cooking skill required is knowing how to boil water. Second, it’s healthy. There isn’t one ingredient in this dish that I wouldn’t feed to my most loved friends and family. And third, it is so delicious. Sometimes the simplest things in the culinary world are the most enjoyable, and this recipe fits the bill! Enjoy this salad as a side dish to your favorite Asian inspired meal or eat it on its own for a snack or light meal.

The Recipe: Corn, Edamame, Avocado and Sesame Salad

These are the ingredients you’ll need:

• 1 cup of fresh corn, or frozen corn, thawed
• 2 cups of frozen, shelled edamame (non-GMO, of course!)
• 2 ripe avocados, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
• A sprinkle of crushed red chili flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing: Whisk together the sesame oil, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Set aside. If you can’t find toasted sesame oil, don’t worry! Extra virgin olive oil works just fine in this recipe.

For the salad: Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. Add the frozen edamame, and boil for about 2 or 3 minutes. Add the frozen corn to the pot and boil for another 2 minutes. Pour the corn and edamame into a strainer, and rinse with cold water. In a bowl, combine the corn, edamame, avocado, dressing, and toasted sesame seeds. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Cover the salad and allow the flavors to meld together in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. Be sure to serve this salad as soon as possible, as the avocados will turn brown not long after being removed from their skins.

Note on sesame seeds: Usually sesame seeds are sold raw but toasting them is a piece of cake! Just add the required amount to a dry skillet (no oil) and turn the heat to medium. Keep the seeds moving by stirring them or shaking the skillet until you see that they’re a more golden brown color and you begin to smell them, about 3 or 4 minutes.

Why Your Body Will Love You For It

Avocados

Avocados get such a bad rep for being “fattening.” Granted, eating multiple avocados every single day is not a good idea, but your body cannot thrive without healthy fats. That’s why uncooked fats and oils, like the ones found in this recipe, are good for sustained nutrition. No need to avoid them like the plague, just eat them in moderation. The vast majority of all fat in avocados is heart-healthy, unsaturated fat. And because avocados contain a higher fat content, you’ll stay full for longer, which is a huge plus.

Fat and calories aside, one cup of avocado also contains about 10 grams of fiber. That’s almost 40% of the fiber recommended daily. This fruit (yep, it’s a fruit!) also contains loads of vitamin C and half of your recommended daily value of vitamin K. It also contains pretty high amounts of potassium and folic acid. There are certainly pros and cons to almost everything. In the case of the avocado, the pros outweigh the cons.

Sesame Seeds

It always seems surprising to learn that a tiny food can pack a huge nutritional punch. That’s certainly the case with sesame seeds. They’re often overlooked as a healthful food because they’re small, often used for garnish, or simply out of sight like when baked into crackers or bread.

These seeds contain dietary fiber, protein (again, keeping you full!), and amino acids. They also contain healthy amounts of anti-oxidants, which your body needs to help neutralize cell-damaging free radicals in your body. They are also surprisingly rich with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B6, vitamin B1, folic acid, calcium, iron, and zinc. Sesame seeds have also been known to help lower bad cholesterol. Not too shabby for such a small addition right?

Enjoy your salad and rock on with your healthy self!