Sautéed Snap Peas with Lemon Vinaigrette
Sautéed Snap Peas with Lemon Vinaigrette
Simply sautéed with red onion slices, these deliciously sweet and crunchy snap peas are tossed in a bright and fresh lemon vinaigrette dressing. Hello Spring!
Spring has definitely sprung here in Michigan, which means my local farmer’s market will be opening soon. One early, cool-weather vegetable that I’ll be on the lookout for are snap peas (also known as sugar snap peas). Typically grown in early spring, snap peas mature rather quickly and are often one of the first harvested spring vegetables.
Snap peas are a cross between traditional English peas (green peas) and snow peas. The edible pod of snap peas is thicker and plumper, compared to snow peas. They also tend to be a bit sweeter than snow peas with a lot more crunch.
Snap peas are packed with vitamin C, providing more than 75 percent of your daily need in one cup. They also supply a healthy dose of vitamins A and K, manganese, iron, and fiber.
When selecting snap peas, look for bright green pods that are plump and crisp. If you break a pod in half, you should hear a snap. For the sweetest flavor, use snap peas as soon as possible. As the sugar in the peas turns to starch, their sweetness fades. Keep peas refrigerated in a plastic bag and use within 2 to 3 days.
When cleaning and prepping snap peas, it’s nice to remove the somewhat tough, fibrous string that runs along the entire pod. Just snap or cut off the stem end and pull down the length of the pea pod to remove the string. These deliciously sweet peas are best when eaten raw or quickly sautéed, as in today’s recipe. Overcooked snap peas lose their bright green color and tend to turn mushy.
To your health,
Darlene
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SAUTEED SNAP PEAS with LEMON VINAIGRETTE
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: about 2/3 cup
Prep: 10 minutes
Ready: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Lemon Vinaigrette
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
Sautéed Peas and Red Onions
1 pound fresh snap peas (also called sugar snap peas)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion or shallot, sliced into 1/4-inch wedges
3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
DIRECTIONS
To prepare lemon vinaigrette, whisk together oil (1 1/2 tablespoons), lemon juice, sugar, mustard, salt, pepper, and oregano; set aside.
To prepare peas, snap or cut the stem end of the peas and pull the string off the length of the pod, discarding the strings and stem ends. Wash peas and pat dry with paper towel. Place oil (1 tablespoon) in a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add snap peas and sauté 3 minutes. Add sliced onions to skillet and continue to sauté 2 minutes. Add lemon vinaigrette to skillet and sauté 1 minute.
Place sautéed vegetables in a serving bowl, top with feta cheese, and serve.
Nutrition Information per Serving
97 Calories, 6 g Total fat, 1 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 2 mg Cholesterol, 118 mg Sodium, 7 g Total carbohydrate, 2 g Dietary fiber, 3.5 g Total sugars, 0 g Added sugars, 3 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 49 mg (4%) Calcium, 2 mg (10%) Iron, 173 mg (4%) Potassium
© 2024 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC
