Sugar snap peas, a hybrid of green peas and snow peas are high in dietary fibre, low in saturated fat, and chock full of vitamin C, the B vitamins and vitamins A and K. They are equally delicious raw, lightly blanched (to keep the green, green) stir fried or as a garnish. When buying, look for firm, wholly green crisp pods. They should snap when you break them in half.
The following recipes are all simple and can be thrown together and prepared in under 30 (some as little as 10) minutes.
Note: some sugar snaps have a tough string along the edge of the top. This string needs to be removed before cooking. Just grab the stem and gently pull it, and it should easily “unzip” from the snap.
Sugar snap and mushroom sauté
o 2 tbsp. oil
o 10 to 12 oz. mushrooms, sliced (any or all mixed: cremini, button, baby bella, oyster)
o 3 cups sugar snap peas, ends trimmed
o 1 1/2 cups sliced green onions (white and green parts)
o 1 heaping tbsp. minced garlic
o 1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
o 2 tbsp. soy sauce
o 1 red bell pepper, diced
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add mushrooms, snap peas and green onions and sauté, stirring constantly, until snap peas are bright green and mushrooms have released their liquid, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and red bell pepper and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add the soy sauce and water chestnuts and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve immediately. Serves 4. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.
Couscous and sugar snap pea salad
o 1 1/2 cup Israeli couscous, cooked according to the package directions and cooled
o 1 lb. sugar snap peas, edges trimmed and cut in half
o 1/2 red onion, diced fine
o 15 to 20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
o 1 shredded carrot
o 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
o 1 tbsp. lemon juice
o 2 tbsp. olive oil
o 1 tsp. sugar
o salt and pepper to taste
In a bowl, combine the cooked couscous, snap peas, red onion, parsley, carrot and cherry tomatoes. Mix to combine.
In another bowl whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil and sugar. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, mix to coat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for at least 20 minutes before serving for the dressing flavours to meld with the couscous and vegetables. This salad can be made in the morning, covered and refrigerated, but then don’t add the tomatoes until just before you serve it. Serves 6 to 8 as a side salad.
Garlic snap peas
o 2 cups fresh sugar snap peas, tips removed
o 2 tsp. olive oil
o few drops of sesame oil
o salt and pepper
o 2 tsp. minced garlic
o toasted sesame seeds, optional
In a skillet or wok, heat the oils. Sauté the snap peas in the oil for no more than 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt and pepper; stir constantly. They should start to brown a bit. Add the garlic and cook for no more than 1 minute – you don’t want the garlic to do anything more than just start to brown – and the flavours have melded; stir constantly. When everything is hot throughout, place the pea pods on the serving platter and sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Serves 2 to 4. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.
