We've kind of been subsisting on snacks more than usual around here; have you noticed? It's been a really bad, exhausting last month or so. I can't wait for all the stress to be over so I can just hang out in the kitchen making whatever I want. Right now I have no energy left over. So: snacks.

It's not so terrible. We're not eating bags of chips for dinner; how gross would that be? It takes some willpower, though, even to make something this simple.

Snacky edamame

shelled edamame
corn
shallot
olive oil
sesame oil
sesame seeds
black pepper

Peel and chop the shallot; soften it slowly in a mix of olive and sesame oils.

While that's cooking, do any prep you might need for the vegetables. We had frozen shelled edamame and frozen corn, as opposed to fresh podded edamame and corn on the cob just picked out of the back garden, so all we had to do was defrost a couple big handfuls of each under hot tap water. I always do this by covering my frozen bits in hot water, letting them sit, and pouring the water off, then repeating the whole process a couple times. You could also just add them to the pan frozen, but that way will take longer to cook. If it happens to be summer at your house, feel free to pod all the fresh juicy edamame by hand and use a knife to cut long sticky slabs of fresh corn off the cob. Fresh corn. Oh man. I've been reading some raw sites, and fresh raw corn? Maybe mixed with sliced summer tomatoes? That would be fine!

Ok ok.

When shallot is softened, add corn and edamame. Mix it all up, turn the heat up a little, and cook the vegetables through. After about five minutes, add a handful of sesame seeds. You can toast these first in their own pan over medium heat, or you can just dump them in. Toasted is certainly more complex, but raw works too.

Stir everything up. Season with black pepper, and maybe some red pepper as well. Taste and see if you want anything else. I could see adding some soy sauce, or some hot chili sauce. What do you feel like? Cook a minute or two longer, to let the spices blend.

Serve into little drinky handheld bowls. Eat hot.

Have some chamomile tea and go to bed.