For several years now, we've enjoyed edamame as an appetizer in Japanese restaurants where you just squeeze the blanched soybeans from their pods directly into your mouth.

Then we began to notice edamame frozen in the pods in the supermarket, and, finally, bags of shelled edamame have appeared.

The convenience of already-shelled edamame means busy cooks can incorporate this nutritional powerhouse into mainstream meals.

The most logical place to start is soups and stews, and we began throwing a handful into pots of vegetable soup to take advantage of the nutrients.

The edamame soybean is rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and vitamins A, B and C.

When we spotted a recipe for Edamame Soup in a new cookbook by our friend Belinda Hulin, we got inspired.

Today's recipe is adapted from Belinda's soup with its fresh, bright Asian flavors. The fact that each serving contains fewer than 100 calories, zero cholesterol and only 3 grams of fat is just a bonus.

Suggested menu: Edamame Soup with garden salad with bottled Asian dressing and crisp rice cakes (plain)

• Contact Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross at Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, or tellus@kitchenscoop.com. Or visit the Desperation Dinners Web site at kitchenscoop.com.