Tag: asparagus recipe

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COLORFUL HEALTHY ASPARAGUS SALAD

One  good thing about all this rain we’ve had.  Flowers long dormant are blooming again,  and asparagus is plump and plentiful.  This is one of those rare treats that arrive to welcome spring.  It’s been a long winter, and by now you’re probably tired of tossed salads and fruited jello.  Now is the time to brighten your table  with colorful healthy asparagus salad.  Best of all, it only takes minutes to prepare:

Looking for an alternative to tossed salad? Try asparagus pimento salad.
COLORFUL, HEALTHY ASPARAGUS SALAD only takes minutes to maKe

 

ASPARAGUS SALAD FOR TWO

INGREDIENTS:

2 lettuce leaves

10 asparagus spears

2 teaspoons diced pimento

1 sliced, hard boiled egg

Bottled thousand island dressing

DIRECTIONS:

Wash the asparagus, then trim off tough ends..  Don’t bother steaming or boiling; just place the asparagus in a shallow plastic storage container and cover with  water.  Cook in microwave for about six  minutes or when asparagus is crisp/tender. Run under cold water. Pat until dry..

On two salad plates, arrange asparagus on lettuce leaves.

Sprinkle about one teaspoon of diced red pimento over each serving.

Top with egg slices.

Drizzle with thousand island dressing

 

Asparagus is packed with nutrients, but low in fat and calories.  Better yet, it’s high in fiber

According to Web MD,

One half-cup serving (about 4 spears) of asparagus contains:

Asparagus is a good source of dietary fiber, which plays an important role in digestion. Insoluble dietary fiber acts as a prebiotic, feeding important gut bacteria, while soluble dietary fiber helps wash “bad” cholesterol out of your system.

Asparagus is also a good source of:

There are lots of ways to serve asparagus.  Cook in in the microwave with butter, and serve as a side dish.  Or, use it instead of broccoli in your favorite quiche recipe.

You can’t go wrong with asparagus!

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INDULGE IN CREAMED ASPARAGUS

Back when almost everyone either lived on a farm, or knew someone who did, creamed vegetables were very popular.  That was before anyone had made the connection between animal fat and heart disease.  In the springtime, asparagus was plentiful and cheap.  It grew all over the place, even along the railroad tracks! Any good  cook would serve bowls of creamed asparagus in April and May.  Never mind the calories. Every once in a while, we’ll give into temptation and indulge in creamed asparagus, just for old times sake.

Asparagus is a nutritional power house. First of all, it is  high in fiber–especially insoluble fiber that adds bulk to the stool and supports regular bowel movements. It also contains soluble fiber which is good for the digestive tract by feeding friendly bacteria in the gut. It’s  low in calories and packed with at least 10 essential  vitamins and minerals.

Asparagus can be eaten in many different ways.  For just plain, low calorie asparagus, I simply cover it with water and microwave it for 7 minutes.  You can add butter and salt for extra flavor. Or, you can line the spears up on a lettuce leaf to make a marvelous salad. Another favorite is asparagus bacon quiche—there are many recipes on the internet.

Indulge in Creamed Asparagus. It's a nutritional powerhouse.
Indulge in creamed asparagus. Make it with either cream or milk.

Yesterday was Easter Sunday, and we decided to forget about our diets for the day.  I don’t know how many calories we consumed,  but we certainly enjoyed a fine meal which included creamed asparagus.

When preparing asparagus, be sure to separate the edible part from the tough woody ends.  Hold each stalk in the middle and at the bottom. Bend the stalk, and the woody end will snap off. Discard the bottom.

CREAMED ASPARAGUS

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (about 1 pound)  trimmed asparagus, cut in 2 inch pieces

3 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons flour

1  1/2 cups Half n Half cream or milk

Directions:

Cover asparagus with water. Either boil for 3 minutes in sauce pan, or cook in microwave for 3 min , just until tender.  Drain asparagus and set aside.

In saucepan, melt butter. Add flour to make a roux and cook for one minute.  Stir in milk. Bring to a boil and add asparagus.  Salt to taste.

Serve as a side dish, or over toast.

If you love asparagus as much as we do, this is as good as it gets.