Every meal is supposed to have a bit of green on your plate but it is easy to get bored from salads and broccoli. Thankfully, there is a stalky green veggie that you can not miss out on: asparagus. There is a large variety of asparagus to fit every meal and asparagus is a delicious way to indulge in plenty of productive nutrients.
- A half-cup of plain, cooked asparagus contains only 20-40 calories but meets 57% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin K and 34% of the RDI of Folate.
- Most people turn to milk for calcium and bone health, but asparagus can play the same role. Research shows that asparagus may be one of the best foods for preventing osteoporosis.
- Asparagus can help improve digestive health. It adds bulk to stool which helps food travel through the digestive system safely and easily.
Recipes:
Cheesy Garlic Asparagus (cafedelites.com)
- 1 pound Asparagus spears, woody ends removed
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon minced Garlic (or 4 cloves garlic, minced)
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked Black Pepper
- 1 1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with nonstick cooking oil spray.
- Arrange asparagus on baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Drizzle the oil mixture over the asparagus and toss to evenly coat.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until vibrant and just beginning to get tender.
- Remove from oven and top with the mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and broil (or grill) until the cheese melts and becomes golden (about 4-5 minutes).
- Adjust salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately.
Crack Asparagus (swankyrecipes.com)
- 2 bunches fresh Asparagus
- 6 slices Bacon (chopped)
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
- ½ cup sliced Almonds
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- 4 tsp Ranch Seasoning Powder
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Onion Powder
- ¾ tsp Salt
- ¾ tsp Black Pepper
- ½ tbsp Lemon Zest (about 1 lemon)
- 1 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
- Break stalk ends off asparagus.
- Mix together seasoning (olive oil, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice). Coat with asparagus.
- Spread on large rimmed sheet pan or two without crowding.
- Bake in 400°F oven for 8 minutes (small stalks) to 15 minutes (large stalks).
- Coat almonds in remaining oil mix. Bake on sheet pan for 2 minutes.
- Serve with grated parmesan cheese, toasted almonds, and chopped bacon.
Grilled Purple Asparagus (justapinch.com)
- 1 bunch purple Asparagus, cleaned, trimmed and split
- dill sauce: 1/4 cup Mayo (hellmans low fat)
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream (low fat)
- 1/2 tsp minced Shallot
- 1/2 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
- fresh, chopped Dill (about 1 tbsp)
- Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
- Split the asparagus down the center, drizzled them with olive oil and a little salt and pepper and then put them on the grill for about 3 minutes on each side. Use medium-high heat, with the lid closed. The smallest of the stalks are left whole to avoid overcooking/burning.
- For Dill Sauce: Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Allow to sit (if time permits) so the flavors meld. Feel free to mess around with the amounts to adjust the taste to your liking. You could even add a little water to thin out the sauce a bit. The end result is beautiful asparagus spears, which turn green from cooking, but taste a bit sweeter than your average spears. They are still crunchy and the little bit of salt enhances their flavor perfectly.