Say hello to Spring in one of the best ways we know how — by cooking up some delicious asparagus, of course. The veggie is the snappiest from March until May, so you've got a couple of months to bring all of its green goodness to your table. We already have you covered on how to prep asparagus in a flash, so now you can put those skills to use with these tempting dishes. Ready, set, go!
— Additional reporting by Lisette Mejia
Salty, and slightly sweet and full of umami, miso is undoubtedly my desert island ingredient. Add to the mix verdant Spring asparagus, sherry vinegar, copious amounts of butter, and poached eggs, and it's hardly surprising that this weeknight-friendly dish has become an obsession of sorts around my household. Rarely a week passes where this perfect confluence of ingredients does not grace my table. Sometimes I even dig into a bowl of it more than once!
To get my miso butter and poached egg fix outside of asparagus season, I've even taken to swapping out steamed kale for the grassy stalk to inspiring effect. I'm an obsessive sort, prone to extreme loyalty to any matter of things, but I've rarely been so smitten with a single dish as in this case. So, let me urge you strongly to try it out for yourself — I'd bet that you'll become a convert as well.
Unless you're working with asparagus that's freshly harvested from the garden — and sometimes even then — one must discard the woody, slightly dried out ends for enticingly tender results. The problem is knowing how much to discard in order to waste as little of the oft-pricey vegetable as possible. Conventional wisdom will have you bend each stalk till it snaps, as they're more flexible in their tender parts, but this can become tedious fast. Instead, snap two stalks out of the bundle, line up the remaining asparagus with their tips flush, and cut through with a sharp knife between the snapping point of the two. If your stalks are particularly thick, take a few passes with a vegetable peeler on the ends, otherwise you're good to go whether the asparagus will be blanched, roasted, ribboned, or steamed.
Move over, Winter vegetables. Spring's crops are around the corner, including the highly nutritious asparagus. Not only does asparagus contain high levels of vitamin K and is a good source of vitamins A and C, but also, the veggie may just be your ticket to a few lost pounds. Here are three reasons why asparagus can help you lose weight.
It may suppress your appetite: Asparagus is a great source of the soluble fiber inulin, which in some studies has been shown to suppress appetite — one study found that six grams of inulin could be as filling as 260 calories of food.
It may help regulate blood sugar: Asparagus is an excellent source of many different B vitamins, including B1, B2, B3, and B6. Certain types of B vitamins may work together to metabolize glucose to regulate your blood sugar, according to some research. And maintaining stable blood sugar levels helps you avoid crashes and binges that can lead to overeating.
It de-bloats: The high fiber content in asparagus encourages digestive health by keeping your system moving and stimulating probiotic growth, while its high vitamin K content acts as a natural diuretic, making asparagus a great tool for anyone looking to feel a little less puffy. De-bloating can help you look and feel your best, so check out some of our favorite de-bloating asparagus recipes here.
Need a fast and delicious appetizer to serve at your next dinner party? How about pancetta-wrapped asparagus? It's a crowd-pleaser that's virtually effortless to make. All you have to do is wrap the asparagus with pancetta and throw it on the grill! Watch the video to learn how it's done, then print out the recipe and try it at home.
FitSugar reader Dara8182 shared her recipe for asparagus potato salad in our Healthy Recipe group, and the mayo-less side is fit for your next healthy barbecue!
Down with mayo! No longer do you need that fatty, greasy stuff to make tasty potato salad. This recipe combines healthy, crunchy asparagus with herbs, shallot, mustard, and a bit of bacon for a delicious, fresh, and healthy side dish. Bring this one to your next BBQ — it will be a hit!
Ingredients:
1lb potatoes, washed and cut into 1" chunks, skin-on
1 large shallot, diced
1lb asparagus, trimmed, washed and cut into 1/2" slices
5 fresh chives, chopped (approx 2-3 tbsp)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Get the full recipe at Gen Y Foodie and share your own recipes in our Healthy Recipe group!
If you're getting in shape for a big event like a wedding, or want to look your best for bikini season, what you eat makes all the difference. Besides helping with weight loss, the right foods can also minimize bloating. Here's where asparagus comes in: this Spring veggie encourages colon health and also stimulates the growth of probiotics in the body. From breakfast to dinner, help give your digestive system a little support with these healthy asparagus recipes.
Spring Veggie Frittata
Start your morning off with a asparagus-filled frittata. What's great is that you can make this recipe on a Sunday and portion it out to enjoy over the course of the week. Omit the cheese to keep the recipe flat-belly-friendly.
Marinated Mushroom and Asparagus Salad
Vegan and gluten-free, this salad puts you in asparagus heaven. Earthy enough to stand up on its own, it's also great when paired with tofu, fish, or chicken.
See what's for dinner after the break!
With all the green around you right now, give this very Springy salad a chance: a bed of asparagus, topped with cucumbers, scallions, and a zippy Dijon dressing is bound to make you fall in love with the season if you haven't already.
This is a perfect picnic or party salad, since the the dressing, asparagus, and green onions can be prepared a day in advance, provided they're stored separately before being quickly assembled. The finished salad is a hearty side dish that could easily double as a meal for two. Get the recipe for this crunchy green salad when you keep reading.
Ever noticed how asparagus has a more robust, nutty flavor when you roast it in the oven with olive oil than when you blanch or steam it? I'd always assumed that was just because, well, roasting makes everything taste better, but it turns out there's actually a scientific explanation behind the difference.
According to Fat Duck chef Heston Blumenthal, the flavor molecules in asparagus are water soluble. When you blanch the spears in boiling water, the flavor "leaks" out of the asparagus and into the water. When you cook it in fat, the molecules remain intact and stay where you want them — in your asparagus. So, instead of blanching your next batch of asparagus, cook it in a little olive oil or butter for a more flavorful result.
Since learning this fun fact from Blumenthal's The Fat Duck Cookbook, I haven't cooked asparagus any other way, and he's right! The flavor and texture are miles better. But don't get too carried away with this technique: although veggies like asparagus and carrots have water-soluble flavor molecules, the molecules in others, like broccoli and green beans, are oil-soluble and should be cooked in water for optimal flavor.
Have you ever tried this method of cooking asparagus?
Source: Flickr User bongo vongo
Spring's a season of abundance, and if there's one vegetable you should eat now by the bushel, it's asparagus. At its peak from March through May, asparagus is a flash in the pan compared to other vegetables, so grab it while you can. This young Spring stalk is as lovely steamed or grilled as it is baked into a frittata or blended into a smooth soup, thanks to its distinct flavor which complements virtually any dish. Ready to learn more about buying, storing, and preparing this versatile veggie? Just read on.
