Friday Foodie Fix
Spring is here and along with it comes a new crop of asparagus. This week our Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix is asparagus. Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables. It leads nearly all produce items in the wide array of nutrients it supplies in significant amounts for a healthy diet. A 5.3 ounce serving is only 20 calories, contains no fat or cholesterol, is very low in sodium, has 3 grams of fiber and provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease.
Asparagus is not something I ate as a kid or even a young adult. It’s only been in the last 10 years or so that I’ve developed a liking for it. At first, I would only eat it with hollandaise sauce but now I’m more adventurous. My husband will only eat it if I sauté it in olive oil with course sea salt and minced garlic or roast it in the oven with the same seasonings. I need your help to come up with more options for asparagus.
Please use Mr. Linky to link to your post on asparagus. If you don’t have a blog, please leave your recipe in the comments. If you know of other blogs with great asparagus recipes, please ask them to share their recipes here too. Review the rules here.
Next week’s Secret Ingredient is …………………Strawberries!
Asparagus Soup
32 oz chicken stock
32 oz water
6 ½ Tbls olive oil
2 ¼ teas salt
¼ teas freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 large onion, chopped
1/3 cup long grain rice
2 lbs. asparagus, trimmed & cut into 1” pieces
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium low heat; add onions and sauté until onions are translucent. Add the stock, water, rice, salt and pepper. Bring to boil over medium high heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook another 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat and let cool a few minutes. Puree in small batches in a food processor or blender. Return to the pot and reheat if necessary.
(When I'm using my own stock, it must be half/half with water. If using canned broth, I use just that and no water.)
The way your husband likes it sounds great to me. I think I'll give that a try next time.
The way your husband likes it sounds great to me. I think I’ll give that a try next time.
Asparagus Soup
32 oz chicken stock
32 oz water
6 ½ Tbls olive oil
2 ¼ teas salt
¼ teas freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 large onion, chopped
1/3 cup long grain rice
2 lbs. asparagus, trimmed & cut into 1” pieces
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium low heat; add onions and sauté until onions are translucent. Add the stock, water, rice, salt and pepper. Bring to boil over medium high heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook another 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat and let cool a few minutes. Puree in small batches in a food processor or blender. Return to the pot and reheat if necessary.
(When I'm using my own stock, it must be half/half with water. If using canned broth, I use just that and no water.)
We like to roast asparagus, and recently I topped it with an orange ginger glaze, which was a big hit.
http://www.andreasrecipes.com/2009/04/23/roasted-…
As far as I'm concerned I could eat fresh asparagus every night. Roasted in balsamic and olive oil, in a risotto, or served with a maple-tahini dressing. It's all good. Thanks, Diane, for featuring one of my favorite (gluten-free) ingredients! xox
As far as I’m concerned I could eat fresh asparagus every night. Roasted in balsamic and olive oil, in a risotto, or served with a maple-tahini dressing. It’s all good. Thanks, Diane, for featuring one of my favorite (gluten-free) ingredients! xox
We like to roast asparagus, and recently I topped it with an orange ginger glaze, which was a big hit.
http://www.andreasrecipes.com/2009/04/23/roasted-…
I put a link to the lemon roasted asparagus video I posted on Mother Nature Network. Not my recipe, but it's an easy way to prepare asparagus.
When the farmers market opens next weekend, I plan on trying a recipe for asparagus guacamole. If it's any good, I'll come back and post that, too.
I put a link to the lemon roasted asparagus video I posted on Mother Nature Network. Not my recipe, but it’s an easy way to prepare asparagus.
When the farmers market opens next weekend, I plan on trying a recipe for asparagus guacamole. If it’s any good, I’ll come back and post that, too.
Karina- Thank you for the great ideas!
Andrea- I love that twist with the orange. Thank you for sharing.
Robin- How cool to share a video. Love it!
Karina- Thank you for the great ideas!
Andrea- I love that twist with the orange. Thank you for sharing.
Robin- How cool to share a video. Love it!
Love all the great nutrition info you shared on asparagus! I'm like you, Diane … I didn't start enjoying asparagus until a few years ago. I cooked it for my husband and son for years before–usually steamed with butter. I like it roasted far better with several variations, but usually olive oil and some seasonings is a requirement. We used to be able to find it wild on our mtn property and it was a wonderful treat, but haven't found it recently. 🙁 Luckily, MIL grows it and shares!
Shirley
Love all the great nutrition info you shared on asparagus! I’m like you, Diane … I didn’t start enjoying asparagus until a few years ago. I cooked it for my husband and son for years before–usually steamed with butter. I like it roasted far better with several variations, but usually olive oil and some seasonings is a requirement. We used to be able to find it wild on our mtn property and it was a wonderful treat, but haven’t found it recently. 🙁 Luckily, MIL grows it and shares!
Shirley
I ended up being too busy to post mine yesterday, but we made a great pizza with grilled asparagus and red onion.
I guess I missed it this week, it has been a busy one for sure! I love all of the great asparagus recipes!
Hopefully I will make it next week!
Hope all is well Diane! -Ali 🙂
I guess I missed it this week, it has been a busy one for sure! I love all of the great asparagus recipes!
Hopefully I will make it next week!
Hope all is well Diane! -Ali 🙂
I ended up being too busy to post mine yesterday, but we made a great pizza with grilled asparagus and red onion.
My kids love asparagus. It's one of the few vegetables that they like to eat that is green. Did you know that asparagus is a sleep inducing food? 🙂 My family loves the shrimp and asparagus risotto that i make. We come from a big Italian family…
My kids love asparagus. It’s one of the few vegetables that they like to eat that is green. Did you know that asparagus is a sleep inducing food? 🙂 My family loves the shrimp and asparagus risotto that i make. We come from a big Italian family…