Did you know that Asparagus is one of our favorite vegetables? We tend to grill it with a little olive oil and lemon pepper. It’s so light and delicious.
If you aren’t very familiar with asparagus I can see how it would be a little confusing how to best prepare it. Well, probably not confusing, but I certainly wouldn’t have known what to do.
First, here are a few facts.
*Asparagus is actually from the Lily Family.
*In ideal conditions asparagus can grow up to 10″ in a 24 hour period!
*The larger the diameter the better the quality, but I tend to like the skinnier ones.
**Asparagus is nutrient dense- It’s high in Folic Acid, and a good source of potassium, fiber, Vitamin B6, Thiamin, and vitamins a and c.
**Asparagus has no fat, no cholesterol and low sodium.
So, pretty much it’s good for you and you should learn to love it because it’s awesome. 😉
How to Prepare Asparagus
Asparagus does not have to be peeled, but some prefer it that way, which is perfectly fine.
You can actually eat it raw, but we prefer it cooked.
When buying, try to find asparagus that has a firm feel and a closed tip.
You should trim the ends of the asparagus and wash a few times in water. Store in a cool place for 2-3 days and you may want to wrap the bottoms in a damp paper towel or stand in a little water.
You can freeze asparagus by trimming the ends slightly, blanching (1-2 minutes in boiling water quickly followed by an ice bath) dry the asparagus and store in freezer bags. You can do this whole, or chop into slices. Lasts up to 8 months.
Cooking asparagus in water is easy, 5-8 minutes in boiling water to create a tender side dish.
Our favorite cooking method is using a little olive oil and seasoning of choice and then grilling until tender. We roll the asparagus to grill each side.
I love to steam my aspargus until crisp tender then squeeze some fresh lemon juice on the stalks to bring out even more of their goodness!
Sounds delicious!
We put it in a ziploc steamer bag with a little bit of margarine and garlic powder and throw it in the microwave. Quick and yummy!
my favorite way to eat asparagus is to spread a little bit of cream cheese on some prosciutto, wrap it around a bundle of about 3 asparagus, then grill it with a little olive oil and sea salt. My mouth waters just thinking of it. I also prefer to find the most slender stalks b/c they are less woody & more tender. yum!