The 52 New Foods Challenge Food of the Week: Asparagus
The first spring food for our challenge! (That puts me at least a couple week behind!) Jennifer Tyler Lee suggests roasting asparagus or adding them to a frittata. A couple of weeks ago, when I found them at my favorite vendor at my local farmers market for the first time this season, I decided to make cream of asparagus soup. The recipe I had called for heavy cream, but I decided to paleo-ify it by using cashew cream instead. It was great! I’ll be making it again!
Food Facts:
- The season generally starts in March and only is a few months long, so I rarely buy asparagus after spring is over
- Asparagus is best cooked and served as soon as it is harvested, so growing your own is highly recommended. When purchased from the farmers market or store, cook within a few days
- Shorter spears are up to ten times sweeter than spears that are 10+ inches long
- Cooked asparagus is more nutritious than raw and steaming is the most nutritious way to cook it
- Purple asparagus is more nutritious than green asparagus
- Member of the lily family
- Good source of vitamins A, C, and K, and potassium, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, manganese, and copper
- Good source of fiber
- Includes antioxidants lutein and beta-carotene
- Considered to be a good prebiotic. Our digestive systems are home to billions of bacteria (when they are functioning well, that is) and the bacteria colony needs to prebiotics to thrive
- Because of their high fiber content, they help to lower cholesterol
- Asparagus has been shown to suppress the growth of liver cancer cell
From The 52 New Foods Challenge: A Family Cooking Adventure for Each Week of the Year, with 150 Recipes
by Tonia Reinhard
Photo Credit: Luv Kreativ Photography https://www.instagram.com/luvkreativ/?hl=en