Asparagus, pure and simple

I love asparagus and since it’s in season, I have it on my shopping list every week. Last night I took my nice, fresh asparagus out of the bag to prepare it and looked at the tag attached. There was a recipe for fried asparagus in beer batter. Now why take this healthy, beautiful vegetable and turn it into a high calorie, fried food? I read the recipe and their recipe was a lot more work, mess, and calories than my method of preparation. Plus, my simple roasting preparation lets me taste the vegetable, not some greasy batter. So here is my simple, easy, and healthy preparation of asparagus.

1. Buy asparagus spears that are plump with the ends tightly closed.
2. Preheat oven to 450°
3. Rinse spears thoroughly with cold water before cooking.
4. Snap off the woody ends. Peel the stalks if you have had weight loss surgery since they are fibrous and can get stuck.
5. Lay the spears on a baking sheet. Spray with olive oil cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder or dill.
6. Roast for 10 minutes.
7. Enjoy hot or cold without added sauces or fats.

FYI… Asparagus is an excellent source of folate and vitamins C, A, and K. It is a very good source of fiber, B vitamins, and potassium. Some people notice a strong odor from their urine after eating asparagus. This comes from the sulfur-containing compounds that are broken down during digestion.

Roasting is fast, easy, tastes great and lets you enjoy the vegetable the way it was meant to be. Simple is better!

Eat Smarter…
Vicki Bovee, MS, RDN, LD