I Cuss, You Cuss, We All Cuss for Asparagus!

Does anyone remember Gary Larson? "The Far Side" was one of the best comic strips ever, in my opinion. Maybe it's just because I'm older, but the comics have definitely lost their luster.

There's a Far Side cartoon that is entitled "Failed Marketing Ploys" and it has a guy driving around in a truck similar to an ice cream truck, but it has a sign that says "I cuss, you cuss, we all cuss for asparagus." Now, I really like asparagus...so when I have it, there's no cussing involved. Though I don't cuss as a rule, anyway!

Again, I must apologize that I am posting a type of food that is out of season right now. Asparagus is best (not to mention less expensive and more widely available) in the spring. But my baby is due in six weeks and judging by how I was with my first baby, I don't think I'm going to have a ton of free time to blog. So, I wanted to post this while I had the time--despite the fact that it is out of season. Also, I must apologize that I don't currently have any pictures of either of these dishes.

I hope you like these two asparagus recipes. Also, if you have any other asparagus favorites, I would love to hear about them!


Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb asparagus spears, rinsed and trimmed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/ teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss asparagus with next 3 ingredients. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until tender, shaking pan often to roast asparagus evenly.

Yield servings.

Nutrition information: 61 calories, 5 g carbohydrates, 3.4 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 2.5 g fiber, 2.5 g protein, 0 mg cholesterol, 147 mg sodium, 25 mg calcium, 0.5 mg iron.

Source: This is a Weight Watchers recipe, but I'm not sure where it came from specifically.

Notes: This couldn't be easier. When I was younger, I really only thought of steaming or boiling vegetables. But now I prefer baking/roasting vegetables. They are so much more flavorful and crisp that way! Yum!

Sesame Snow Pea and Asparagus Salad

Snow peas and sesame are a natural combination. Adding fresh asparagus makes for a very elegant and classy salad. Serve this alongside a main dish, or enjoy it as a light lunch.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/2 pound snow peas, trimmed and cooked
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cooked
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
3 scallions, sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

Directions:

In a large serving bowl, toss the rice with the canola oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Stir in the snow peas, asparagus, and sesame seeds, and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the scallions and red-pepper flakes.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information: 239 calories, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 6 g protein, 31 g carbohydrates, 5 g dietary fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 314 mg sodium.

Source: The South Beach Diet Cookbook, published 2004.

Notes: This is another recipe I found while preparing meals for my in-laws. I made it quite awhile ago, but according to my memory, I doubled the recipe and adjusted the seasonings slightly according to my taste (I added a little more soy sauce and crushed red-pepper flakes). This has a nutty, robust flavor that is very satisfying. I used low-sodium soy sauce as opposed to lite soy sauce too.