Asparagus is one of the delightful vegetables in season right now and we are enjoying it in our home!
Asparagus:
- is high in vitamin K
- is high in folate/folic acid (a birth defect fighter), so if you are pregnant or seeking to be, definitely add it to your list!
- stimulates milk supply for you fellow nursing mothers
- helps detoxify your system
- good for your heart
- has antioxidant agents
- is good for health issues: arthritis, rheumatism & PMS
For more health benefits, read here.
I have never been a fan of this vegetable until this year when I suddenly had the urge to give it a try. I believe one of the keys to producing a good dish is not overcooking it till it is soggy. This is how it has been served to me in the past. Another key is grilling it! We have had several meals with grilled asparagus and it is delicious!
Grilled Asparagus
1 pound asparagus, wash and cut off tough ends
1 Tablespoon sesame oil (olive oil works as well, but the sesame adds a wonderful flavor)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce or liquid aminos
1 garlic clove, minced
Make rafts of your asparagus using toothpicks to attach them. Combine sauce ingredients and brush on asparagus. Toss with sesame seeds, if desired. Grill for 3-5 minutes on each side, just until tender. Enjoy!
Roasted Asparagus Quesidillas
Another delicious way to eat it is in quesidillas. Steam and chop up asparagus and sauté with onions, garlic and mushrooms (or tomatoes). Add a little cilantro for extra zest. Place between two tortillas with cheese and fry on both sides. Serve with guacamole, sour cream and salsa. Yum!
Here is a yummy recipe to try or get further inspiration from: Asparagus Quesidillas.
I am now a big asparagus fan!
How do you serve this vegetable? Any tips you like to pass on?
Toss in olive oil. Sprinkle with a little coarse salt. Add some dried garlic bits if you like. Roast 400º for about 20-25 minutes. Yum!
any idea how to perserve asparagus without it getting mushy?
Yes, store them standing up in a bowl or glass filled partially with water. This helps keep them for a good two weeks.
Any ideas about freezing it without it getting mushy? I tied blanching it first…. still mushy when you take it out of the freezer. I tried freezing it on a cookie sheet then vacuum sealing it… still mushy…. there must be a way, it is jsut too good to not be able to keep soem for the off season.
I made the asparagus quesedillas for supper tonight for my family and boyfriend and they loved it! I didn’t steam the asparagus first, I just sauted the onions, mushrooms, garlic and asparagus together. I also added some grilled chicken. Thanks for the recipe! A big hit (except for my brother, he doesn’t like asparagus! Lol)
Thanks!
A Daughter and Future Homemaker
I like to make the Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole~ I recently substituted asparagus for the broccoli and it was a hit with the guys~
Blessings~
Tamela
I steam it in the microwave.I do one pound at a time,trimed & washed and put in a glass dish with lid on and a tiny bit of water in the bottom.Nuke it 5 minutes,turn it over and nuke another 5 and it is done.Nice and crispy still.I spray it with no calorie butter and a tiny bit of salt if you want it.
We steam it and then add hollandaise on top. Yummy!!
I usually stir fry my asparagus with olive oil, garlic, and thyme. Thyme is the key though- delicious! You can also oven roast it with the same seasonings, although not so much fun for cooking in the summer.
I looove asparagus but its so pricey I only buy it once in a very blue moon. Grilled its great. I’ll try yours, though!
Lindsay, I have been reading Nourishing Traditions and reading on the Weston Price Foundation website and I have been having a few problems with several things I have used for years. One is Lea and Perrins worcestershire sauce and items containing soy. Do you use soy products? And I was wondering if you have an idea for an alternative to worcestershire sauce?
Blessings, Deena
Deena, I use soy products very rarely in our home. Liquid aminos is the only product that has any resemblance to soy sauce. It is a wonderful alternative and we love it. The more I read about soy, especially in regards to GMO’s and hexane, the more I try to avoid it if all possible. I do use worchestireshire sauce occasionally. There is a Worcestershire sauce made through Annie’s Naturals. I believe the main concern is that it needs to be organic soy to be safe, as detailed in the hexane article linked to above. Thus this sauce would be a good option. Hope that helps!
Thank you, it is so hard to sort through so much of this, that I find sites like yours very helpful. Blessings….
We grilled asparagus tonight. I just throw it in a grilling basket with some other veggies. Yummy.
I like to use asparagus in stir fry! Yum yum!
Asparagus is amazing. I love it, love it. We eat it any which way… but prefer it in scrambled eggs or an omelet– delish. I love it baked on a cookie sheet, drizzled with olive oil and salt and fresh pepper. So simple, yet so good.
My hubby either sautes or grills them after tossing them in a bit of olive oil and sea salt and some crushed fresh garlic…sometimes a little lemon juice. We love asparagus more than broccoli at our house!
Yummy. WE love this veggie and can not wait to try these recipes.
oh man! –>can i just say how much i love asparagus?! that quesadilla recipe looks fantastic! we had started grilling our asparagus last year after i’d heard from a friend it was sooo delicious! (my father-in-law decided to do his own battered version…lol….sort of like a spicy tempura…can we say guilty pleasure? yikes..lol) anyhow….YUM…and enjoy! i just let the final ones in mom’s garden bolt so that they could add nutrients back into the soil! we got quite a bit this year…and boy were they TASTY.
We love grilled asparagus too! I should have grown some in my garden…forgot
(
Wow, I never knew this veggie was so beneficial.
We will eat more of it now especially when in season for the summer. Thanks!
Just added this to the in-season recipe swap! Thanks, Lindsay!
Asparagus is a great summer side-dish! I love to grill or roast. For a great summer pasta I like to saute red-pepper, onion, garlic, and asparagus in olive oil. Toss with whole wheat Angel Hair pasta and a little parmesan cheese! It tastes great is so light. We also like to gril chicken and steam asparagus until it is still crunchy. Toss mixed greens with the asparagus and balsamic dressing and top with grilled chicken. There are so many things you can do with asparagus. I’ll have to try the quesadillas!
Thanks, Lindsay
We love to roast our asparagus in the oven. All I do is arrange the asparagus on a cookie sheet in a single layer and drizzle with evoo, salt and pepper. Put in preheated 425* oven for only 7 minutes and viola! We like ours really crisp, so therefore only 7 minutes in the oven is enough.
Cut your spears into 2 inch sections on the diagonal. Boil water, and when it’s boiling put the asparagus in for exactly 3 minutes, when your timer goes off drain them immediately and toss with a couple tablespoons high-quality olive oil, give it a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Simple and delicious!
We like it roasted, too, or steamed. Some fresh parmesan cheese on top is great, too!
We like roasted asparagus as well. Our method is to heat the oven to 400, and toss the whole asparagus spears in olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper, and arrange in a single layer on a tray or cookie sheet. We then roast until tender-crisp, turning maybe once, for about 20 minutes.
Thanks for the post– I’ve been reading for a while, and love your ideas for the kitchen. I’ve already made yogurt in my crock pot twice! We love asparagus at our house, and I’m so glad to see you feature it here. A great way I’ve found to cook asparagus is to roast it in the oven. We don’t have a grill, so this is a great alternative to get that crispy outside. Just preheat the oven to 475, toss the asparagus in some olive oil (and balsamic vinegar if you like), and place in the oven on a cookie sheet (single layer). Roast for about 10 minutes, then salt and pepper to taste. It’s delicious and so simple! Asparagus is also a great ingredient in quiche. Just saute it a little first. Keep up the good work! Blessings.
I love your asparagus photo! Great job!
We love asparagus here, too. 
Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables. I’ve never had Asparagus quesadillas, but we are definitely going to give it a try. And thanks for the grilling tip! I’ve had it grilled before, but not like that – sounds tasty!
We LOVE asparagus! That quesadilla sounds fun
I just steam it, then blanche it right away. It stays nice and green! I’ve grilled it before as well.