Asparagus Salad
When we moved into our home some fifteen years ago, my interest leaned more toward flower gardens than growing vegetables. I planted one clump of asparagus. The tender spears that emerged produced feathery plumes when left uncut—just enough to mix into floral arrangements.
It wasn’t as though we don’t enjoy this vegetable. A few favorite recipes include asparagus. I wasn’t optimistic my clump would produce enough to eat.
Asparagus tends to be more expensive than most vegetables, but you can take advantage of lower prices in early summer when production is at its peak. The delectable low-sodium spears contain no fat and make a great addition to meals. Nutrient-laden asparagus abounds in vitamins A, C, thiamin, folic acid, and B6. It has about twenty calories per serving and adds substantial fiber to the diet.
This year my small clump produced an abundance of spears. I harvested asparagus for freezing and tried new dishes. I discovered how great asparagus is in salads. For a tasty side dish, add the salad below to your menus. To jazz it up to a full vegetarian meal, add a hard-cooked egg, black beans, walnuts, strawberries or Mandarin oranges, and feta cheese. For meat-lovers, crumble crisp-cooked turkey bacon on top. Drizzle lightly with your favorite dressing. Tasty and healthy.
Asparagus Salad (for each serving)
5 asparagus spears
2 cups baby spring mix greens
2 2″-3″ strips pimiento
Rinse asparagus and place in a microwaveable dish. Cover with plastic wrap. Punch two small holes into wrap to allow steam to escape. If microwave has varied settings for vegetables, set for frozen vegetable. If not, cook until spears are bright green and still crisp. Rinse greens and place on individual serving dishes. Place spears across top. Lay strips of pimiento over asparagus. Serve with low-calorie balsamic vinaigrette.
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- Dreaming of Asparagus (friendseat.com)
FOOD FROM THE GARDEN 