Stalking

Well, who knew May was of all things, asparagus month?  I am picky about my asparagus and very partial to the thin stemmed variety, skipping over the thick stemmed ones, every time.  Apparently the older they are, the thicker they get, which makes a lot of sense.  There are lots of things you can do with them, but around our house, we love to put some extra virgin olive oil and just a little  kosher or sea salt on them and then grilling them either on a tray or directly on the BBQ grate until they start to get a bit browned.  Even the bigredguy loves them and though I always make more than enough, there are rarely any leftover.  Low in calories, high in folate which is key to heart health and very important for pregnant women, they are also a great source of vitamin C.  They protect small blood vessels from rupturing and their high fiber content aids in digestion, working as a laxative.  Additionally, they have diuretic properties, neutralizing ammonia in our body (which makes us tired) and can lead to or aggravate gout.  It must be that chemical reaction between the asparagus and the ammonia that gives eaters that awful smelling urine, noticed by some within 15 minutes of consumption.  Though not everyone claims to smell that incredibly distinct smell, it probably happens to everyone, because it’s just asparagus doing one of it’s jobs, well!

While it’s no Biggest Loser, I did learn that Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition with Chris Powell begins a new summer season Sunday, June 3rd.  It will have to do….

Make it a marvelous Monday.  Here are some recipes that came up when I started writing about asparagus.  Maybe one or two will interest you.  Let us know!

Related articles

• The Minimalist: Roasted Asparagus With Crunchy Parmesan Topping (dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Fresh from the Garden: Asparagus & Goat Cheese Salad (rollinoatstampa.com)
• American Table: For asparagus you’ll really love, treat it to the heat of your grill (pbpulse.com)