Celebrating Dad's by Eating Asparagus

Happy Birthday to My Dad!!

I learned recently that in the Netherlands, they feature asparagus recipes on Father’s Day. They even have necklaces with asparagus spears on them. I thought that was so interesting – but Father’s Day is too far away to save this post for then, so I thought today would be a great day to talk about asparagus- one of my favorite foods.

Asparagus has the most folate out of any vegetable, which helps reduce the causes of cardiovascular disease. It also has vitamin A, potassium, selenium – for improving eyesight – and vitamins C and K. It also minimizes skin damage from sun exposure— My parents should load up on asparagus this week while they sit in the sun in the sunny state of Florida (so jealous).

Asparagus comes in three different colors – green, white, and even purple. I’m not sure about the purple (purple foods are supposed to be really good for you) but the white and the green have the same amount of nutrients, and I think the green tastes better. The other colors are more common in Europe than America. The white is more expensive, as it is grown underground and requires more specialized farming techniques. Asparagus is available year round in the supermarket, but definitely best when it is fresh so look for it at the farmers market in early spring. It is one of the first of the spring vegetables, but it’s season doesn’t last very long in most areas. California farmers managed to make a second fall harvest, but most other places have not.

I love asparagus because it is so easy to cook, a perfect complement to any dish, and so full of fiber- not to mention vitamins and minerals.

Here are 5 Classic Ways to Serve Cooked Asparagus (from the cookbook How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman):

1.       Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil or melted butter

2.       Squeeze lemon or lime juice over it or drizzle with vinegar

3.       Douse with any Vinaigrette

4.       Top with mayonnaise or Hollandaise sauce

5.       Top with minced or finely crumbled hard-cooked eggs

One of my last nights at home before the semester started I made a dish that was brown rice topped with asparagus, a hard boiled egg (crumbled), and feta cheese, and a bit of oil. Delicious!

Happy Birthday Dad! I love you!