21 Ways to Eat Asparagus

A-S-P-A-R-A-G-U-S !!

It’s here! Which means it’s spring!

There is something about spring, when the sun starts to peak out a bit more, and the flowers start to bloom and everything starts to look brighter and happier. If all of that isn’t enough to lift your mood, eating more asparagus may help as well. Say what? Yes, it’s true!

Asparagus is rich in folate, a B vitamin that helps with the synthesis of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. Whew, that’s a mouthful. The bottom line, higher folate levels have been shown to boost your mood.

There are so many ways to prepare asparagus. It can be grilled, roasted, baked, made into a soup, added to pasta, used as a topping on your favorite pizza. The list goes on and on! Here are 21 delicious and creative ideas to help you add some fresh spring asparagus to your meals.

Also…a few tips on selecting and storing

How to select asparagus

Look for firm, bright green stalks (or white or purple if selecting either of those varieties) The tips of the asparagus should be closed tightly (not flowering, this is a sign the asparagus is past its prime) and dark green or purple in color. Younger asparagus will be thinner in diameter than thicker asparagus, however, the diameter does not affect the quality of the asparagus. Thick or thin is a matter of preference.

How to store asparagus

Fresh asparagus should be stored in the refrigerator for best results. There are a few ways to store:

1. Loosely wrap the stem ends of the asparagus in a moist paper towel. Store in the vegetable bin in the refrigerator (asparagus will stay fresh approx. 3-4 days)

2. Trim the bottoms of the stalks and place standing up in about 1 to 2 inches of cold water, in a jar or bowl {a wide mouth mason jar, or clean peanut butter jar works great). Loosely cover with plastic {the plastic bags from produce work perfectly just drape over stalks} and store in the refrigerator (asparagus will stay fresh approx. 5-6 days).

Happy Spring! Here are 21 ways to include healthy Spring asparagus into some of your favorite dishes, like pasta, chicken, salads and soup.

1. Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Walnut Pesto from Simple Healthy Kitchen

A quick, easy & light meal. Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Avocado and Walnut Pesto. Topped with peas, asparagus, and feta. Hello Spring!

2. Sesame Noodles with Chicken & Asparagus from FoolProofLiving

Sesame peanut noodles mixed with shredded chicken and asparagus, for a Thai inspired meal.

3. Asparagus-Spinach Pesto Pasta with Blackened Shrimp from GimmeSomeOven

Comfort food at its finest! Pasta with fresh pesto (made with asparagus and spinach )topped with blackened shrimp.

4. Bacon Wrapped Caramelized Sesame Asparagus from HowSweetEats

Asparagus bundles wrapped in bacon and roasted to crispy caramelized perfection. Try topping with a poached egg for a company worthy brunch option.

5.Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Carbonara from Closet Cooking

Classic pasta carbonara gets kicked up a notch with the addition of roasted asparagus and mushrooms.

6. Scrambled Eggs and Roasted Asparagus Toasts from FoodieCrush

A perfect brunch option but why wait until the weekend?

7. Crockpot Quinoa Chicken Primavera from Pinch of Yum
https://pinchofyum.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=680,height=1190,fit=crop/wp-content/uploads/Crockpot-Quinoa-Chicken-Primavera-8.jpg

An easy weeknight recipe combining the goodness of quinoa, chicken and spring vegetables.

8. Greyère, Asparagus and Prosciutto Open-Face Sandwich from Simple Healthy Kitchen

Toasty melty Greyère cheese topped with asparagus, prosciutto and tomatoes. A perfect light lunch or dinner option. Ready in about 10 min.

9. Drippy Eggs with Asparagus and French Toast Grilled Cheese Soldiers from Half Baked Harvest

Dip your grilled cheese (made with French Toast and stuffed with asparagus) in drippy soft boiled eggs for a decadent breakfast, brunch or lunch.

10.Spring Vegetable Soup from Simple Healthy Kitchen

You'll be grateful for spring with this healthy salad featuring fresh spring vegetables, lentils and a honey/maple mustard dressing.

11. Asparagus, Tomato & Cheddar Quiche from Simple Healthy Kitchen

Eggs, cheddar cheese, asparagus, cherry tomatoes and  fresh herbs....more please!

12. Sausage and Asparagus Quinoa Pasta from Primavera Kitchen

This flavorful pasta gets some healthy additions...quinoa and asparagus.

13. Thai Green Curry with Spring Vegetables from Cookie + Kate

Curry! You can never have too much curry! This version is chock full of spring vegetables.

14. Creamy Asparagus soup with Fennel and Tarragon from Feasting at Home

This creamy asparagus soup gets it's creaminess from potatoes and a little sour cream (not from heavy cream). The addition of fennel and tarragon make this a "must try"!

15. Lemon Chicken with Asparagus and Potatoes from Damn Delicious

No messy kitchens with this quick and easy one skillet meal. The main dish (lemon chicken) cooks up in the pan with a side dish (potatoes) and a fresh veggie (asparagus). It doesn't get much easier than that!

16. Cream Cheese and Parmesan Asparagus from Lil Luna

Oh my! Asparagus spears rolled in puff pastry dough filled with cream cheese and Parmesan and baked until golden brown.

17. Asian Salmon with Rice Noodles and Asparagus from Julia's Album

Asparagus is the perfect side dish for this Asian inspired salmon (think sesame, soy, and honey ...yum!) served over rice noodles.

18. Roasted Asparagus, Bacon & Cheese Tart from Sweet Sugar Bean

Asparagus + Bacon+ Cheese+ Puff Pastry dough = sure-fire DELICIOUSNESS!

19. Fresh Spring Toasts from She Likes Food

Toast topped with humus, asparagus, radish, watercress and mint. A perfect spring meal!

20. Soba Noodles with Spring Vegetables from Saffron and Sun

Japanese-style Soba noodles with asparagus and peas and a homemade terriyaki sauce.

21. Summer Fresh Vegetable Lasagna {no bake} from Simple Healthy Kitchen
A lighter, healthier version of classic lasagna. No baking necessary! layer cooked noodles with fresh veggies and cheese for an easy tasty meal.Perfect for potlucks, back yard BBQ's , and family dinners. (can be easily adapted for smaller quantities)