Cooking School 2: Asparagus 3 Ways

Welcome to Thyroid Refresh Cooking School! This bundle features three simple and delicious recipes using one of our favorite vegetables: Asparagus.

Asparagus is a very good source of dietary fiber, which supports digestion and gut health. It’s also a good source of many key thyroid-supporting nutrients like B6, Magnesium, Zinc, Iron, and Selenium (among many others). All that nutrient density comes at the low cost of just 20 calories per 1/2 cup serving! Asparagus is a great choice for those of us dealing with excess weight and trying to maximize our nutrition.

A Few Asparagus ‘Tips’ (see how we did that, there?)

• Season: February – June
• Selection: Look for firm spears with no signs of shriveling or slime.
• Storage: Store in a produce bag in the vegetable crisper, or trim and store in a glass container with a couple inches of water (cover loosely with produce bag and refrigerate).
• Preparation: First, remove tough woody ends by cutting or snapping them off. May be boiled, steamed, roasted, broiled, grilled, or eaten raw.
• Pitfalls: The #1 trick to asparagus is NOT overcooking it. Pencil-thin spears can go from crisp and bright green, to limp and pea green in less than 3 minutes in a pot of boiling water. Watch closely, test often, and remove from heat when spears are vibrant in color and crisp-tender.

Ready to dig in? Here’s what’s on the menu:

1. Herb Roasted or Grilled Asparagus – A trio of fresh herbs makes a lovely dance partner for the delicate flavor of asparagus.
2. Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus – This one’s a go-to for potlucks and parties because it satisfies so many common dietary restrictions and most importantly, everyone loves it. (Besides vegetarians, of course.)
3. Steamed Asparagus Spears with Lemon Basil Aioli – Looking for a french fry alternative? Try dipping these crisp-tender spears in a bold and lemony aioli. French fry WHO?

Each post features an instructional cooking video with Ginny Mahar, your chef, cooking instructor, and co-founder of Thyroid Refresh™. There’s something for everyone so let’s roll up our sleeves and make some delicious, nourishing asparagus. Enjoy!