Asparagus Simple and Delicious!!!!

Reasons you should eat more Asparagus:

·          Low in calories,

·         Contains no fat or cholesterol.

·         A good source of potassium.

·         An excellent source of folacin, thiamin and vitamin B6. 

·         Contains glutathione (GSH). 

·         It’s an Aphrodisiac that right there is enough for me!

Over the Christmas Holiday I made some Roasted Asparagus for my Granny. She loves Asparagus and I don’t mind making it cause well look at the above list. I found a very nifty recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Recipe App. I decided to give it a try. Traditionally, Asparagus is steamed, roasted or grilled. One can add a little olive oil, butter or lemon just to enhance the flavor. I omitted the Parmeasan Cheese and replace with onions and peppers with a squirt of Fresh Lemon Juice.

• 1 pound of asparagus
• 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash
• 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
• ¼ cup of Onions and peppers
• Squirt of Fresh Lemon Juice ( 1- 2 teaspoons)

1. Preheat the oven to 450* F
2. Place the asparagus, onions and peppers in a 2-quart baking dish drizzle the olive oil over top. I may have used more than 1 tablespoon. I am kind of heavy handed.
3. Spinkle the Mrs. Dash and Black pepper over top of the Aspargus.  ( add the lemon here if you want but you don’t have to)
4. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Tossing about 8 ½ minutes into the baking process. Allow to cook for the remainder of the time left.
5. Remove from the oven and serve!

* I added a little bit of water to the bottom of the pan about a Tablespoon. I was afraid it would burn.

Reference:

http://www.asparagus.org/maab/nutrition.html Date Accessed 29 Dec 2011

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/appetizers-snacks/roasted-asparagus/  Date Accessed 25 Dec 2011

A Healthy Party in my Tummy: Glazed Carrots

I have been dreaming of Carrots for a while now since October.  I love their natural sweetness and the crunch factor. Most restaurants I go to only make them steamed which is OK, but they are not the same as making them at home. I found this recipe in Martha Stewart's Magazine and I did modify it because I wanted more of a glaze.

Glazed Carrots with Thyme from Food Everyday: A Martha Stewart Magazine.

·         ¼ cup of granulated Brown Sugar

·         ¾ stick of unsalted butter (cut into Slices)

·         1-2 ½ lbs of Carrots (in sliced in sticks)

·         1 tsp of Honey

·         1 tablespoon of Fresh Thyme or Dill (optional)

·         Coarse Salt and Pepper, some Mrs. Dash
*I sliced my bag of carrots but you can also use baby carrots also. 

1.      In a large skillet add 1 1/3 cup of Water, Brown Sugar , Honey and Butter. Allow them to boil.

2.      Add the carrots and cover, also reduce the heat.

3.      Partially cover and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. For a softer carrot than allow to cook four up to 15 minutes.

4.      Toss the Carrots often so they won’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

5.      Add in the Thyme or Dill  than cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

6.      Take the Carrots of the stove and add some salt and pepper than serve.

The original recipe is below in case you find my recipe to be to sweet or daring.

·         3 Tbsp dark Brown Sugar

·         ¼ cup unsalted butter

·         2 ½ lbs of Baby Carrots

·         1 tablespoon of Fresh Thyme or Dill (optional)

·         Coarse Salt and Pepper, some Mrs. Dash

Follow the same instructions up top just omit the honey.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Sorry no pictures this time I need a better camera.

P.S. Here some Scientific Facts from my Brain! Carrot gets its characteristic and bright orange color from β-carotene, which is metabolised into vitamin A in humans when bile salts are present in the intestines. Lack of vitamin A can cause poor vision, including night vision, and vision which can be restored by adding it back into the diet. If you do not have a genetic eye condition or macular degeneration.
Reference:

Stewart, Martha. "Glazed Carrots with Thyme." Everyday Food November 2011 issue 87: pg 86. ( not correct formatting)