Include this Springtime Vegetable in Your Next Meal

Springtime vegetables - asparagus is my favorite. Recipe inside!

It is starting to feel like Spring!  The days are getting warmer and crocuses are starting to shoot up as a promise of the reawakening of life.

As the seasons change, so does your body and energy.  Winter is a time for hunkering down, going inward and eating warming grounding foods like root vegetables and soups.  Spring is a time for awakening, reaching outward and eating fresh vibrant foods like spring vegetables.  

How do you know what vegetables are spring-time vegetables?  Go into your local grocery store and look for the vegetables they have in abundance and are on sale.  So far, I have seen cauliflower, cabbage, artichokes and asparagus in my local Food Coop.

One of my favorite spring vegetables is Asparagus!  They have strong yet tender stocks that snap when you break them in half.  Asparagus is very easy to cook and has a sweet, bright flavor.

My favorite cooking method for asparagus is sautéing them with garlic. This is a great side dish to any meal – with eggs for breakfast or salmon for dinner.

Sautéed Asparagus with Garlic

First, rinse the bundle of asparagus under cold running water.  Then snap off the woody ends – you will know how far up the woody part goes because it will easily snap off at just the right spot.  Continue to snap the stock into the length you prefer.  

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add about a tablespoon of ghee, coconut oil or olive oil (if you use olive oil be very careful not to over heat!).  Once the oil is warm, turn heat down to medium and add the asparagus – they should sizzle as they hit the pan.  Sprinkle them with salt and pepper.  

Then, using a garlic press, mince 4 large garlic cloves (you can use more or less as you desire) right into the pan.  Stir the asparagus and garlic frequently for about 3 minutes – this should be adequate time if they are thin stocks, more time maybe needed for thicker stocks.  The asparagus should be tender but still have a good crunch.  

Enjoy!