Spring is in the air and the warmer weather is slowly creeping in as the days get a little longer. Not only is this a great time to get outdoors to sneak a little sunshine but it’s also a great time to be eating asparagus. Spring marks the beginning of the asparagus season which continues through until November, although some farmers plant a summer crop giving us fresh asparagus until March.
How to prepare asparagus
Being a versatile little vegetable, it’s delicious grilled, on the BBQ, pan roasted or lightly steamed and can even be eaten raw in salads. You want to avoid the woody ends of asparagus and the easiest way to remove these is to bend the asparagus with your forefinger and thumb to snap off the woody end. Or you can also run a knife gently along the stem until it hits a little resistance and cut the stem at that point.
To keep your asparagus fresher for longer, stand them in a glass and add a little cold water to cover the bottom of the stems. Cover and put in the fridge. You can also wet a tea towel or kitchen paper and use this to wrap the asparagus, put them in a container and store in the crisper of your fridge.
Buying Tips
Look for asparagus that still has some firmness in the stem, is bright and smooth with compact, closed tips.
How to include on your Jenny Craig menu
Asparagus is low in kilojoules but what it lacks in energy it makes up for in essential nutrients. Adding asparagus to your menu will add extra B group vitamins such as folate, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin B6 and biotin as well as plenty of vitamin C. Why not add a little grilled asparagus to your favourite Jenny Craig lunch or top a side salad with lightly blanched asparagus for a nutty crunch?
