Asparagus Mushroom Soup

This soup was so easy, I think it counts as fast food.  In fact, the instructions for presentation are more complicated than the recipe itself.

1 bunch of asparagus (an amount that you can hold easily in two hands)
1 portobello mushroom
4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth (preferably homemade)
6 heaping teaspoons of fat-free Greek yogurt
lemon zest, to taste
cracked black pepper, to taste

Chop up the asparagus, reserving a few of the prettiest tips for garnish.  Chop up the mushroom.  Toss both in a pot with the chicken broth.

Bring to a boil, and allow to cook (at a boil) for about ten minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before putting it in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  [If you have a blender that also heats, you can make this recipe in said blender without stopping to cool.]

Ladle into bowls and put 1 heaping teaspoon of fat-free Greek yogurt into each bowl.  Top with lemon zest, black pepper, and asparagus tips.  Enjoy this tart and tangy, earthy and green treat!

Kale, Asparagus, and Feta Frittata

It was coming to the end of my CSA week, and I still had a fair amount of kale and asparagus left.  So, I searched the web for kale and asparagus recipes and came up with an idea for a frittata.  I was super-excited (Frittata!?!  Why didn't I think of that?!?), especially because my dad makes amazing frittatas and I love them.  

A frittata is sort of in between an omelet and a quiche.  And my version, as usual, omits the egg yolks.

1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup kale, chopped
1/2 cup  asparagus, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
10 egg whites
1/4 cup feta cheese

Turn on the broiler so the oven has a chance to heat.

Put the olive oil into a pan on the stovetop THAT CAN LATER GO INTO THE OVEN.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and then add the onion.

After a few minutes, add the kale, so it can wilt.

When the kale is wilted and the onions are starting to brown, add the asparagus, eggs, and feta.  Give it all a quick stir at the start so that the ingredients are evenly distributed, but then DON'T TOUCH IT AGAIN.  You want the eggs to set, not scramble.

When the eggs are starting to set along the edges of the pan (the eggs should be about 2/3 cooked, but still runny on top), remove the pan from the stove top and put it in the oven under the broiler.  Watch it carefully from here.  You want the frittata to puff and brown, but not burn.  You can check to see if the eggs are set by wiggling the pan (if it still wiggles, they're not set).  When you think the eggs are fully set (no wiggle!), put a knife through the frittata to make sure it comes out clean.  If it does, you'll know the frittata is set all the way through.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool for about ten minutes.  Then, run a knife around the edges to loosen the frittata and then, carefully, using the knife and a spatula, remove it from the pan and onto a plate.

You can slice it up like a pizza for serving.  It's protein and vitamin packed, and excellent with a side of green salad!

Asparagus Feta Pizza

Saturday was a VERY busy day for our family.

In fact, it was a frozen-pizza-for-dinner kind of busy day.

That happens sometimes, and that's okay.

But it's not an excuse not to eat any fresh, local, seasonal veggies.

It took me about 1 minute to add fresh asparagus, a sprinkle of feta cheese, and some cracked black pepper to the frozen pizza before popping it in the oven.

Even on our busiest days, we still have 1 minute!

Lemony Asparagus Quinoa

1 cup of (dry) quinoa, well rinsed

2 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth (preferably homemade!)

Juice of 2 lemons

2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 tablespoons chopped spring (green) onions

1 cup of asparagus, broken into 1-inch pieces (reserve tougher bottom pieces for another use)

I think quinoa is amazing because it “feels” like you’re eating a carb-tastic grain when you’re really eating a protein-packed seed.  You can cook it in water but, just like rice, it is more flavorful if cooked in vegetable broth. 

I had red quinoa on hand and used it for this dish, but any variety would do.  Set the quinoa and broth on the stove, cover, bring to a boil, and then reduce to low.  It will take about 15 minutes to cook.

In the meantime, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, and spring onions in a small bowl to make a lemony dressing.  When the quinoa is done, put it into a large bowl and toss it with all of the dressing.  Add the asparagus and toss to combine.  Serve warm or cold (leftover) as a fresh-tasting, spring side dish that appropriately celebrates the arrival of asparagus.

CSA Week #2

OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG! 

ASPARAGUS HAS ARRIVED!!!

Ever since reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver, I have been patiently (and, at times, not so patiently) awaiting the arrival of spring in order to eat asparagus.  Week after week, I have snubbed the neatly packed stalks from Peru at Trader Joes (yes, the ones I used to buy, week after week, without fail, before reading the book). 

I have missed asparagus.  I have longed for it.  I have eyed it on restaurant menus and dejectedly asked for a side of something "in season" instead.

But now it is here!

I opened my CSA bag last night and actually gasped.  Thin, beautiful, asparagus stalks.  Plenty of them.  Fresh.  Local.  Sustainably-grown.  In season. 

There were other things, too: lettuce, kale, carrots, spring onions, thyme, and sage.  [Admittedly, CSA Virgin had to consult a "Visual Guide to Fresh Herbs" to figure out that the thyme was thyme.]

I couldn't wait to dive in to all of it, especially my long-awaited asparagus.  But it was 9:30 at night -- no time to cook.  So I made another simple salad of the lettuce, carrots, and -- yes -- the asparagus.

It was as glorious as I thought it would be.  I spent the night dreaming of what I would make with the rest.