Asparagus

Hi guys

I read an interesting article on a health blog with regards to the health benefits of tinned asparagus. I have never really included it in my diet. Has anybody tried it, I just want some feedback before i purchase some....

I don't care for asparagus from a can, it's all... squishy and lifeless and way too salty for me.  On the other hand, take some fresh asparagus, snap off the tough ends, lightly coat the spears with some raw, unprocessed coconut oil, sprinkle with a little pepper, and roast in a hot oven (425-ish) for about fifteen minutes... now, that's good.  :)

wow, that sounds really delicious. The problem is that asparagus is only available fresh for 3 months a year. anyway thankyou for the fab recipe!!

Ah, I see!  Where do you live?  We get it here for nearly 6 months a year (though not if you're eating only locally-grown).  When it isn't available, I just go with what is, like baked winter squash and roasted root vegetables.  Are you looking to start eating asparagus, like, every week?  I'm curious: Which health benefit, in particular, made you want to start particularly with asparagus?  I only ask because maybe the same health benefit can be gotten when it is out of season with other vegetables that are in season.  Fresh or frozen is just so much better for your body than canned what with all the processing and salt that gets added to canned foods, and, in my opinion, tastes so much better, too...

However, in keeping with your original question, I remember that when I was a kid, I used to like to pour asparagus out of a can, into a pan on the stove top, and boil it in its own water for a few minutes, then eat it by itself with a little pepper.  That was before I ever tried fresh asparagus, though, so now I couldn't stomach it.  But back then, I thought it was delicious!  (I also used to eat a lot of salt in those days, though.  It was very, very salty, I seem to recall.)

I am from Bloemfontein, a City in the Freestate of South Africa. We grow asparagus in the region but most goes to the export market. Thanx for the canned recipe as well........

I want to include asparagus because of its low calorie and excellent nutritional value. This link explains it all. 

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=food spice&dbid=12

Thnx

I'm on the same page as bipolypesca - I love asparagus (it's my most favorite vegetable), but only when fresh, and only if not cooked until it's mushy. If you like soft vegetables, you might like canned asparagus.

Honestly, I don't turn asparagus into an ingredient very often. I usually eat it by itself as a side dish. However, you might make a fairly tasty soup out of canned asparagus, since you'd puree it and the mushiness wouldn't be noticeable.

I can get asparagus pretty much year round, but it's very expensive for most of the year. I eat it like crazy when it's in season, though.

I just saw your link. I love it when something so tasty is something I can eat guilt-free :D

I'm not sure if there's another single vegetable with a similar nutritional profile. Since asparagus is a member of the lily family (which was news to me), maybe other members, like garlic/onions/leeks?

However, sweet potatoes are high in folate and potassium, and Jerusalem artichokes and jicama are both much higher in inulin than asparagus.

ETA: Artichokes taste similar to asparagus. I've heard that samphire also tastes similar, but I've never had it (or even seen it!).

Yes, I also love artichokes, but since my swing to the blood type diet guidelines I am not allowed to anymore. i am b-group and it is not beneficial. However asparagus is neutral, so I can dig in.....

I love asparagus and I love canned green beans but... CANNED ASPARAGUS IS DISGUSTING!!!! Go for the real thing or the frozen thing! I love roasting them with olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt & pepper - yep that's it!

asparagus is the one veggie I only like fresh, I bought a can a couple months ago because I love asparagus and it's really expensive if you buy fresh...yeah never again. it's so slimy and unappetizing. What makes canned asparagus better than fresh, I wonder?

I agree with the others, go for fresh - or maybe frozen if you can find it? Just not tinned.

There are so many foods with great nutritional benefits that you might as well only eat asparagus when it's fresh and in season, and eat other great foods the rest of the year.

One food isn't going to make a huge difference to your diet.

I really like fresh asparagus, but I LOVE canned asparagus.

I rinse it while it's still in the can, which reduces the sodium by approximately 30%. 

For a side dish, nuke it in a small amount of water for 5 minutes & drizzle with a bit of ranch dressing.

For cream of asparagus soup, use 1 can, cut it into 1/4 in. pieces, and simmer in 1 can of chicken broth for 15 minutes, add 1 cup heavy cream, and stir to combine.

I agree that the frozen asparagus would be better than canned, particularly since frozen foods are generally flash-frozen when they are harvested during the peak of the season, so they are the next-best-thing to fresh.

They will still not be as crunchy and tasty as fresh asparagus, but you would be able to use them to add to omelettes or fritattas, risotto, and to make a creamy asparagus soup!  I make a version of this soup replacing the butter with olive oil, and omitting the heavy cream - turns out delicious! 

Me and the kids eat it canned, hubby won't touch it that way! But there is rarely a food that I won't eat. :-)

That said, I know all of you asparagus eaters have noticed that when you urinate after a nice hearty portion of asparagus, it smells exactly like the original asparagus!!!!!

I think canned asparagus is great!  Fresh is definitely better, but I like both.  How about adding it to soups or a stir-fry?

Asparagus has to be one of my favorite all time veggies, especially in the spring when you can get the really thin fresh ones. Though I can get it here year round if I'm will to fork over major dollars in the winter, when its just not as good.

I wont' touch canned veggies, but frozen veggies are great.  I even freeze some of my own in the spring and fall when they are cheap.

I love my asparagus either lightly steamed in the microwave or tossed with a bit of olive oil and a few herbs than roasted in a very hot oven.  I get hungry just thinking about it. 

I'm not sure if you can roast frozen asparagus, but it is great in soups and other veggie dishes. 

Original Post by hobhouse:

Yes, I also love artichokes, but since my swing to the blood type diet guidelines I am not allowed to anymore.

If you like artichokes, eat them, rather than letting some silly book tell you what you're 'allowed'.   Nothing bad will happen to you for eating vegetables unless you're seriously allergic.

Original Post by gi-jane:

Original Post by hobhouse:

Yes, I also love artichokes, but since my swing to the blood type diet guidelines I am not allowed to anymore.

If you like artichokes, eat them, rather than letting some silly book tell you what you're 'allowed'.   Nothing bad will happen to you for eating vegetables unless you're seriously allergic.

 Hear, hear!

Back to the OP....

Tinned asparagus is bland and I find that it needs some vinegar.  Try it as a topping for a green salad with a vinegary dressing and black pepper.

Or better yet, try it pickled, as a salad topping or by itself.  It's easy to eat half a jar in a sitting.

For fresh asparagus, steamed is good, and grilled is even better.  Leave it a little bit crunchy.  A little oil, S&P and lemon juice will dress it up.