Veggie Might Steamed Asparagus Dont Gild The Lily Shoots

Penned by the effervescent Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about the wide world of Vegetarianism. She says: Please delight in these darling lambs from Avillion Farm and my favorite asparagus "recipe" from an April 2009 visit to NC. Veggie Might will return with reshing new content next Thursday.

Sometimes vegetables should just be left alone.

This past weekend, I spent three glorious days in the North Carolina sunshine with my best friend, A., and her husband and two-year-old. It was little C’s birthday, and I just couldn’t resist a circus-themed party.

Friday night before the big event, A. and I were fixing dinner: something light and fast before the hotdogs, cupcakes, and apple juice to come. A is the manager of the local farmer’s market in her area. One of the perks is first dibs on fresh produce while the farmers set up their stalls.

From her fridge, she pulled out a bundle of perfect, young asparagus stalks: the first of the season and the sweetest I’d ever tasted. We ate the thinnest stalks raw as we washed and snapped off the ends of the rest.

C toddled up and A. gave him a stalk. He took the asparagus and munched gleefully. I’ve never seen a kid eat vegetables like that. (I’ve also never typed the word “gleefully” before, but hey.)

“Sautee or steam?” A. asked.

“Steam,” I replied. It seemed like gilding the lily to put those perfect stems of green spring goodness in oil or butter. Turns out asparagus is a member of the lily family. Who knew? (Well, the people at that link and Mark Bittman.)

As you know, I’m a big fan of sautéing vegetables in garlic. How many recipes have I shared with that step? But even I know when to leave well enough alone.

A. seemed to know just how long to cook the asparagus, but I would have had to get help. I don’t trust myself for two reasons; I get impatient, and I get distracted.

I have no patience for standing over a pot of boiling water, even for a few minutes. After a minute has past, you can guarantee I will have wondered off like a two-year-old to see what else is going on, and then the veggies will have overcooked.

According to Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, asparagus should be boiled in a skillet or steamed in a pan with just a bit of water at the bottom “just until the thick part of the stalk can be pierced with a knife.” Well, just how long is that? It depends on how much you’re cooking, of course. In our case, a bunch of about 20 stalks took 3 minutes to steam. A set a timer which let us wander guilt-free.

They were perfect: tender, slightly crunchy, vibrantly green. I know that, classically, asparagus is served with hollandaise or mayonnaise, but I’ve never understood why. Who thought to drench something so light and delicious with such heavy sauces?

We didn’t even think to salt our Carolina-grown spring bounty. If A. salted the water, I didn’t notice.

Our supper of fresh-from-the-farm veggies was one of the easiest and best meals I’ve eaten in a while. It reminded me that, sometimes, it’s best to let food be itself.

Steamed Asparagus
Serves 3 – 4

20 asparagus stalks
1/2 cup of water

1) Wash asparagus and break off woody ends.

2) Put water in sauce pan. Put asparagus in steamer basket or bamboo steamer and place over sauce pan. (You can also use the Mark Bittman methods above.)

3) Bring water to boil.

4) Steam for approximately 3 minutes or until thick ends of stalks are tender.

5) Dress as desired or eat plain. Plain is good. Really good.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price* per Serving
Four servings: 15 calories, .1g fat, $.37
Three servings: 20 calories, .13g fat, $.50

Calculations
Asparagus: 60 calories, .4g fat, $1.50
TOTAL: 60 calories, .4g fat, $1.50
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 15 calories, .1g fat, $.37
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 20 calories, .13g fat, $.50

*Price is from my local market.

5 Fitness Facts the Experts Dont Tell You

Youve read the various fitness tips in various health magazines and seen the plethora of articles on the Internet that try to tell you exactly what to do to get your body in perfect shape. But can you believe all of them? The answer to that question is unfortunately... "No." Read on to learn more about some popular "fitness facts" you have probably heard about... and the truth behind them.


1) There is no "perfect" diet plan.

Thats right-everyones body is different, therefore everyone is going to lose weight differently. This depends in their size, age, gender, level and amount of physical activity, medical conditions and the list goes on. Dont always believe that the various diets you hear about are going to work for you.

2) You can survive with less sleep.

Your body isnt going to fall apart if you go one or two days with an inadequate amount of sleep. Many fitness experts like to say that you must get "x" hours of sleep a night to lose weight. Sleep is still extremely important for this, but you dont necessarily need a perfect sleep schedule to do so. The key is to try getting a good nights sleep every night-but dont fret if you cant. You can still follow your diet the next day by using some self control.

3) More reps dont always mean better and faster toning.

High reps can actually do the opposite of what you want to your body. Fitness magazines like to stress doing tons of reps for better results. In reality, you should actually use heavier weights with lower reps to achieve your goals in a timely manner.

4) Diet is equally as important as exercise.

Many people think that they can exercise excessively and then eat whatever they want. If you have this mentality... think again! You can do everything right in the gym and not get any of the results you want because of the way you eat. If you have a hard time with this, keep better track of your diet by keeping a food journal. This will help you determine what changes you need to make in your eating habits. There are plenty of food and exercise trackers online that will even tell you how many calories and nutrients youre eating.

5) Genetics actually do count.

Everyone hates to believe this, but its true. Some people have it easier than others when it comes to losing weight or gaining muscle. Dont be discouraged-you can outsmart your genetics but it may take longer than others. Just be patient and keep working at it!

There you have it... five of the most important fitness facts that most experts dont place nearly enough emphasis on. Hopefully you feel more encouraged to exercise and eat healthy now.

Article by : Emmy E Bill

Article Source : 5 Fitness Facts the Experts Dont Tell You