Saturday, February 27, 2010

Asparagus and Kale Stir-Fry


Yes, asparagus is on the list of things I'm sensitive to. But I only had a vary mild reaction to it when I was tested, so I don't think this meal is going to do anything bad to my system. I had bought asparagus to give to a client, but she canceled her session due to Snowpocalypse 2. I didn't want it to go to waste, so I ate it!

This is another simple, yet delicious, stir-fry. To cook the quinoa, I used vegetable broth instead of water for some extra flavor. For the veggies, I sautéed a shallot, red bell pepper and the asparagus in a pan with extra virgin olive oil, wheat-free tamari sauce, rice vinegar and a little crushed red pepper. After a few minutes, I added some cashews, chopped purple kale and a sprinkling of seaweed gomaiso.

I did a 30 day raw food challenge last spring. It was easier than I thought it would be, I felt great, and I had tons of energy. But I found myself craving quinoa and sautéed kale a lot. This was the first meal I made when I went back to cooked food! I usually add tofu to it, but it's just as good without it.

Aspargus is a large perennial plant that can grow to about 40-60" tall. The young shoots of the plant are what we eat and know as asparagus. It has been used since early times as both food and medicine, and there's a recipe for cooked asparagus in the oldest known cookbook. It was cultivated by the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans who ate it fresh when in season and dried in the winter.

Asparagus is a good source of protein (yes, protein!), iron, vitamins A, C, E & K, niacin, folic acid, potassium, copper, manganese, and selenium. So it's probably okay that I had a little with my dinner today!

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