Cream of Asparagus Soup

Did you know that asparagus contains folate which is a cancer fighting food? Some other cancer fighting foods that contain folate are orange juice, spinach, romaine lettuce, dried beans, peas, peanuts and brussel sprouts. Vitamin D, tea, cruciferous vegetables like kale and turnips, ginger and curry are also good food sources. 

I'm not particularly fond of asparagus; however, my husband loves it. I recently made it for him as a side to one of our dinners, but there was still quite a bit left over and with him traveling, it would go to waste. I decided to make this soup using what I had left and not only did he like it, the girls even tried it and liked it as well. I used 2% milk in this recipe, but if you prefer creamier soups, you can substitute heavy cream instead. 

      

Cream of Asparagus Soup
1 c. Cooked Asparagus, chopped
1 tbsp. Butter
1 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
2 c. Vegetable Broth
1 c. Milk or Heavy Cream, heated
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. Cornstarch, if needed
2 tbsp. Cold Water, if needed


Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter then add in the asparagus. 
2. Saute for 2 minutes then add in the flour, forming a roux. 
3. Stir in the vegetable broth and warmed milk, stir and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Use your immersion blender* to blend all of the ingredients together. 
5. If it isn't thick enough for your liking, mix together the cornstarch and cold water; then add it to the mixture and simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 2. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving (based on using 2% milk): Calories 197, Carbs 23.5g, Fat 8.4g, Protein 7.7g, Fiber 2.3g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy! 

*Tip #1: If you do not have an immersion blender, simply pour the mixture into a regular blender and puree until smooth. Just be very careful not to fill it too much to the top as it will be extremely hot and you don't want to pop the lid off of your blender.


*Tip #2: To cook the asparagus, first trim the asparagus by cutting off about 1" from the bottom. Rinse under cold water and add to a double boiler. Steam asparagus for approximately 5 minutes so that it has softened but still firm.

Garlic Roasted Asparagus

Since today is National Garlic Day, I thought I'd share the Garlic Roasted Asparagus I made with our Easter dinner. I'm not a huge fan of asparagus, though I did try it again just to make sure. (Just not my cup of tea). However, my husband is a huge asparagus fan and he LOVED it this way! Though how could anything with garlic be anything but good. :)


Did you know that garlic has many health benefits? 
According to an article I found on Huffington Post, some scientists believe the components in onions and garlic may be key to the research observations of generally lower incidence of cancer and heart disease in people who consume large amounts of garlic and onions, compared with those who eat less. A study from the National Cancer Institute found that eating 10 grams (approximately two teaspoons) or more of garlic, onions or scallions a day was associated with a statistically significantly lower risk of prostate cancer for the participants in the study. A study conducted at Case Western Reserve University indicated that garlic may help reduce the occurrence rate of pre-cancerous tumors (polyps) in the large intestine. 


Many cancers are thought to be caused by damage to DNA, often induced by environmental toxins. A study conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that eating a teaspoon of fresh garlic and a half cup of onions per day increases the levels of a key enzyme for removing toxins in the blood cells of healthy women. Another study, conducted in Scotland, found that eating sautéed onions increases the resistance of the blood cells to DNA damage. While a highly publicized clinical trial at Stanford University found that garlic did not lower cholesterol levels in healthy people with moderately elevated cholesterol, previous studies have indicated that garlic is more likely to produce beneficial effects on cholesterol in women than in men, and in patients with diabetes or heart disease than in healthy individuals. 


So grab some gum or mints and eat to your heart's content! 

Garlic Roasted Asparagus
1 Bunch Asparagus
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste


Trim the asparagus by cutting off about 1" from the bottom. Rinse under cold water and add to a double boiler. Steam asparagus for approximately 5 minutes so that it has softened but still firm. Add the asparagus to a bowl along with the garlic, salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Serves 4. 


Enjoy!