According to Food History asparagus has a long history as far back as the first century. There are records of it growing in ancient Greece and Rome. History even records Egyptians over 2,000 years ago cultivated asparagus for medicinal reasons (Kitchen Project)
Of course most eatable plants were first discovered growing wild, and asparagus is no exception. A wild asparagus has thin shoots thinner than a pencil and is much different than the asparagus that we find in the market.
Through selective breeding and growing techniques, a modern non wild asparagus has a thicker stem with more edible flesh.
Asparagus is even a low carbohydrate food, and a 15 on the glycemic index, which is the rating of plant food and how it effects your blood glucose or insulin in the body (0-35 is low).
Now for our featured recipe, and here is what you will need.
8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1″ pieces
Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining. Return the pasta to the pan that you cooked it in, and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until browned, but not crispy. Remove and place on paper towel lined plate to drain.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons of grease from the skillet, and return to the stove. Add the chopped asparagus to the pan, stirring occasionally. Cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic to the skillet, and cook for 1 minute more.
Add the cooked asparagus, garlic, bacon, and Alfredo sauce to the pot of cooked pasta. Toss to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of the saved pasta water to thin it out. Season to taste with Himalayan salt and pepper before serving (optional).
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable, capable of irradiating cells from your body that would otherwise become cancerous. It is a vegetable among others in its class that stimulates the lymphatic system to detox your body as well.
As for garlic, it’s your digestive aid, antibacterial, and anti-inflammation friend. If you don’t like garlic, maybe you should get to know it better, because it fights off cancer as well.
Let’s get started with our featured recipe: Baked Garlic and Broccoli. It’s a very simple and tasty recipe, as well as a nice way to enjoy broccoli with the pure flavor of fresh garlic.
This recipe makes two (2) servings. Double it to serve four (4) servings or triple it to serve six (6).
Marinate the broccoli florets for 30 minutes with the olive oil and salt, so that they become tender.
Preheat the oven to 350 F for 5 minutes. Spread out evenly the broccoli florets and garlic cloves onto a baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Toss the broccoli and garlic, then continue to bake for for another 10-15 minutes or until broccoli browned a little but not burnt.
Remove from oven and let cool about 3 to 5 minutes. Place into a serving bowl, and make it a side with your favorite meat dish.
If you wish you can add other vegetables to the baking sheet, like carrots or zucchini. Enjoy!
Many people who my be over weight or obese, are concerned about how to lose weight. When combined with exercise, a healthy diet that consists of complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein, can help you lose weight and maintain a healthy weight, also lowering your cholesterol levels, controlling blood glucose, and improving any other body functions on a daily basis.
There are so many ideas that my be complex or complicated when it comes to the word diet. Our bodies are anintricatemachine, and it needs a variety of whole foods to maintain good health, and vegetables are an interrelated part of that process.
A diet should not consist of demonizing some foods or limiting what you eat. Your diet should be a life style.
We have here a video presentation on the importance of including fresh whole vegetables everyday as part of a life style diet that doesn’t limit you access to foods. As we mentioned our bodies are anintricatemachine, and are a part of earth’s nature.
The way food was meant to be naturally seeded, grown, and harvested meets the body’s needs for nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.
“It’s bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children’s health than the pediatrician.” – Meryl Streep
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Eating an abundance of vegetables each and every day is critical for good health, nutrition, weight loss and long term weight management.
Vegetables are very low in calories, in fact, many vegetable’s calorie content is insignificant, and so they can be eaten in in unlimited amounts.
Nutrient Rich
They also contain essential anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Antioxidants protect the body from various types of oxidant stress, cancers and diseases and also increases its capacity to fight against conditions because they increase the body’s immunity potential.
Vegetables are also important sources of fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Fiber regulates digestion, and protects the body from conditions like hemorrhoids, colon cancer, chronic constipation, and rectal fissures.
Fiber is also essential in weight management as getting the recommended daily dose of keeps you full longer and keeps the body balanced.
And, those seeking to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight will be glad to know that since vegetables, especially, green ones, are so low in calories that they can safely fill a plate in abundance, which, allows people to eat more while losing weight.
Frozen Versus Fresh Vegetables
Frozen vegetables are just as good and sometimes better than fresh, since, many varieties are available year round. Frozen vegetables also keep much longer and so can eliminate the need to go shopping more often for fresh. Of course, not all vegetables are available in frozen, but, those that are, such as broccoli, spinach, carrots, green beans, lima beans, stir fry mixes, etc., are all great options for healthy cooking.
Green Vegetables
Green vegetables are very low in calories and can be eaten in abundance for good health, energy, nutrients and weight loss.
They are also very low in carbs and so make a great food choice for those who have or are concerned with Diabetes and weight loss. Nutrients include, Fiber, vitamins, A, C, E and K, and also calcium, potassium and magnesium.
Dark green leafy vegetables offer the most nutrients calorie for calorie than any other food.
Along with all the nutrients offered by the other green vegetables, they are also a source of various phytonutrients, which include, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These protect the body’s cells from damage and a lot more.
Dark green leaves also contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats, a lot of fiber, and since they are already low in carbs and so high in fiber they generally do not even count carb-wise at all.
Choices
Spinach
Mustard greens
Broccoli
Kale
Collard Greens
Turnip greens
Swiss Chard
Romaine Lettuce
Cabbage
Parsley
Watercress
Red, Yellow And Orange Vegetables
Color veggies are rich sources of iron, beta-carotene, vitamin B-complex, vitamin-C, vitamin A, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Red tomatoes offer high concentrations of lycopene, which is an incredible antioxidant that helps to prevent various cancers.
The American Diabetes Association recommends squash, which, is available year round in both winter and summer varieties. It also provides a high amount of vitamins A and C, B vitamins, along with iron and calcium.
Choices
Carrots
Baby corn
Corn
Squash
Tomatoes (though a fruit, it is used like a vegetable)
Radishes
Peppers
White Vegetables
The University of California Cooperative Extension has reported that white vegetables help to reduce the risk of various health conditions, including, heart disease, cancer and some types of infections. They also help to lower cholesterol and regulate high blood pressure.
Choices
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Jicama
Water Chestnuts
Onions
Garlic
Bamboo shoots
Leeks
Scallions
Purple Vegetables
Vegetables that have a deep purple color offer phytonutrients, and most importantly the essential antioxidant-rich flavonoids.
Purple vegetables, such as, turnips are low in calories and are a good source of fiber, protein and B-vitamins.
According to Food History asparagus has a long history as far back as the first century. There are records of it growing in ancient Greece and Rome. History even records Egyptians over 2,000 years ago cultivated asparagus for medicinal reasons (Kitchen Project)
Through selective breeding and growing techniques, a modern non wild asparagus has a thicker stem with more edible flesh.
