It’s SPRINGTIME!

That means time to tap into Mother Nature’s bounty of gorgeous vegetables that have finally come into season. Asparagus, low cholesterol and a heart healthy food, is one of my favorite spring veggies (March through May).

The long green shoots contain a unique array of healthful plant chemicals as well as a nice amount of fiber and the vitamins K, B, A and C. At just 43 calories a cup—be sure to pile the asparagus onto your dinner plate! It helps prevent heart disease.

Cooking tips: Choose firm spears, not the wrinkled ones; simply break the ends off the entire stalk where it is easiest—with two hands. Asparagus is easy to overcook so watch cooking time. Cook asparagus by simply grilling or broiling – a great low-calorie way to let the natural flavors peek through.

Grilled asparagus

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: ¼ of recipe, 118 grams or ~ 4 ounces)

• 1 pound fresh asparagus
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• Salt and white pepper to taste, optional

Preheat grill or broiler (medium high heat). Trim and discard tough ends from the bottom of the asparagus spears. Lightly coat asparagus spears with oil. Grill over high heat for approximately five minutes until done (turn often to prevent charring). Drizzle vinegar over spears and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (approximately 4 ounces):

• Food weight: 0.5
• Calories: 63
• Fat: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 73 mg
• Carbohydrate: 5 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Sugars: 3 g
• Protein: 2 g

___________________________________________________________________________

Recipe Source: An excerpt from the book Cholesterol Down by Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN; Published by Three Rivers Press; December 2006;$13.95US/$17.95CAN; 978-0-307-33911-9 Copyright © 2006 Janet Brill, Ph.D. To learn more about this book please visit DrJanet.com.