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WEEK 7 - BLOG CHALLENGE - Asparagus!

Almost half way through our challenge and I hope everyone is introducing new vegetables into their diet and enjoying them. Some vegetables may be harder to find than others but asparagus is a constant standby in most grocery stores. Also asparagus is one of those vegetables that is considered the 'CLEAN 15'! You do not have to buy organic asparagus to be free from pesticides with asparagus. So that's an affordable reason to introduce it into your diet!

If you would like to know more about which fruits and vegetables that you can purchase pesticide free I can send you a hand out on the 'Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15'. It is a list of which produce to buy organic and which is not necessary. Sign up for my FREE monthly newsletter and I will send you the list.

Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables. My kids even like it and they are very picky eaters! If they eat asparagus, then ANYONE will like it. It is easy to cook too - I steam it or roast it and I even BBQ it in the summer. They make great appetizers by simply rolling proscuitto around them and roasting them. Often a hit at parties. Who knew that you could get people eating their veggies at a party! I will share my favorite recipe with you today - it is super easy and yummy.

Did you know that you don't need a knife to slice off the woody ends of the asparagus? All you need to do is snap off the ends of the stocks with your bare hands. They are the easiest vegetable to prepare - wash and snap off the ends!

Pastel drawing

Due to their long narrow form, asparagus looks best in a bunch - a random bunch. Odd numbers of objects look more visually pleasing in a composition than even numbers, so you will notice that I drew 7 asparagus. Placing the vegetables into an interesting arrangement is just as important as capturing the details when drawing. Having one fall across the others at an angle adds interest to an otherwise boring arrangement. I still wanted the arrangement to look natural, not 'set up'. These were fun to draw with their long stocks and textured ends. Asparagus are more colourful than you might anticipate. The cut ends are white with purple and pink tints and the tips can range from dark purple to dark green creating a tonal range from light to dark.

Roasted Asparagus with Almonds.docx

How to get started...
1) Introduce asparagus into your diet this week. Use the recipe provided or find your own.

2) Since this vegetable is long and skinny like a pencil, arrange the stocks to create a picture - or a word! Make WORD ART! Start by snapping off the ends so you have some short stocks and long. Write your name (or another word) using the asparagus stocks. This is an easy way to create. Each stock is like a fat line. The short stocks can be arranged to make curved lines. Remember, I am asking you to play with your food! Then take a photograph of it before eating it!

Keep it simple and have fun and submit your 'creations' to me at lynnldallaire@gmail.com so I can track your progress for your prize!

Share your recipes on Facebook, or email them to me and I can share them too!