In Season- Asparagus

This week I wanted to feature the beautiful and healthy veggie- asparagus!  A wonderful source of antioxidants, plus fiber and folate, asparagus is considered a disease-fighting veggie.  It's been available in our stores and farmer's markets for about a month, get some now before the supply dwindles and becomes more expensive.

Most of the time I fix asparagus on the grill; I trim the end, place them in a dish or a zipper bag, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with a combo of salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Then when I've nearly finished grilling whatever protein we are having, I place the asparagus on and let them grill a couple minutes, gently roll them to get the other side grilled and that's all!

But, here is a fabulous gluten free and Paleo recipe for an asparagus salad.  So easy to fix some for dinner and save it for lunch the next day.  The recipe is written as a single serving, but it's so easy to increase to serve more.  But it's also very easy to have all the ingredients prepped to just fix yourself a single serving each time you want some.

Asparagus Egg and Bacon Salad
219 calories per serving

Ingredients:

• 1 large hard boiled egg, peeled and sliced
• 1 2/3 cups chopped asparagus
• 2 slices cooked and crumbled center cut bacon
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• pinch salt and pepper, to taste

View the rest of the recipe on Skinnytaste

Read more about asparagus and it's important nutritional properties- 5 Powerful Health Benefits of Asparagus You Probably Didn't Know.

August Recipe- Keeping Cool Cook-Free Recipes

We are in the middle of a heat wave.  Keeping hydrated and staying cool is always important and this month I wanted to share a couple of recipes to keep you cool and keep you fed without having to generate extra heat in the kitchen.
Lori Ann was recently on KCRA My 58 in the morning and she shared a delicious recipe for Cucumber Boats.  It's a dish that is packed with nutrition, but low in calories.  Beans, corn and shrimp that provide fiber and protein, sweet and delicious mango with vitamins A and C, avocado which also has vitamin C as well as healthy Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.  It's pulled together with lime juice, cilantro, onion and jalapeno pepper, then you put that as a filling in a cucumber boat; cool and refreshing.

I also wanted to share a recipe of my own that it's very similar and versatile in how you can eat it.  Tomato, Corn and Avocado Salsa.  It's great to bring to a party serve at a barbecue, but be warned- it will disappear in minutes!  Serve it with whole wheat pita or baked tortilla chips.  Make some for yourself as a healthy and filling snack, you can actually make it ahead of time and just add avocado when you are ready to eat it.  Use it in a salad or top your tacos with it.  This is a great recipe for using delicious local corn and all those garden tomatoes you find yourself needing to use.

Enjoy these finals weeks of summer, keep cool, give these recipes a try and see you at Boot Camp!

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Serves 4
Prep time: 8-10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
10 pitted kalamata olives, quartered
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan and add 2 cups of water. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
2. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and add bell peppers, olives, onions, basil, mint, and parsley. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, make a dressing by whisking together red wine vinegar, oil, and mustard. Add dressing to quinoa mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. Salad will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition info (per 1 1/2 cup serving):

221 calories, 7g fat, 33g carbohydrates, 6g protein, 5g fiber

*Tip: For extra protein, consider adding: cooked garbanzo beans, lentils, walnuts, almonds, cooked chicken, or shrimp.

Carrot French "Fries"

Are you craving French fries but trying to stick to healthy veggies instead? This is a delicious way to cook carrots! They are similar to French fries but much more nutritious- and one serving has only about 155 calories!

Carrot French "Fries"
Serves 2

• 8 medium carrots, peeled and cut into fries
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• Sea salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. Place the carrots on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss them with your hands to coat. Spread carrots out in a single layer on the baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with sea salt (optional). 
3. Bake at 425ºF for 18-25 minutes. Checking once or twice to toss to ensure even cooking.

You can get creative with the seasoning for the fries too! Consider adding cinnamon, chipotle chili powder, or cumin.

Split Pea Soup

Looking for healthy comfort food that's easy to make? Try this split pea soup from GetNatured!

Simple Split Pea Soup
1 1/2 cups split peas (green, yellow, or a mix), sorted and rinsed
6-8 cups of water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1-3 tsp liquid smoke (to taste, optional)
Sea salt (about 1 Tbsp) and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot and add the onions and carrots. Saute until the onions are lightly browned.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer, partially covered, for about an hour. Serve the soup topped with homemade croutons.

To make croutons, I chopped up the heals of a few loaves of bread that were lingering in my fridge for just such an occasion. I tossed them with olive oil, salt, fresh chopped parsley, and minced garlic and baked them at 300 degrees until they were crunchy (about 25 minutes, turning once or twice).

Tip: Double the recipe and portion out leftovers into single serving reheat contains for easy grab-and-go lunches!

Quinoa and apple salad

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1/4 cup raw whole almonds
• 1 cup white quinoa
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dried currants
• 1 small McIntosh apple, cut into 1/8-inch-thick wedges
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped, plus more for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Let cool; coarsely chop nuts.
2. Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine sieve; drain. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa; return to a boil. Stir quinoa; cover, and reduce heat. Simmer until quinoa is tender but still chewy, about 15 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork; let cool.
3. Whisk together honey, shallot, curry powder, salt, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Season with pepper. Whisking constantly, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream; whisk until dressing is emulsified. Add quinoa, currants, apple, mint, and nuts; toss well. Garnish with mint.

Per serving: 304 calories, 14 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 38 g carbs, 154 mg sodium, 8 g protein, 5 g fiber

Source: Marthastewart.com: Quinoa-and-Apple Salad with Curry Dressing - Martha Stewart Recipes