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Quick and Easy Meal Ideas - Greet Spring with Asparagus
Many years ago, on a visit to Copenhagen in early spring, one of the
many things that I enjoyed was that the restaurants featured asparagus
as the chefs' specials. I'm not talking about a few spears as a side
dish; I am referring to an entire bunch of lightly steamed asparagus
served as the main course! I loved it and adopted the practice. This
time of year I still eat an entire bunch of steamed asparagus for
dinner. This month's "Quick and Easy" recipes are for those of you who
also appreciate this harbinger of spring but want a more filling meal.
In Asparagus and Pasta with Orange and Cashews steamed asparagus
is touched with orange flavoring and then tossed with cashews and whole
grain pasta. Even though it does have some orange juice, this is not a
sweet dish and the orange is not a glaze. Rather, I use orange zest to
complement the asparagus. Mint Pistachio Relish is a great condiment for pasta, grains
and potatoes. For a simple yet unusually delicious meal, bake sweet
Yukon gold potatoes, dress them with Mint Pistachio Relish and serve
with plenty of fresh, steamed asparagus. Roasted asparagus has
a much more subtle flavor than steamed and if you wish to try it, Asparagus Over Mushroom Quinoa gives the directions. In this
recipe, roasted or steamed asparagus is served on a bed of quinoa
sautéed with mushrooms in wine.  Asparagus pairs especially well with
sesame seeds. In
Asparagus Crepes, asparagus is creamed with sesame tahina and used
to fill paper thin, savory crepes. If you are preparing a meal for only
two, you can make this very quickly. If you want a quick and easy meal
for more than two, use the same creamed asparagus filling and serve it
over millet, rice or whole grain pasta. Serving the creamed asparagus
over a cooked grain, makes the dish great for vegans.
 
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