The Wonders of Asparagus: Quick Asparagus and Ham Pasta

There are many reasons to include asparagus in your diet, especially when they are in season and they become much more affordable. Asparagus is part of the lily family- its cousins include onions, leeks and garlic- so it's no wonder this vegetable is so good for you.

Some facts: Asparagus is an excellent source of folic acid, potassium, thiamin, vitamin B6, rutin and glutathione.
Rutin is a bioflavonoid and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as well as the ability to improve vitamin C uptake in the body.
Glutathione has powerful antioxidant properties. According to the Oxford Food and Fitness Dictionary,

It is used in the body to make glutathione peroxidases, chemicals that act as antioxidants, protecting red blood cells from damage and destruction by mopping up toxic free radicals. It is also needed for the action of insulin.

When shopping, choose asparagus that is bright green in colour, and has tightly closed compact spears. The white butts of asparagus are woody and inedible so avoid these if possible.
The best way to store asparagus is by placing a moistened paper towel around the tips and placing the whole bunch in a plastic bag in the fridge, or by standing the bunch upright in 2 inches of water in the fridge.

Here's a quick and easy pasta recipe - I like to add low fat cream cheese to my dishes to give it a bit of creaminess yet keep the calories down instead of using cream. 

Note to moms with fussy-eater-toddlers: I sprinkled grated cheddar cheese in my toddler's dish to increase the calorie, protein and calcium content.

Quick Asparagus and Ham Pasta

Ingredients

1 Onion, chopped

1 Clove of garlic, finely chopped
One sprig of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
20 spears of asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces
7 slices of ham, shredded
1 heaped tablespoon Low fat cream cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Canola or Olive oil
Pasta, any shape
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Boil pasta according to package directions.
Steam asparagus in a over the pot of boiling water until crunchy but tender.
Heat a pan with a little oil. Sauté onions, ham and rosemary until onions are tender. Add the asparagus.
Turn off the heat and stir in the cream cheese until melted.
Toss the mixture into steaming pasta; moisten with a bit of milk or water if necessary and season to taste.
Top with finely grated Parmesan cheese if desired.