Looking for a great way to use asparagus in a salad?  Take a look at this delicious asparagus salad recipe from Mairlyn Smith’s book, Healthy Starts Here.

Makes approx. 4 cups (1L)

Salad:

1 lb (500 g) fresh local asparagus

½ large red pepper, diced

One – 6 oz (170 mL) jar marinated artichoke hearts, well drained, and chopped coarsely

2 tbsp (30 mL) diced fresh parsley

Dressing:

1 tbsp (15 mL) extra olive oil    

1 tbsp (15 mL) white wine vinegar    

½ tsp (2 mL) grainy Dijon mustard

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Method:

1.    Wash asparagus, cut off the woody part of the stem and discard. Steam the spears till tender crisp, heavy on the crisp part. Don’t overcook them. Grey-green droopy spears of overcooked asparagus are a sin in the culinary world.

2.    Once you have reached your desired level of tender/crisp, about 3 minutes, plunge them into a clean sink of cold water to stop the cooking. Drain in a colander.

3.    In a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and the Dijon.

4.    Add the red pepper, artichoke hearts, and the parsley. Toss well.

5.    Cut the asparagus into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces keeping the heads intact. Add to the bowl and gently toss. Cover and store in fridge till serving time. It tastes better after a couple of hours but it’s still great if you eat it right away.

Nutrient Breakdown per ½  cup (125 mL) serving: 40 Calories, 1.7 g Total fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 40 mg Sodium, 5.1 g Carbs, 2 g Fiber, 1.8 g Sugars, 2 g Protein

Courtesy Mairlyn Smith