I was glancing at a free newspaper I picked at the airport on my way to Spain and I came across some healthy asparagus recipes some of which are very suitable for a keto diet.
Asparagus is, as you probably know, very low in calories, low in carbs and full of good nutrients so ideal for eating on a keto diet.
It’s particularly high in insoluble fiber which is important for regular bowel movements so is good to prevent low carb constipation. The small amount of soluble fiber which it contains feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Asparagus is rich in antioxidants including quercetin, rutin, lutein and zeaxantin.
Tasty asparagus is in season right now and if you like it why not eat it? Some people are put off by the way it makes their pee smell after eating it although it’s perfectly harmless.
It’s thought to be due to Asparagusic acid, a sulfur-containing compound that is only contained in asparagus. Various theories have been put forward to explain it. One is that a number of genes are to blame.
If you can find some good quality green asparagus the recipes that follow are keto friendly. You want to eat as many low carb green vegetables as possible when you are following a keto diet to get your minerals and stay keto-alkaline.
As usual I have tweaked the original healthy asparagus recipes a little to make them even healthier
Healthy Asparagus Recipes For Keto
Asparagus and Hot Tuna Salad
Ingredients
Serves 2
125g good quality green asparagus
1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped finely
2 tuna steaks (100g each) (fresh or frozen skipjack tuna is lower in mercury)
1 tbsp crushed black peppercorns
1 tbsp avocado oil
2 organic or free range eggs
2 handfuls mixed organic salad leaves
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Directions
• Preheat the oven to 375F (190°C)
• Place the asparagus on a baking tray, drizzle with a teaspoon of oil and add the green chilli. Put in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Put eggs into a pan of cool water making sure they are covered by at least an inch of water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for about 6 minutes then plunge into very cold water for a few minutes. Peel when cool enough to handle and cut in half
• Meanwhile, rub the tuna steaks with crushed black peppercorns to form a crust. Place the grill pan on the heat, add a tablespoon of avocado or coconut oil and wait until it heats up.
• Put the tuna in the hot pan and cook for two minutes on each side for rare steaks. When cooked, leave to rest for a few minutes.
• Place the salad leaves on your plates and arrange the asparagus on top. Slice the tuna on the diagonal and add. Top with the halved eggs. Season to taste and drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic. serve.
Roasted Asparagus with Chilli and Lime Butter
Ingredients
Serves 4
100g grass-fed butter
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro (coriander), finely chopped
½ tsp cumin seeds, roughly ground
Juice of ½ lime
2 bundles good quality green asparagus
Avocado oil
Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lime, cut into wedges to garnish
Directions
• Have the the butter at room temperature then mix in the chilli, coriander, ground cumin and lime juice. Season with a little black pepper then place on a sheet of parchment and roll into a sausage shape and place in the in the fridge to firm up.
• Pre-heat the oven to 400 F (200°C). Trim any woody ends of the asparagus and place on a roasting tray, drizzle with some avocado oil, season well with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 6 – 8 minutes.
• Place the asparagus spears on serving plates and top with a slice of the chilli and lime butter. Add a wedge of lime and serve.
Griddled Asparagus and Shallots with Salsa Verde
Ingredients
Serves 4 plus 1 small jar
½ garlic clove
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
4 anchovies in oil, (not salt)
30g flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
30g basil, leaves only
Zest of 1 organic lemon
2 tbsp capers
150ml extra virgin olive oil
Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 echalion shallots (banana shallots)
500g good quality green asparagus
Directions
• To make the salsa, put the garlic, vinegar, anchovies, parsley, basil, lemon zest, capers and olive oil in a blender and blitz until well combined but still coarse. Season to taste if necessary.
• Cut the shallots lengthways into four quarters and drizzle with a little avocado oil. Heat a griddle pan and cook the shallots until they are soft and beginning to brown but still holding their shape. Set aside.
• Trim the woody ends off the asparagus and lightly oil, then place in the griddle pan for two to three minutes until beginning to brown (not charred) but still tender.
• Arrange the asparagus and echalions on a plate, then spoon over the salsa verde. Store any remaining salsa in a small jar in the fridge
Keto Asparagus and Spinach Soup With Chive Crème Fraîche
Ingredients
Serves 4
12 spears of good quality green asparagus
1 tsp avocado oil
50g unsalted grass-fed butter
1 medium white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
800ml of vegetable stock
100g of organic spinach
4 tbsp crème fraîche
(1tbsp per soup portion)
2 tbsp freshly chopped chives
Himalayan salt & freshly ground black pepper
Directions
• Remove the hard stems from the asparagus. Keep four of the asparagus heads aside then finely chop the rest.
• Gently heat a little avocado oil and the butter in a saucepan then add the diced onion and garlic. Sweat for five minutes on a low heat.
• Add the chopped asparagus and continue to sweat for another couple of minutes then add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the spinach and simmer for two minutes then remove from the heat. Allow to cool a little then put into a blender and whizz up in batches.
• When the soup is blended put through a sieve to remove any lumps.
• Mix the crème fraîche with the chopped chives and add a little salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour the hot soup into your serving bowls. Add a spoonful of the chive crème fraîche on top and carefully decorate each bowl with one of the reserved asparagus heads.
Enjoy!
Which one of these healthy asparagus recipes will you try first?
