Author Archives: Dr. P. K. Newby

About Dr. P. K. Newby

I am a nutrition scientist, theatre producer, food writer, and video blogger in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. On my blog, The Nutrition Doctor is In the KItchen, I bring together my passions for food, cooking, science, sustainability, and health to help people improve their health through diet, one delectable bite at a time. Please visit my blog and let's get cooking (http://blog.pknewby.com)! For more about me, visit my website (http://www.pknewby.com).

Modern Lobster Roll, the P. K. Way

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ModernRoll_closeI adore a classic lobster roll. Full stop. Yet as a culinary artist of sorts I revel in taking a traditional dish and bringing in new flavors and ingredients for a contemporary twist. Also, to be honest, I really didn’t have enough meat for a lobster-only sandwich. Which turned just fine, because this gorgeous lobster roll was born. With the addition of creamy sliced avocado, lemony mayo, and a sprinkle of microgreens, this version is just as ravishing as the classic with a prettier presentation to boot.

And, because I’ve already explained in some detail how to create the perfect classic lobster roll, alongside pitfalls you should avoid to make it suck, today’s post simply showcases the beauty of my modern lobster roll in all its glory.

ModernRoll_three

That is one photogenic sandwich, right?

ModernRoll_one

The only critical difference in this recipe compared to the classic, by the way (other than the avocado and greens), is to make sure you do include a nice squeeze of lemon, to your liking, and perhaps a little zest; a few fresh herbs could be added to the mix, too, if you like, especially if you can’t find microgreens.

ModernRoll_two

If you enjoy Homarus americanus as much as I, you can learn more about lobster here, courtesy of the Gourmet magazine archives and David Foster Wallace. You might also enjoy my recipes for a classic lobster roll, lobster bisque, lobster risotto, or soft lobster tacos with avocado cream and mango salsa.

For all of these dishes, meeting the meat is not required.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Classic Lobster Roll, the P.K. Way

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LobRoll_closeWhy do so many lobster rolls suck?

(rants the Nutrition Doctor)

This question vexes me greatly given how simple it is to make the classic New England sandwich. I can not count the number of times I’ve paid hard-earned money for a sub-par lobster roll—a phrase that should not exist in the English language.

Or any language, for that matter.

No doubt I’ve been spoiled, because my cousin Mike in Maine makes the best lobster rolls. Ever. I was lucky to learn from the master.

And now I make my own at home to avoid roll rage.

1. Assemble your ingredients. Pictured are the main ones, including lobster, onion, celery, mayo, and lemon. (Olive oil and rolls not shown.)

LobRoll_one

2. Remove lobster meat from shell. Or buy it unshelled if you’re squeamish.

LobRoll_two

3. Cut lobster in medium-size chunks—or larger, to your liking. Don’t go too small, as many restaurants do and it sucks; you need succulent pieces you can sink your teeth into. Place in bowl.

LobRoll_three

4. Finely mince some onion and celery. You don’t want too much, just a bit.

LobRoll_four

5. Gently stir together lobster and vegetables with a bit of mayo. Okay, now, listen carefully. Do not overdo the mayo. Start with a small amount, then taste and add more if needed. Many lobster rolls are drowned in mayo, which is a crying shame and makes them suck. Less is more, and using good mayo is important.

LobRoll_five

6. The P.K. Way recipe also includes a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and a grind of fresh pepper; omit if you prefer but I find it delightful. (Lobster is naturally salty, so I don’t add salt straight away before tasting or it might suck.)

7. Toast hotdog rolls on a hot griddle. The classic uses white, but I’ve found a terrific whole wheat hotdog bun that I love; it has to be high-quality to be worthy of the lobster, note. Likewise, while the traditional recipe uses butter, I’ve applied extra-virgin olive oil with a pastry brush with excellent results. The classic white bread and butter version is always spectacular, but I was quite pleased with how well these substitutions worked, and it’s now my regular recipe. And trust me when I tell you I would not be writing this publicly if I didn’t think so, because I am obviously a lobster roll snob who would never compromise on taste.

LobRoll_six

8. Spoon lobster filling carefully into toasted roll. Note you can barely see the mayo, a good sign you haven’t overdone it.

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I’m Gonna Need a Bigger Lobster…

As it turns out, my 1.25 pound chick really wasn’t enough meat for a lobster roll dinner, so this batch of lobster rolls was, um, a little light on lobster. (If I ordered it in a restaurant, I surely would have narrowed my eyes in disapproval of the meager portion.) I’m usually more generous on the filling and could have used some larger chunks in there, too, come to think of it; I really just didn’t have enough lobster.

Which, yeah, I’ll fully admit, kind of sucked.

I’ll replace the photos next time I make lobster rolls, I suppose, but the recipe is the point.

And perfect timing for National Lobster Day, to boot.

(Yeah, I had no idea, either.)

If you’re a lobster lover, you might also enjoy my recipes for a modern lobster roll, lobster bisque, lobster risotto, or soft lobster tacos with avocado cream and mango salsa. For all of these dishes, meeting the meat is not required.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Strawberry Cocktails Go Brazilian: Meet the Caipirinha

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Sberry_cap_rocksI tried a caipirinha for the first time many years ago when visiting Brazil, and appropriately so given it’s the country’s national cocktail. The drink is similar to the mojito, minus the mint. As well, the recipe uses cachaça, Brazil’s most popular liquor, in lieu of rum; both are made from sugar cane.

The basic caipirinha does not include strawberries, of course, so feel free to omit if you’re not into it. But I love my fruity concoctions and made this tasty cocktail to celebrate the arrival of strawberry season to Boston.

So grab your mortar and pestle and let’s get mixing!

Ingredients and Instructions

  • 1 lime, cut into eighths
  • 2 tsp superfine sugar
  • 2 oz cachaça
  • 1/2 oz St. Germain (optional)
  • 1-2 oz strawberries, puréed or finely mashed

Sberry_cap_limesMuddle the lime and sugar together until the fruit is crushed and the sugar is dissolved. Shake all ingredients together and pour into a rocks glass. Note that if you make a basic, non-berry caipirinha, you can muddle the limes and sugar at the bottom of the glass, add the remaining ingredients, mix with a spoon, and avoid a few dishes. But I find it’s easier to bring the ingredients together by breaking out my martini shaker.

Also, I like shaking cocktails.

Happy Friday!

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Pesto Pizza with Red Chard, Ricotta, and Caramelized Onions

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PestoPizza_cropEveryone loves pizza, including me.

(Insert obvious caveat here about moderation.)

You’ll note a theme to my pies, which always use whole wheat crust (here’s why) and generally star whatever glorious vegetables and herbs inspired me at the local farmers’ market. Think:

Pesto_cropToday’s recipe features a few similar ingredients to those above not just because I love them—though that’s reason enough—but, really, it’s just what I had on hand. Indeed, the true star of this pie is the pesto. Whether traditional basil or my fabulous parsley-pistachio, this fragrant spread is a wonderful complement to sweet onions, garlicky chard, and creamy ricotta. And, while it’s not quite the looker of my Margherita, it is seriously tasty and a great way to celebrate summer herbs.

The basic pie starts as described here, and the slightly-baked shell is then spread with pesto and topped with caramelized onions, herbed ricotta, and sautéed chard. (Pesto darkens quite a bit in the oven, alas. But it’s still awesome.)

PestoPizza_one

A sprinkle of fresh herbs or microgreens always adds color and flavor; here I’m using a spritz of purple radish sprouts.

PestoPizza_two

How about a close-up?

PestoPizza_three

Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Summer Porridge Starring Strawberries

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SberriesPorridge_closeStrawberry season has come to Boston, which means I’ll focus on this speckled summer fruit in a few upcoming posts.

And what better place to begin than with breakfast, and a hot breakfast at that?

I love cooked cereal, though I confess I’m a bit of a traditionalist and usually prepare simple oatmeal on the stovetop. (Here’s a video showing you how.) That said, porridge can be prepared with a wide range of whole grains and seeds. Dress it up with dried or fresh fruit, nuts, and a little sweetener (if needed), and you’ve got a powerhouse breakfast that tastes good any time of year, no matter the weather.

Today’s version was inspired by succulent farmers’ market strawberries, which are sliced atop a creamy mixture of oats, flax, and hemp seeds. Almond milk, or another of your choosing, is an optional addition (though not at all necessary).

SBerries_porridge

A short and sweet post—just like the ephemeral strawberry season—it also serves as a reminder that hot cereal is as terrific a breakfast in summer as it is in winter.

Especially when it stars local strawberries.

Note. No strawberries were digitally altered to enhance the color in today’s article; they are as red, succulent, and sweet as they look. Locally produced strawberries often bear little resemblance to the less flavorful, pinker berries you get off season. Find a local market to enjoy this fabulous fruit while you still can.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

End-of-the-Week Pasta with Parsley-Pistachio Pesto, Garbanzos, and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

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PastaPesto_closeI’ll bet I’m not the only one whose cupboards look bare by week’s end, right?

I usually go to the Copley Square farmers’ market on Friday for precisely this reason but was terribly uninspired due to the massive downpour here in Boston. I was thus forced to be creative to get dinner on the table. I had a couple of bunches of parsley in the fridge alongside various vegetables (no salad greens), and a handful of cherry tomatoes remaining on the countertop.

Recalling the June issue of Bon Appétit featuring parsley pesto, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to “cook the cover” (as they like to put it) in a just-as-tasty but better-for-you-fashion. In other words, the P. K. Way.

ParsleyPestoThe pesto, of course, is the star of this dish—which is why it has its very own post where you can find the recipe. Now, while there’s certainly nothing wrong with a simple pasta-and-pesto supper, I felt the dish would benefit from a nutrient, color, and texture boost through the addition of garbanzos and tomatoes. (Blistering is what happens when you roast them at high heat for fifteen minutes or so.) Though it’s ridiculously easy to make dried beans from scratch—here’s how—I didn’t have any this time; I always have a few no-salt added cans in the pantry for precisely this reason. I also used whole grain spaghetti, which is far more nutritious than white—here’s why—and, trust me, the taste can be acquired if you give it a chance. (I used to eat white pasta too, you know.) When putting the dish together, you’ll want to add a little of the starchy pasta water to create the sauce, by the way; add a bit at a time to achieve the proper consistency.

Pasta_SideChopSaladThis meal came together very quickly, since I boiled the pasta while the tomatoes were blistering and the pesto was pulsing. I even had enough time to make a colorful chopped salad with a variety of veggies I had hanging around the fridge. I included a few garbanzos and tomatoes (for unity) along with cucumber, red cabbage, purple onion, and black radish. Nothing special, just what I had. (I love me a good chopped salad—here’s another example, and another.)

This meal was absolutely sensational.

Way beyond my expectation. (I had never made this pesto before.)

Here’s an action shot for you.

PestoPasta_Action

The moral of this story? First, if you haven’t gone “whole grain” yet when it comes to pasta, it’s time. (Not eating pasta? Here’s a post about healthy whole grains with a bit of science on gluten-free and Paleo diets.) Second, adding beans and veggies to your meal whether in a pasta dish or salad is a sure way to give your diet a nutrition boost. (More details on what a healthy diet should look like are here.) Also, it looks pretty and tastes delicious.

Finally, the biggest learning, at least for me, is to think out of the box when it comes to pesto.

I’m certainly glad that I did.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Beyond Basil: Parsley Pistachio Pesto

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This post is dedicated to a few of my Facebook fans who asked me for the recipe after seeing a photo of Friday’s night’s supper. To stay in the loop on cooking and eating the P.K. Way in real time and learn the latest food and nutrition news, both fun and facts, please click here to like the page. Thanks!

ParsleyPesto_1Who doesn’t love pesto?

Actually, many people I know, but I’ve never understood. When its garlicky, herbaceous ingredients come together with fruity, velvety olive oil, the result is nothing less than sublime.

While I quite enjoy a traditional basil pesto, this versatile sauce can be made with many different combinations of herbs and nuts to suit the season, as well as your palate. Today’s recipe came about for three reasons. First, pasta with parsley pesto was on the cover of this month’s Bon Appétit. Second, gorgeous parsley is currently available at my farmers’ market right now (not basil). I thusly had a surplus of parsley in the fridge as well as some roasted pistachios in the pantry (the third reason). Next thing you know, I whipped up my own version of parsley pesto and used it in a few different dishes I’ll tell you about this coming week.

I must confess that as I just threw this recipe together I did not take down precise quantities when I made it. (Here’s my philosophy on recipes.) That said, making pesto is super easy, there are tons of recipes on the web, and you should make it your own. Basic pesto recipes include herbs, nuts, olive oil, and cheese seasoned with freshly ground black pepper; vegan versions can omit the cheese with good effect (see below).

All You Need is Five Minutes and a Food Processor

Sure, you can use the traditional mortar and pestle if you’re feeling frisky, else take out my favorite appliance and you’ll be eating freshly-made pesto in a few minutes’ time.

What I did—all quantities are rough approximations—was start by chopping 1/2 cup roasted unsalted pistachios in the food processor. (It’s noisy but works just fine.) I next added about 3-4 cups of chopped flat leaf parsley and 2 large cloves of garlic and repulsed the whole thing. With the food processor running, I poured in extra virgin olive oil until the pesto came together. I’m not sure how much I added, but it was about 1/2 cup, maybe less? Observe closely how the spread comes together as you slowly drizzle in the oil; it should not be too thin. (Note the viscosity in the photo.) Season with freshly ground black pepper and sample. I tasted at this point and said “Wow! This doesn’t even need cheese!”

But I added cheese, since I love it—not quite 1/4 cup of freshly grated parmigiana. Romano or another hard Italian cheese will also work.

I pulsed it up again and the flavor was wonderful but a bit too thick. Normally I’d just add some more olive oil but I performed a little pesto experiment by adding a few tablespoons of water to see if I could obtain the texture I wanted without compromising the taste. (Note: I’ve made pesto for years and never before tried this.)

Wondering why? Well, to be honest, making pesto is kind of expensive. The best result requires nuts and a lot of olive oil, both of which are costly; a good cheese increases the price tag. Recalling that fat is our most energy-dense macronutrient at 9 kcal/g, these ingredients are also very high in calories. Although most of the fat is heart-healthy, and I would never compromise on flavor—olive oil is a key ingredient in pesto—this test was worth a shot.

I’m thrilled to report this experiment was a resounding success. The water served to add a little thinness to the sauce and had no discernible effect on taste. I ended up adding a few tablespoons and was done.

I can not even tell you how excited I was about this pesto. I just kept on say “I can’t believe how amazing this is” to myself. And, as you can see, the color is a more vibrant shade of green due to the combination of parsley and pistachios, another bonus.

ParsleyPesto_full

I hope you love this pesto as much as I do.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Meatless Monday Tacos, the P.K. Way (The Meat is Delicious!)

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TacosI love Tex-Mex, and a search here on my blog will bring up all kinds of fabulous Southwestern recipes. A few examples:

And let’s not forget about the varied array of accoutrements that make it Mexican:

In all this time, it’s hard to believe I’ve not yet shared my recipe for that most familiar of Tex-Mex fare, the basic taco. No doubt a favorite of many, there are lots of fun and creative things you can do with tacos, like my soft lobster version with avocado cream and mango salsa. That said, there’s a time when you just want a traditional meaty taco with all the fixings stuffed into a crispy corn shell.

I agree.

So what if you don’t eat meat, you ask? No problem at all, because if you employ my meatless taco filling you’ll have even your meat-loving guests complimenting your rad tacos. (Yes, I did just say “rad,” I think for the first time ever. Forgive me, but it just seemed to fit.) I’ve already provided the (true) story and recipe here, so check it out and grab your frying pan as that’s the base for these tacos.

Tacos_verticalIn the pictured version, I first lined a crispy taco shell with creamy sliced avocado and then stuffed in the savory filling. (The sliced avocado was just to mix things up: I usually use diced avocado or guacamole.) My toppings included diced white onion, a bit of grated cheddar cheese, and a dollop of corn salsa. The tacos look and taste a bit different every time depending on what I have on hand and what strikes my fancy. Pico de gallo and/or tomatillo salsa are terrific. (Mango doesn’t work here in my view.) And, yes, I often include a spoonful of sour cream, though I hadn’t any when I took this photo and it’s certainly not necessary if you want to watch calories or keep these vegan.

Not sure about my “meaty” meatless tacos? It’s okay to be skeptical. I also grew up eating beef tacos, so I understand. But I really do find that these tacos fully, er, meet my need. So perhaps today’s Meatless Monday is the perfect time to expand your taco horizons with this better-for-you-and-the-environment-and-cow-too alternative. Do they taste exactly like meat? Perhaps not; it depends on what your palate is used to, of course. But I’ve had many a meat-enthusiast adore my tacos, and once you add the fillings you love I think you’ll find these a great twist on a classic that you and your kids will come to crave.

Olé indeed.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

The Perfect Spring Soup? Cream of Asparagus, of Course!

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AsparagusSoup_closeI’ve shown a lot of asparagus love in the past week featuring a series of posts dedicated to one of spring’s beloved vegetables: lemon-scented roasted asparagus, herb-roasted salmon with roasted asparagus and parsnip purée, a savory open-faced egg and asparagus sandwich, and the French favorite of two sunny-side up eggs atop parmesan-inflected roasted asparagus. Finishing off the set is today’s recipe for asparagus soup. Not too difficult to make at all, and you even get to employ  the tough, woody ends in an asparagus stock to use all parts of the vegetable, which I love.

As it turns out, today’s ninety-plus degrees in New England will have no one at all making this soup tonight.

Nevertheless.

1. Make the stock by snapping the ends off the rinsed asparagus and add to a pot along with the peels from the onion and garlic (that you’ll be using in the soup) along with 6-8 cups of water. Feel free to add a few peppercorns, parsley sprigs, and whatnot while you’re add it. (More details on making veggie stock in this video; this is a simpler Asparagus officinalis version, which features asparagus and uses fewer other ingredients.)

AsparagusStock_pre

Nothing to it, just a bunch of asparagus ends and veggie peels in a pot with water. (I later added parsley, which I found in the fridge, along with a few peppercorns and bay leaf.)

Forty minutes later the water has extracted the nutrients and flavor from the veggies to form a delightful asparagus-flavored stock.

2. Roast the asparagus as described here while the stock is simmering, (Omit the lemon zest for this recipe.) Add a few bulbs of whole garlic alongside the asparagus, too.

Just a drizzle of olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper is all you need.

Just a drizzle of olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper is all you need.

Roasting garlic really brings out the sweetness and flavor. Nice caramelization, right?

Roasting garlic really brings out the sweetness and flavor. Nice caramelization, right?

3. Sauté chopped onion in olive oil in a large soup pot until translucent, about 5-7 minutes over medium heat, and season with salt and pepper

4. Chop the asparagus, saving a few tops for garnish, and toss the rest into the soup pot along with the garlic and stock. Bring to a boil and simmer 10-15 minutes or so.

5. Blend to create a homogeneous texture. (Optional: save some chopped asparagus to include at the end if you prefer a chunky soup.)

AsparagusSoup_pot

Looking good, but we still need to add our spices and a few more ingredients.

6. Season with dry mustard (~1 tsp), white or black pepper, salt (as needed), and a few grates of nutmeg. Cream and freshly grated parmigiana reggiano add body, texture, and overall deliciousness; add a little at a time until the desired texture and taste is achieved.

7. Garnish with a few of the reserved asparagus tops, homemade croutons (I’ll provide a recipe soon), and a few grates of the cheese.

Don't forget a grind of fresh pepper, too!

Don’t forget a grind of fresh pepper, too!

What else to say? Well, I guess I’ll just remind you that I generally focus on ingredients and technique, which is why there aren’t always specific quantities provided as in today’s soup. (Here’s my philosophy on recipes, along with hundreds of my favorite dishes.) If you need more help, watch one of my videos on YouTube or search the glorious interwebs.

Cooking options. I love using roasted vegetables in soups, which in my extensive soup-making experience creates a tastier result than either steaming or boiling. However, either of these methods can be employed if you like, and the soup will still be quite lovely. If you boiled the asparagus, you’d can including the cooking water in the soup, too. Steaming has the advantage of creating a lively green hue, which doesn’t quite happen to the same degree when roasting (i.e., the soup will generally be grayer). You’ll find this crazy, perhaps, but I sometimes use a combination of roasted and steamed to achieve the best of both flavor and color. I say all of this so you are aware of the various cooking options, which take different amounts of time; select the method that fits your schedule and desires. I have my own preference, obviously, but the more important point is for you to get into the kitchen and make it yourself.

I hope you get a chance to make this fabulous soup while asparagus is still in season, however you do it.

And don’t forget to freeze some so you’ll have it on hand when you’re craving a delightful soup celebrating spring.

Say, when it’s not ninety degrees.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Eggs for Dinner? Yes, Please (May Include Asparagus)

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Today’s post is short and simple, the logical complement to my “Asparagus for Breakfast? Yes, Please” piece. Just a couple of photos, really, to illustrate the concept of eggs for dinner while still keeping with the asparagus theme. The only difference from yesterday’s preparation is that in today’s prettily-plated meal I’m using two sunny-side up eggs rather than one, substituting purple radish greens for micro peppercress, and including a few more spears of roasted asparagus. It is supper, after all.

AsparagusTwoEggs

I enjoy eggs for my evening meal every now and again, most frequently in omelet or frittata form. But when asparagus is in season, I like to keep things simple and allow the vegetable to take center stage. I’m not the only one who thinks this, of course: the combination of eggs and asparagus is traditional French fare. Yet I’m sure at least some of you are thinking “Seriously, that’s dinner?” Let me thusly say right now that a meal like this one is certainly categorized under “light eating” and could easily be paired with a bowl of soup or a hearty side salad for more calories and nutrients to keep you from ordering a pizza once you’re done.

How about serving your asparagus-and-eggs supper with a gorgeous spring salad bursting with tender mixed lettuces like spinach, pea tendrils, and purple kale and topped with watermelon radishes, grated candy cane beets, purple onions, and sprouted lentils? A perfect celebration of spring in and of itself, this salad, with its vibrant palate of purples, pinks and greens.

SpringSalad

And, as it turns out, just about every ingredient in this meal, including the eggs, is from my farmers’ market. The only exceptions are the extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing my salad and the sprouted lentils.

A quintessential spring supper loaded with nutrients, bursting with bright colors, dancing with seasonal flavors, and supporting local businesses to boot.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!