food of the month: asparagus
although asparagus season is nearly over, we still wanted to give this groovy veg a shout out!

what:
- asparagus is a long green shoot enjoyed world wide
- it is a member of the lily family
- white asparagus can be grown by covering the stalk in sand while it grows and denying it light which is necessary for photosynthesis

why:
- asparagus is high in the antioxidants vitamins A, C and E antioxidants
- help fight free radical damage in the body and improve immune function

how:
- it can be enjoyed stir fried, pickled, steamed, raw, sauteed, in an omlette or many other ways
- one of the best ways to enjoy the flavour of asparagus is to simply steam for a minute of two and serve hot with a little butter

good to know:
- asparagus and tomatoes make a good team on your plate and in the garden. tomato plants help repel the asparagus beetle and asparagus returns the favour by keeping away harmful worms that damage tomato plants
- in ideal conditions asparagus can grow up to 10″ in one day!
- when purchasing asparagus look for firm bright green fresh looking stalks with compact tips. picking a bunch with stalks of similar diameter helps with even cooking
- store asparagus in the fridge with a moist paper towel wrapped around the stems or stand them up tall in a few inches of water