RAW ASPARAGUS SALAD
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Serves 4

Salad greens for four

1 pound thin spears of fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons good olive oil (1 tablespoon if you're not dressing greens, too)
1 tablespoon good balsamic vinegar
Zest of a lemon, preferably in strips (vs fluffy stuff from a Microplane), reserving a few strips for garnish, if desired
Salt & pepper to taste

Wash and tear the greens. Spin dry (do you use a salad spinner? I love mine!) or tamp gently with paper towels. (Why do we want dry greens? So the dressing will adhere evenly.)

Wash the asparagus well, especially the tips where grit can accumulate. After washing, place on a double layer of paper towels to siphon off water. (This is so the oil/vinegar dressing can adhere.) Snap off the woody ends and discard. Line up the tips of as many asparagus as you can manage, cut off the tips. (Use these in the salad itself or save for something else where the tips are so coveted.) Cut the asparagus in tiny bits, maybe 1/8 or 1/4 inch lengths.

Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper, lemon zest (don't forget to reserve a few for garnish). Stir in the asparagus. Toss the asparagus with the greens. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 89 Cal (64% from Fat, 12% from Protein, 24% from Carb); 3 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 6 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb3; 40 mg Calcium; 3 mg Iron; 8 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point

SHORTHAND RECIPE
RAW ASPARAGUS SALAD 1lb very fresh thin asparagus, 2T oil, 1T balsamic, lemon zest, S&P, toss w arugula/greens VV07 WW=1
Source(s):
http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2007/05/gorgeous-raw-aspar...

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Shaved Raw Asparagus with Lemon Vinaigrette
http://www.epicurean.com/featured/shaved-raw-asparagus-with-lemon-vinaigrette-recipe.html

Raw Asparagus Pesto
http://www.recipezaar.com/Raw-Asparagus-Pesto-112917

White Asparagus Salad with Ham from Parma
(skip the ham if you're vegetarian)
http://ostwestwind.twoday.net/stories/1896879/

Salad of Mâche with Raw Asparagus, Pistachios, and Parmigiano-Reggiano
http://kitchenography.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/05/salad_of_mche_w.html

Kreme of Asparagus Soup
http://www.living-foods.com/recipes/kremeofa.html

These are just a few of the recipes I found. Many more can be found on raw foods sites such as:
http://www.living-foods.com/recipes/
http://www.rawsacramento.net/recipes.htm
and others like them.

Happy munching!
Source(s):
Google search for "raw asparagus recipes" - results thinned "manually" : )

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I have three favorites:

Serve julienned with a yogurt-based dip.

Serve julienned with a sauce made by steeping cut-up grapes overnight in yogurt, then straining the grapes out. Lay out the strips of asparagus on individual serving plates, pour the sauce over them, and top with halved grapes. I prefer red grapes for this.

Finally, you can do asparagus "slaw". Shred the asparagus and use as normal "slaw" in your favorite recipe. You can also make "sauerkraut" out of it using salt and whey. It will keep for about 3 weeks this way, and will have even more enzymes.
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