Things my kids could care less about when it comes to asparagus:
✓ It’s a super green superfood that’s super rich in folic acid. You know, the B vitamin that helps prevent birth defects, depression, heart disease, diabetes, and a plethora of other crummy things.
✓ Each stalk of asparagus has less than four, wimpy little calories.
✓ A recent study in the Journal of Food Science reported that eating asparagus can speed up the metabolism of booze. Yup, you read that right. Next time you hit the town with a plan to get tipsy, make sure you’re packing a purseful of these guys:
Seriously though. I really wish my kids were like those I read about on other food blogs. The ones who voluntarily scarf down pickled beets and kale chips. (Here’s me, not buyin’ what they’re sellin’, btw.)
Nope, I have to trick my kids into eating their mighty superfoods by costuming them in delicious cured meat.
Pancetta Wrapped Asparagus
(makes 4 servings)
- 1 lb fresh asparagus (around 20 stalks)
- 8 paper thin slices of pancetta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
- coarse ground salt
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. Snap the dry stemmed ends off of the asparagus and separate them into four bundles of five stalks each. Wrap each bundle with two slices of pancetta. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with ground white pepper and salt. Roast in the preheated oven until the asparagus is tender, around 15 minutes.
Serve warm alongside an oven roasted chicken. Just tell your kids it’s Super Bird & Side Wonder.
Jenn is a full-time mom, flex-time advertising industry ninja, full-time food lover in Scottsdale, AZ. When she’s not busy feeding faces, wiping butts or searching for her sanity, you can find her trying to outwit other food bloggers at http://www.omfgsogood.com, on Twitter @OMFGSoGOOD, Facebook, or promoting her husband’s graphic design and fine art business, Trapdoor Studio.
baconrollstoplasticdolls says
My kids and I love asparagus. I told them that it would make the wee glow in the dark and that it would smell cool. It seemed to do the trick, they love them now.
I fry them in oil and butter with a little salt and pepper for around 4-5 minutes at a medium heat.
Your recipe sounds delicious, I will be definitely trying it with the kids :o)