I have another confession to make. (I know, I seem to be doing that a lot lately…)
I do not like ham. Not in a ham and cheese sandwich. Not with a roast at the holidays. I will do bacon. Or cooked prosciutto. But I don’t think that qualifies me as a ham fan. We’ll have to ask Sam I Am.
Whew, glad we got that out of the way.
Anyway, I found a recipe combining asparagus with prosciutto (literally a 2 ingredient recipe) and since I like both of these foods, decided to make it a little more decadent. It’s still Phase 1 if you’re along for the ride with me. They are crunchy and creamy all at the same time. The only negative is that they are high in sodium, so not something to binge on or make everyday (or season with salt!). This recipe will make 8 pieces.
24 thin asparagus stalks
8 thinly sliced pieces of prosciutto
8 tablespoons of cream cheese
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon olive oil
pepper (optional)
Preheat oven to 450°. Trim the tough ends off of the asparagus. Drop asparagus in a shallow pan of boiling water for 1 minute. Remove to a bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking.
On each piece of prosciutto, spread one tablespoon of cream cheese and some chives. Place 3 asparagus stalks at one end and roll it up. Continue with other 7 pieces. Brush each piece with olive oil and and season with a little pepper. Using a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, coat with non-stick spray and bake for 15 minutes. Turn oven to broil for 1-2 minutes more if you want them crispier.
If you have thicker stalks of asparagus, you may decide to use fewer in each piece. Or cut the thick ones in half. You could also make an appetizer with individual spears in each. Or wrap in thinly sliced roast beef. Or use flavored cream cheese. OR make them for breakfast and dip in a sunny side up egg. The possibilities are ENDLESS!
Whichever way to choose to prepare them, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did tonight. And besides being extremely yummy, the asparagus is:
- very high in folic acid (reduces risk of heart disease, colon cancer, liver disease and spina bifida)
- good source of protein
- high in Calcium, Iron, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C
- full of gluthathione which helps the body to detoxify and is a powerful antioxidant
- helpful in increasing circulation
These are AMAZING!
And yes. That is a giant–albeit bunless–grass fed burger behind the mound of ham. Please don’t judge 🙂
good sense good health 