Recipe: Lemon Asparagus Pasta

This recipe is something that I make when I'm craving comfort foods but don't want anything too heavy, too unhealthy or tomato-based.

Recipe: Lemon Asparagus Pasta

Makes 4 servings

1 lb. fresh asparagus, ends trimmed

zest of 1 fresh lemon (or lemon pepper seasoning)

1/4 tsp garlic

a dash of cinnamon (optional)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. pasta of choice (I use angel hair pasta)

1/4 cup soy Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces, setting aside tips. In a large stockpot cook asparagus stems in 5-6 quarts boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt until tender. Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a blender (do not drain pot). Cook asparagus tips in same boiling water until just tender. Transfer tips with slotted spoon to colander (do not drain pot). Puree asparagus stems (not the tips) with lemon zest, olive oil, and 3/4 cup asparagus cooking water until smooth.

Cook pasta in boiling asparagus cooking water until it's still very al dente (firm to the tooth). Reserve 2 cups cooking water and drain pasta. In drained stockpot, add pasta, asparagus tips, asparagus sauce, and 1/2 cup reserved water. Cook over high heat, stirring, about 4-5 minutes until pasta is done to taste and coated with sauce, adding a little more cooking water (1/4 cup at a time) if necessary. Stir in soy Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Is an Excess of Soy Linked to Cancer?

This morning, I received an email warning me about the negative effects too much soy can have on one's body. The message mentioned that there is a large amount of literature on soy boasting its wonderful health benefits (i.e. protection against heart disease and breast cancer, cholesterol lowering properties, etc). "It is the magical isoflavones, the estrogen-like hormones that work to help you stay young and healthy". Anyone reading this that is health-conscious would definitely consider adding soy to their diet, but what isn't mentioned is that soy's estrogen-like qualities are exactly why too much MAY be bad.

One woman tells her story of how she wanted to be healthier so she began fortifying her body with the foods she had read would make her healthy and strong. Tofu was her main protein in every meal, she drank ample amounts of soy milk and snacked on soy muffins, miso soup with tofu, soybeans, soybean sprouts, etc.

Seven years after these "healthy" changes, this woman was told that she had two tennis ball sized cysts in her uterus. A couple of years later, they discovered a lump in her breast. Two years after that, her glands swelled and her gums became inflamed. She was eventually diagnosed with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. What was going on with this woman?? After extensive research, this is what she found: Breast cancer is linked to estrogen. What mimics estrogen in the female body? SOY!

Immediately after reading this email, I visited the snopes website and apparently there is some truth to this story. According to snopes, research is still in the beginning stages of fully understanding if soy is something that people, especially women, should be avoiding. Is an excess of soy linked to cancer? At this time, it is inconclusive. Some initial studies have shown that soy could stimulate estrogen-dependent tumors yet others have shown that soy may help PREVENT breast cancer.

So, what do we do with this information? Personally, I will not be cutting soy from my diet COMPLETELY, but will instead begin alternating my milk choices between soy, rice, almond and hemp. It seems to me that moderation is key no matter WHAT you are eating.

Would you like to view the snopes article yourself? Click here.