Tidbits: Stinky Asparagus

Have you ever noticed that shortly after eating asparagus, the smell from your urine is odd?  That smell does not mean something bad is happening;  it’s just a substance in asparagus (thought to be methyl mercaptan) that is eliminated from your body via the urine.

Some people cannot smell an odor in their urine after eating asparagus, and scientists that study the olfactory organ (the nose) have found that there are two causes of this phenomenon. First, some people lack the receptor to detect the smell.  And second, some people don’t create the waste product that causes the smell. 

So while the scientists go round and round deciding what gene causes the difference between smellers and non-smellers (and between stink producers and non-stink producers), you can be assured that asparagus is still good for you, with only 30 calories per 1 cup, and is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K.

What's for Dinner: Asparagus Red Pepper Frittata

Sauteing the vegetables in a little olive oil.

Did you ever wonder what the word "frittata" meant? I assumed it was something like "flat omelet" but it turns out it is just an Italian omelet. It's a good way to use up bits of vegetables.

I had never made a frittata with asparagus, but with a few stalks left from my farmer's market haul this week, I gave it a try. 

Beaten eggs added to vegetables, and sprinkled with a little salt and fresh ground black pepper.

After the frittata was flipped and done. Yum.

Recipe: Asparagus and Red Pepper Frittata
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 to 1/2 pound fresh asparagus, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1-2 green onions, sliced
4-5 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

In large non-stick pan, sauté asparagus, red pepper and green onion in olive oil for about 3 minutes. Add beaten egg. Turn heat to medium to slowly cook the eggs (I covered mine for about 2 minutes to speed up the process). Once the eggs are nearly set, it's time to flip the eggs. You can either flip the whole thing into another heated pan, or do like I do: Cut the fritatta in quarters and flip each quarter into the same pan to finish the cooking (maybe one minute more).

Nutritional analysis per one-quarter frittata: 122 calories, 9 grams protein, 9 grams fat, 2 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 264 milligrams cholesterol, 153 milligrams sodium.
.