After I purchased some asparagus, it occurred to me I had never had it in its natural state before.  While I love asparagus, I had always bought the canned variety.  When looking for some fast, easy cooking methods, I decided it is not difficult to have a meal with all of the basic food groups.  Asparagus makes a nice focus.

Start by coating each stalk of asparagus with oil--  olive oil is preferred.  Add seasonings if you wish.  A small amount of garlic powder is good.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for twenty minutes.  If you like it tender rather than crispy, you may want to check it after fifteen minutes.  Next, carefully mix two or three eggs until they are well-blended.  Fry until done on both sides.  Remove from pan, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top, and roll the cooked asparagus into the egg.  If you serve with a glass of milk and biscuits, you will have your protein, dairy, veggie, and grain.  For a quick lunch or dinner, you can have everything ready in less than half an hour.  

Additional hint:  as the asparagus is wrapped in egg and cheese, you might want to try serving it to your kids who claim to hate vegetables.  They might not notice there is something good for them inside.  

Not only am I getting the hang of shopping-cooking-eating without a microwave, I've found fresh food is better than canned, too.  My bills for cooking gas may be going through the moon, but the healthy benefits of fresh food is worth it.