As far as vegetables go, there is nothing that says spring more than Roasted Asparagus with Lemon, especially if it is fresh from the garden.
Dragon Fingers
My mom has the most amazing garden. Every spring, I get a box sent to my house with fresh picked asparagus. Carefully, she wraps the sweet, snappy spears in newspaper. They arrive just in time for our Easter Celebration. We have affectionately called these long, green stalks, Dragon Fingers, and the children gobble them up. There is nothing quite like fresh picked asparagus from your own garden…or your moms.
P.S. Thanks Mom
Nutrient Dense Veggie
Asparagus is a versatile vegetable loaded with fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, and K, as well as Potassium. With very few calories, it is a great nutrient dense choice for helping lose weight, lower blood pressure, as well as provide healthy nutrients for pregnant women.
Oh, the Many Ways to Use Asparagus…
Growing up, I used to dip my asparagus in mayonnaise. When I moved to the East Coast, my friends all looked at me like I had two heads. So, I learned to branch out a bit, and discover how the other half lived.
Asparagus taste amazing drizzled with garlic butter, served with a hollandaise sauce, or wrapped in bacon and grilled. Alternatively, it can be diced in a spring quiche or frittata, sautéed in a veggie stir fry or eaten straight out of the garden. Preferably, I like to serve them roasted with olive oil, salt & pepper, a little garlic powder, and finished off with fresh grated lemon zest. You could also mince up some Preserved Lemon and toss it in after roasting.
Those Little Extra Steps
Fortunately, I never have to peel my mom’s fresh asparagus because it is so tender. Sometimes though, supermarket asparagus is a little fibrous, and shaving off the outer layers of the lower stalk makes it easier to chew. Often, I purchase a bag of Hippie Organics asparagus from Costco. Delicious if I don’t have my mom’s asparagus, but it can be a little tougher at the bottoms. I learned this trick from my friend Kelli. Interestingly, I used to laugh at her when she brought the asparagus to Easter dinner. It seemed like a whole lot of work to peel asparagus. But, she is always right in taking those extra steps.
The Recipe for Roasted Asparagus with Lemon
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon
As far as vegetables go, there is nothing that says spring more than Roasted Asparagus with Lemon, especially if it is fresh from the garden. Asparagus, drizzled in olive oil and flavored with salt, pepper, and garlic powder tastes delicious roasted in the oven and finished off with a dusting of fresh grated lemon zest.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of fresh asparagus, cleaned and bottoms peeled (if desired)
- drizzle of olive oil
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder sprinkled
- zest of one organic lemon or 1/4 rind minced of Preserved Lemon
Instructions
- Clean and peel the bottoms off of the asparagus.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Lay out the asparagus on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic salt.
- Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes until desired doneness. I prefer on the snappy side.
- When it is finished roasting, sprinkle with the zest of an orgainc lemon or minced Preserved Lemon and toss. EnJOY!
Tastes Great with…
In everything you do -eat, play, and, love- may it always be Seasoned with Joy!
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