Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Vinaigrette
A tangy lemon vinaigrette takes simple roasted asparagus to a new level.
A sure sign that spring has sprung is seeing asparagus front and center in the produce section of grocery stores and local farmer’s markets. If you love asparagus, this is the best time of year to enjoy it.
Beyond its great taste, asparagus has much to offer from a nutritional standpoint. A five-spear serving provides almost half the recommended daily amount of vitamin K, which plays a crucial role in blood clotting. This vitamin is so important that newborns receive a vitamin K injection immediately after birth to prevent bleeding.
Asparagus is an excellent source of the B vitamin folate. A healthy folate intake lowers a woman’s risk of having a baby with neural tube defects, including spina bifida. It’s also important for reducing the risk of miscarriage or having a premature or low-birth-weight baby.
When selecting asparagus, look for firm, bright green stalks that stand straight. Avoid limp or wilted stalks. Ripe, fresh stalks will squeak when the bundled bunch is gently squeezed together. Look for tips that are deep green or violet in color. They should be dry, closed, and compact. Partially opened or wilted tips are a sign of age.
For even cooking, purchase stalks with similar thickness (diameter). Thinner stalks tend to have a more tender texture and sweeter flavor. They’re more fragile and take less time to cook. Thicker, mature stalks can have a more intense asparagus flavor and meatier, sometimes more fibrous, texture.
Remove the rubber bands that bind asparagus bunches together as they can easily bruise the delicate stalks. Store loose asparagus stalks in a produce bag in the refrigerator. For best quality, use within a few days of purchase. When prepping asparagus for any cooking method, trim off the fibrous, white-ish ends. A good rule of thumb is trimming about one inch off the bottom of the stalks.
I roasted the asparagus for today’s recipe. Roasting vegetables tends to minimize any bitterness, making them slightly sweet. When roasting asparagus, you will lose the crispness that quick-cooking methods like stir-frying and steaming offer.
To your health,
Darlene
ROASTED ASPARAGUS with LEMON VINAIGRETTE
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: about 7 asparagus stalks
Prep: 5 minutes
Ready: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh asparagus
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Trim asparagus, removing woody ends, rinse and pat dry.
Place asparagus on a large sheet pan, drizzle with a 1/2 tablespoon oil, sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning, and toss to coat. Arrange asparagus in a single layer. Bake in preheated oven until just tender, 10 to 15 minutes depending on thickness of the stalks.
In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon oil, lemon juice, chives, sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper.
To serve, place roasted asparagus on a serving platter and drizzle with lemon vinaigrette.
Nutrition Information per Serving
47 Calories, 4 g Total fat, 1 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 102 mg Sodium, 3 g Total carbohydrate, 2 g Dietary fiber, 2 g Total sugars, 0 g Added sugars, 2 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 19 mg (2%) Calcium, 2 mg (10%) Iron, 156 mg (4%) Potassium
© 2022 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC
