Simple Asparagus Recipe
As you know, one way to significantly reduce your grocery bill each month is to create your menu plans around produce that is currently in season for your area. This is a bit trickier when you can buy cantaloupe in December, squash in July, and strawberries in February. Crazy.
Keep in mind that “in season” and “available” are two totally different ideas. Most produce sold in the U.S. has traveled an average of 1,500 miles before hitting grocery stores. In order to accomplish this, growers pick the fruit before it’s technically ripe, making it easier to ship. Of course, some produce (like celery or bananas or potatoes) manages to combine quality and availability year-round.
However, in general it makes the most sense to buy your fruits & vegetables when they are in season. When produce is truly in season, it will be higher in nutritional value, often local, noticeably fresh, easily found, and competitively priced.
If you’re not familiar with the seasonal produce in your area, check out some of these sites:
- About.com : Local Food — produce organized alphabetically for the Pacific NW
- Local Harvest — listings of local farms & markets by state
- How to Make the Most of Your Farmer’s Market
As spring approaches, the produce section starts to get interesting again! Right now that means buying bunches of those beautiful asparagus spears when you find them on sale. They’ll be at their peak through May. Wait for a good price (around $1-$1.75/lb), add it to your grocery cart, and plan to include this great side dish to your spring recipe rotation. It’s ridiculously fast and easy to prepare and delicious to eat.
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic-Butter Sauce
Ingredients
olive oil
2 T. butter
2 t. soy sauce (can also find in a gluten-free option)
1 t. balsamic vinegar
- Preheat the oven to 400-degrees.
- Arrange the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Coat lightly with olive oil and season with salt & pepper (I just toss it together with my hands– a bit messy but much easier).
- Bake the asparagus for 10-12 minutes or until tender.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove from heat and stir in the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Pour over the baked asparagus to serve.
* Hold each asparagus spear between your fingers and snap off 1-2″ from the base. The spear will naturally break at the point where it becomes tough. Discard tough ends.
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These Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s sheet pans
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This looks so yummy! I’ve been enjoying asparagus lately even tho it is not in season yet here in Maine. Of course, nothing is in season here yet except for ice and snow. 🙂
Spring asparagus is the best!
Nothing signals in Spring more that fresh asparagus!
one of my favorite things. Two Yums ( thumbs) up! Hugs
This looks (and sounds) fabulous! I love that asparagus is starting to go on sale now!
Found you at One Project at a Tme. 🙂
Glad you found us! Welcome. This is one of my favorite recipes and my kids even enjoy it!
A little confused. You call it BROILED asparagus, yet you say to bake it at 400 degrees. Which is it? (I’m assuming baked because you specify a temperature)
Baked — that’s really funny. I’ve made this at least 30 times and I never caught that. Leave it to you..;)
Thanks, and I promise not to refer to this recipe as another one of your half-baked ideas :).
For the past couple of years I’ve been trying to live “local”, which means buying, canning and freezing local produce to keep me through the winter, as much as possible. It’s so exciting that fresh produce is starting to come back in! Yea! I bought a chest freezer last year to accommodate my approach…and I didn’t do as well as I’d hoped emptying it out and buying only fresh in season (green smoothies were the culprit). But I did much better than prior years. Looking so forward to spring!!
I can asparagus this time of year, so we can have it for crab and asparagus dips for the holidays, yum
Okay, since crab and asparagus are two of my favorite things ever, would you please share your recipe????
Butter and Balsamic Vinegar. Two favorite things. I must try this, thanks for sharing.
Oh my this recipe sounds delicious. I just started baking asparagus this year from a recipe from The Pioneer Woman. Before I had only grilled it which is great but when I wasn’t grilling I didn’t know what to do with it. I am def. going to try this one out. Thanks!
I live for this time of year, when asparagus is fresh, cheap, and OH SO TENDER!
It’s so easy to prepare, super yummy & healthy! One tip, to keep the asparagus fresh until you are ready to eat it: Trim the ends just a bit and put it upright (like you would flowers) in the fridge. They will stay that much fresher until you cook them!