Spring Forward with Roasted Lemony Asparagus

Are you ready to spring forward this weekend?  I’m not happy about losing an hour or walking the dog in the dark for the next month but I am excited about warmer weather.  It's not very spring like in Denver yet, so to help make it feel more like spring, you can start cooking with some springtime veggies.

My favorite spring veggie is Asparagus and I love it roasted.  When you roast veggies the flavor is more concentrated than it would be if you sautéed or steamed them.  Plus, when you roast veggies, it’s minimal cooking.  All you have to do is some basic prep and let the oven do the rest.   I included the basic recipe below, plus my add-ons for a Greek flare.

Roasted Lemony Asparagus

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 Minutes

Yield: 2 large servings or 4 modest side servings

Ingredients
Basic roasted asparagus

• 1 large bunch of fresh asparagus
• 1 – 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

 
Seasoning

• Zest and juice of a ½ medium lemon
• ¼ cup of sliced Kalamata olives –can add more if you really love Kalamata olives

 
Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus.  Discard the ends.
• For easy cleanup, line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Please the asparagus on the sheet and drizzle with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the asparagus.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss until the spears are lightly coated in oil.  Then arrange the spears in a single layer on the pan.
• Bake until the spears are tender and roasted to your desired level of doneness.  Thinner spears can take as little as 10 to 12 minutes, whereas thicker spears will need 15 to 20 minutes. 
• Transfer the roasted asparagus to a serving platter and season however you like.  I like to add a squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice, grated lemon zest, and Kalamata olives. 
  

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Happy Cooking!!!