Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Roasted or Grilled Asparagus with Lemon... #bloggerclue

Roasted or Grilled Asparagus with Lemon

February... a month filled with heart.  Be it shooting arrows at your Valentine, bringing healthy dishes to the table for American Heart Month, or mingling with the Blogger Clue Society group of bloggers, it's all about heart.  And... I have the perfect submission for this month's Blogger Clue Society Submission from Wendy, at A Day in the Life on the Farm (side note, I'm totally envious as she is scuba diving in St. Eustatious as I type!).

Roasted or Grilled Asparagus with Lemon
First off, I need to tout the fabulousness of this group that I am so blessed to be a part of.  Wonderful bloggers from all over the world post once a month on the same day with a themed post.  But last month I missed mine.  My husband spent most of the holidays in the hospital with an unexpected medical emergency and when I mentioned this to the group someone immediately said they would take over my post.  That person was herself extraordinarily busy, and another blogger volunteered to take the post from her, and so on.

I'm somewhat embarrassed to say that with my nearly six week blogging hiatus I'm not exactly sure who actually ended up writing for me (I think it was my dear Christiane of Taking on Magazines... I love her!), but the caring and support shown from these dear friends melted my heart.

Which brings us to February's assignment... all about the heart - something red, be it for Valentines or the American Heart Month.  And while my post is actually green, I chose the very first recipe I saw on my blog assignment.  You see, Wendy, of A Day in the Life on the Farm, made Roasted Asparagus Spears of Love and these perfectly roasted spears couldn't be more perfect for our red, all about heart celebration.


Health benefits of asparagus
First off, did you know asparagus tops most "Top 5 (or 10) Aphrodisiac Food" lists?  In the 17th century Nicholas Culepepper wrote that "Asparagus stirs up lust in man and woman", and in 19th century France, bridegrooms were known to be served three servings of the "sexy spears" at their prenuptial dinner.

Did it work??  I don't know, but with potassium, fiber, vitamin B6 as well as A and C in addition to thiamin and folic acid, asparagus is said to raise histamine levels which is a helpful ingredient in both sexes to reach optimum pleasure.  And with its low calorie count in combination to the above health benefits, asparagus is an ideal dish for a healthy heart as well as the happy  heart.

My grandmother grew asparagus on their farm in Minnesota, and I always remember her telling us "eat up... it's good for the heart".  Now, grandma was very proper, and I always assumed that she meat the heart muscle... but now that I've done a bit of research, who knows?

In any case, Wendy, brought us the perfect dish and while it's simple, it's sure to become a staple in our life.  Roasted in the winter, grilled in the summer, asparagus is good for you any time of year.

Join me as we travel around the world for the rest of today's Blogger Clue Society submissions!


Roasted or Grilled Asparagus with lemon


Roasted Asparagus
Roasted or grilled, asparagus is blasted with high heat and brought to tender perfection... perfect for a dinner with your sweetie, or simply a healthy side for the family.
Recipe courtesy Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm

4-5 asparagus spears per person
olive oil
salt
pepper
lemon zest
lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 425º.

Snap tough ends off of asparagus by holding on to each end then bending the spear so that it snaps naturally.  Discard the tough stems.  Place the remaining spears on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Drizzle with olive oil, then toss with your hands.   Spread the spears evenly on the sheet and season with salt and pepper.

Roast for about 10 minutes or just until tender.  Remove from oven and place on a serving platter.  Sprinkle with lemon zest and serve with lemon wedges.

Liv Life Note:  I love my asparagus fresh from the oven... but it's also wonderful served cold or at room temp. 

Fresh Asparagus

17 comments:

  1. Roasted asparagus is one of my favorite recipes... love your photos! Hope you liked my choice from your blog.. we loved the chocolate pomegranate bark... can't wait to make again and again!

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  2. Hi Kim, I am so glad you liked the roasted asparagus. It is my favorite way to cook it during the winter months when I can't grill. And yes.....you should be jealous because it is just lovely here in St. Eustatius. I can't wait to post today.

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  3. Ooo, this is my favorite way to cook so many veggies, and asparagus tops that list. Now I need to go buy some asparagus!

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  4. This IS a great group! I'm so glad you're part of it, Kim. And glad your hubby is doing better. This asparagus looks terrific---I'm going to make sure I grab a lemon with my next asparaus purchase!

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  5. I could eat roasted asparagus until I'm blue in the face - pass me the tray!

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  6. I'm with Liz! She said exactly what I was going to say :-)

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  7. These are gorgeous little green emeralds of goodness - how great they would taste right now. You did a great job!

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  8. I love that asparagus season is upon us! Nothing better than roasted asparagus with a touch of lemon - classic, elegant and delicious! Hope your hubby is all better now! :-)

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  9. I know all about husbands and medical emergencies; it's so scary and stressful. I hope yours is recovered and back to 100% now, Kim. And yes, it's been so nice to see the gals in the group be so quick to volunteer when there's a need from the other members.

    Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables and roasting them is the way to go. Heart healthy indeed and super tasty, too!

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  10. I love love love roasted asparagus and can't wait to add it back in the rotation (when it's not $80 a pound) ;) So glad to hear things are getting back to normal with you (and I loved hearing how Christianne came t the rescue- she's lovely) :)

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  11. I had no idea that asparagus was an aphrodisiac, but I'm not surprised. It's such an elegant, rich, lovely vegetable. What I need to do is force Doug and Sophie to come look at your photos of it because they're not fans and your love for the veggie is so evident in your pictures. The dish sounds delightful, Kim. I love the simplicity of the ingredients that are used, allowing the flavor of the asparagus itself to shine.

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  12. How funny! I just had roasted Asparagus for dinner last night!! So good :-)

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  13. Lovely recipe and photos!!! I hope all is well now, Kim.

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  14. I love it! I've always wanted to grow asparagus too :) This is such a neat interpretation and what a lovely memory that it brought back too!

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  15. What lovely blogging friends you have to show you such support when you needed it. XO

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  16. Love all the fun facts you included! Asparagus is one of our favorites, great choice!

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