Saturday, April 2, 2011

Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes

I found this recipe on a blog I frequent, and made it tonight to partner up with baked chicken breasts with green chile sauce and whole wheat rolls. It was a HUGE hit.

I even feel like it "undoes" the frozen yogurt with M&Ms and KitKats somebody made me eat when we climbed Yogurt Mountain this afternoon. Asparagus cancels all that out, right? Right??

Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes (recipe source: Taste & See)
I adapted this a bit from the original.

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed (just cut off the ends...if there are 2 rubber bands, I usually cut right above the bottom one)
2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
1/2 tsp. minced garlic (I just used 2 big cloves because garlic makes my spirit soar and my soul sing.)
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. crumbled goat cheese (or feta...didn't measure this, just crumbled until I was happy with it)

*Cook asparagus in boiling water 2 minutes (longer for more tender asparagus...I like mine on the crunchy side). Drain.
*Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook 3-5 minutes. Add vinegar; cook 3 minutes. Stir in salt. Remove from heat, and add asparagus. Stir until asparagus is coated.
*After serving on plates, add cheese and black pepper to taste.

This was so good, I even had seconds. Easy, healthy, delicious...plus, the colors are pretty. Who doesn't like eating pretty food??

FYI:
*Next time I make it, I'll cook the tomatoes a shorter amount of time or on a lower heat. I wanted them to be more intact, and I sorta cooked 'em to a near mush. Still good, but not the texture I was shooting for.


*I substituted feta cheese for the goat cheese. It's cheaper and you get more in a package than goat cheese. I buy the whole block of feta instead of the pre-crumbled. I got a solid 8 oz block of feta for $2.00, and the 3.5 oz container of pre-crumbled was $3.50. I'd rather get more for less money and crumble it myself!


*The recipe source link contains a wonderful picture if you want to see one. See this for why I didn't include my own picture.

If you make this, I'd love to hear about it. Go forth and eat frozen yogurt with candy piled on top, and then make this. Remember, they cancel each other out. It's all good!

6 comments:

  1. Julie, my degree was in nutrition so speaking as a semi-professional asparagus and yogurt with M&M's do, in fact, cancel each other out ;)

    - A. Hanninen (so you know who I am!)

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  2. Ah, Julie, you're my kinda gal! I frequently find myself coming up with all sorts of these off-the-wall dieting rules--love them! With that said, this healthy recipe does sound delicious! I loooove feta cheese, so I'm thinking this is a recipe I'll have to try very soon. Now I just need to decide if this is a recipe I'll make for the ladies in my life, or if I could get my meat-and-potatoes boyfriend to go for the feta... hmm, I'l let you know!

    I was so happy to hear that you understand my Lowe's/Home Depot obsession! When you're trapped in apartments like us, it takes these types of measures to keep us sane! haha. Someday, when we have our big, beautiful homes, we'll have to swap pics of our beautifully manicured lawns =)

    Talk to you soon, girly!

    Darcy
    The Chic College Cowgirl

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  3. Manda, thanks for sharing your professional opinion. Your parents will be happy to know that your degree sure is coming in handy :)

    Darcy, you could always let The Cowboy opt out of the cheese if he's not a fan. Or tell him to take a walk on the wild side and just go for it :) Can't wait to share pics of our gardens...look for 'em in about 27 years ;)

    Annesta, I'm glad to find someone who understands my logic. Sometimes I think I'm the only one... :)

    Thanks for reading and commenting, friends!

    *Julie

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  4. YUM! i love me some asparagus!

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  5. Lauren, give this a shot sometime! It's a nice change from plain ol' roasted or steamed asparagus.

    Thanks for the comment, and I hope your week is off to a great start!

    *Julie

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