Spring Asparagus

With our recent Easter meal, I found my menu to be somewhat Spring-inspired.  Lighter dishes packed with bold flavors was what I was going for.  The colors of green and yellow always speak "Spring" to me and both were carried through, in some way, in each dish we had.

Asparagus is definitely on our list of favorites for vegetables and during the colder months, we roasted them quite a bit.  Now that it's warm hot out, grilling is definitely one way to go, but we also enjoy them sauteed in a little olive oil and garlic.  FYI- green beans are also great this way and if you're a fan of mushrooms, they're the perfect complement to the dish!

With the asparagus, I wanted to lighten it up a bit and bring all the flavors of the menu together.  I always have fresh lemons and limes in the house - they have so many uses and I love the flavors!  We use them in a variety of ways including spritzing our water, garnishing cocktails, adding fresh flavors to dishes and sprucing up baked goods.  So, I decided to zest a little fresh lemon peel on top!  The citrus flavor really brightened up the dish and paired well with the garlic to really balance out the meal!

Spring Asparagus

Ingredients
1 bunch Asparagus
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper
1 med. Lemon, zested

Directions
In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in asparagus and saute until they begin to soften (about 10 minutes). Stir in the garlic and finish sauteing (about 3 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle lemon zest on top.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: With a Cherry on Top