Spring Asparagus & Fennel Sauté + 31 More Asparagus Recipes

Nothing says SPRING like ASPARAGUS!  These beautiful green spears are abundant at all the farmers markets around here ... my family can't get enough.  In my home, we devour asparagus about once a week.  Get them while you can ... sadly this delicious vegetable is only around for a short time {this is a true ONE SEASON only vegetable}.   

Asparagus Tips + More:

• Aspargus is known to be excellent for supporting the kidneys + helps support digestion.
• It's a great source of folate + vitamins A, B6, C, E and K.
• It has antioxidants + some say is cancer fighting. 
• Asparagus breaks down starches + sugars quick - so make sure to eat it within 3 days of purchasing. Since it does not have a long shelf life, it is important to store bottoms sitting in water {like in a mason jar} or wrapped with a damp, clean kitchen towel to help keep it fresh. 

On to the recipe{s} ...

SPRING ASPARAGUS & FENNEL SAUTE

This side dish screams SPRING ... fresh + delicious, it won't disappoint.  

Equipment: Cutting Board, Knife, Microplane Zester or Standing Grater with Zester, Large Saucepan

{Affiliate links included help support this blog.} 

• 1 bunch asparagus, remove woody ends + cut into 2" pieces
• 1 fennel bulb + stalks and fronds, sliced 
• 1 medium-size Spring onion or red onion, sliced 
• 2-3 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
• 1-2 tablespoons pasture butter, ghee or coconut oil {See Resources}
• 1/4+ teaspoon Celtic sea salt {See Resources} 
• 1 lemon, zest and juice 

1. Wash and prep produce. Remove woody ends of asparagus - cut into 2" pieces. Remove tough core from bottom of fennel bulb - slice bulb, stalks and fronds.  Remove outer skin from onion - slice.  Remove outer skin from garlic cloves - grate or finely mince.  Zest lemon and cut in half - set aside. 

2. In a large saucepan, melt butter or fat of choice over medium-high heat.  Add sliced onion and garlic - cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. 

3. Add asparagus, fennel and sea salt - cook for about 3-5 minutes stirring occasionally {you don't want to overcook the asparagus, this dish is meant to taste fresh and vibrant}. 

4. At the end of the cooking time, add the lemon zest and lemon juice.  Stir and remove from heat.  Taste for desired saltiness, add more sea salt if needed.  

5. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for later.    

Yield: About 4 servings.

Serving Suggestions: Delicious as is or serve mixed into your favorite pasta dish or on the side of meat/fish.  It pairs well with mashed potatoes and Celery Root Mash.  

Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.


31 MORE ASPARAGUS RECIPES TO ENJOY:  

ASPARAGUS SALADS:

Mushroom, Asparagus & Egg Salad by Happy Mothering 

Asparagus Apple Salad w/ Fennel & Dill by Kitchen Stewardship 

Raw Asparagus and Mushroom Salad by Gourmande in the Kitchen 

Spring Salad w/ Shaved Asparagus & Lemon-Parsley Dressing by The Roasted Root

ASPARAGUS SOUPS:

Cream of Asparagus Soup by Fresh Bites Daily

Blended Asparagus Soup {Kid-Friendly} by Kitchen Stewardship

Creamy Leek Soup w/ Ham, Mushrooms & Asparagus by Divine Health From the Inside Out

Cream of Asparagus, Celery & Zucchini Soup by Delicious Obsessions

Asparagus Soup by Nourished Kitchen 

ASPARAGUS SIDES:

Very Simple Asparagus and Peppers by Scratch Mommy 

Roasted Asparagus by Simple Foody

Corn Off the Cobb w/ Red Pepper and Asparagus by The Organic Kitchen 

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus by Happy Mothering

Asparagus and Greens by Healthy Homemakers 

Roasted Asparagus w/ Lemon by Natural Living Mamma

Lemon & Garlic Asparagus by One Beet

Simple Roasted Asparagus by Fresh Bites Daily 

Spring in a Bowl: A Veggie Stir Fry Using the Freshest Tastes of Spring by Raising Generation Nourished

Quick Pickled Asparagus by Gourmande in the Kitchen 

Simple Garlic Asparagus Spears by Delicious Obsessions

Roasted Asparagus w/ Creamy Mustard Sauce by Fresh Bites Daily 

Cucumber Noodles w/ Asparagus + Ginger Scallion Sesame Sauce by Gourmande in the Kitchen

ASPARAGUS MAIN DISHES:

Mushroom Pesto & Asparagus Flank Steak Roll by Cavegirl Cuisine 

Crab & Asparagus Mini Quiches by Divine Health From the Inside Out

Lemony Asparagus Risotto by Oh My Veggies

Easy Gluten Free Quiche w/ Asparagus, Pancetta and Goat Cheese by Real Food Whole Heath

Spinach and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken w/ Roasted Asparagus by The Organic Kitchen

COOKING ASPARAGUS + MORE:

Preserving Asparagus 3 Ways - Freezing, Drying & Lacto-Fermenting by Common Sense Homesteading 

8 Tips for Buying & Handling Fresh Asparagus by Fresh Bites Daily 

Roasted Asparagus & Tips for Growing It by Learning and Yearning 

How to Steam Asparagus from Real Food RN 

Amazon links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.

This post is shared at Fight Back Friday @ Food Renegade, Whole Food Fridays @ Allergy Free Alaska, Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Allergy Free Wednesday @ The Tasty Alternative + Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop. 

Guest Post: Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale + Sage Skillet Quinoa by With Food + Love

Next up for The Seasonal REAL Food Blog Series ... Sherrie from With Food + Love!  I'm a huge fan of Sherrie's blog, she puts so much love into what she does, her recipes are delicious and she takes the most stunning photos.  Plus, she's such a sweetheart, so positive, believes in holistic health and wellness and she's also a Board Certified Holistic Health Coach.  

Please make sure to visit With Food + Love and check out Sherrie's awesome blog.  And while you're there, check out some of my favorite recipes: Golden Beet Soup w/ Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream and Skillet Roasted Cauliflower + Fennel w/ Caramelized Shallots. 

************

Hello everyone - I'm Sherrie the girl behind With Food + Love and I am so stoked to be guest posting today on Recipes to Nourish. Emily - your beautiful blog, soul-warming recipes and bright spirit always keeps me coming back for more. I am so honored to be here; thanks so much for inviting me into your cherished space.  

Fall is here my friends. Yay - everyone's favorite time of year! The crisp air, robust flavors, snuggling up with a cup of tea, wearing boots, scarves and warm layers - I mean what's not to love?

Nothing spells out autumn quite like a roasted sweet potato combined with dark leafy greens and a hearty whole grain {well in this case, quinoa is technically a seed}. These three ingredients were created for each other. Add in a hint of sage and you have the perfect bowl of belly-warming goodness. This dish is quick + simple and it will leave your family feeling full + satisfied. Enjoy! 

ROASTED SWEET POTATO, KALE + SAGE SKILLET QUINOA 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cooked quinoa
• 1 extra large shallot, chopped {about 1/2 cup}
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 4 cups Tuscan kale, ribs removed + shredded 
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• sea salt + coarse ground pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Scrub and dry your sweet potatoes and pierce a few times each with a knife. Do NOT cover in foil. Place a cookie sheet {to catch the drips} on the bottom shelf in the oven and toss the potatoes onto the shelf above it. Roast as is for about 45 minutes, or until soft and tender. Cool almost completely, peel the skins off and chop into small bites. 

2. In a medium-large frying pan or cast iron skillet heat the coconut oil over low heat. Saute the shallots for about 5 minutes or until they start to turn translucent. Then add in the sage, paprika, sea salt and pepper, cook for a few minutes more. Next add in the shredded kale and the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil, combine well. Cook the kale until it wilts slightly and turns bright green, about 3-5 minutes. 

3. Toss the chopped sweet potatoes and quinoa in the skillet and mix together. Heat through and serve warm. 

{serves 4}

Sherrie Scaglione Castellano is a Board Certified Holistic Health Coach {AADP} specializing in plant-based, clean eating. Sherrie is the founder and author of, With Food Love. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram pages. You can find Sherrie in Philadelphia, PA where together her and husband are enjoying life's simplest pleasures like, snuggling up with a big cup of earl grey tea or catching a flick at their local independent theater. 

Mexican Corn w/ Cilantro + Lime

Summertime sweet corn!  Combine some common Mexican flavors with sweet summer corn and you have a delicious, tangy, savory, warm {or cold} salad.

Organic Corn + Pasture Butter + Lime + Cilantro + Chili

Equipment: Cutting Board, Knife, Standing Grater or Microplane Rasp Zester, Medium-Size Sauce Pan, Medium-Size Mixing Bowl

Mexican Corn w/ Cilantro + Lime

• 3 ears non-GMO organic corn
• 2 tablespoons pasture butter (See Resources)
• Handful cilantro, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder blend (I use Simply Organic)
• 1/2 teaspoon tabasco or hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)
• Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons raw parmesan cheese, finely grated, divided 

1.  Prep corn - remove outer husks down the ear of the corn to the base.  Using clean hands, strip away the silk from the corn by hand.  Stand the corn up on a cutting board using one hand to hold the top of the corn and the other to hold the knife - carefully cut the kernels off of the cobb, set aside.  Prep cilantro - wash and chop, set aside.  Prep lime - wash and cut in half, set aside.  

2.  In sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add corn kernels and stir to coat with butter.  Cook for about 2 minutes or until they are slightly cooked but still have some bite/crunch (you don't want to overcook the corn).

3.  Remove from heat and add corn to mixing bowl.  

4.  Add chopped cilantro, chili powder, hot sauce, sea salt, lime juice and 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese to the corn, mix until everything is coated and evenly distributed.

5.  Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.  Garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese.

Yield: 3 servings       

This post is part of Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simple Sugar & Gluten Free.

Sweet Potato and Apple Puree w/ Streusel Topping

Sweet Potato and Apple Puree with Streusel Topping

I have been making this dish for many, many years (with some variations from time to time).  I meant to get it posted before November, but with baby on the way then (and now here), it just didn’t happen.  Better late than never. 

Serve this as a side dish at Thanksgiving or during the Fall and Winter months.  It’s so delicious, one of my absolute favorite side dishes. 

Enjoy!

{Affiliate links included help support this blog}

Equipment: Food Processor, Baking Pan, Casserole Dish

·      5 organic sweet potatoes (such as Garnet)

·      2 organic sweet apples (such as Fuji)

·      6 tablespoons pasture butter + ½ cup, divided (See Resources)

·      ½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)

·      ¾ cup gluten free rolled oats, ground into flour

·      ¾ cup coconut palm sugar

·      ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Sweet Potato and Apple Puree

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.   Wash sweet potatoes and apples.  Poke a few holes with a knife in the sweet potatoes.  Cut apples in half, peel and remove core.  Place sweet potatoes and apples on a baking pan.  Bake for about 60 minutes or until soft.  Remove from oven, carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half (they are HOT!), allow to cool about 10 minutes. 

3.   To food processor – Add sweet potato flesh (remove skin) and apples.  Add 6 tablespoons butter.  Add sea salt.  Puree until smooth and combined. 

Please excuse the color, I was cooking in the dark with awful lighting.

4.   Add sweet potato apple puree to casserole dish. 

Streusel Topping

1.    To food processor – Add oats.  Pulse until finely ground into flour. 

2.   Add ½ cup pasture butter, coconut palm sugar and cinnamon.  Pulse until combined into a crumb mixture. 

3.   Add crumb topping to sweet potato apple puree. 

Bake

1.    At this point you can refrigerate over night if you want to bake it off the next day or you can bake immediately in a preheated 400 degree F oven. 

2.   Bake for about 20 minutes.  Serve immediately. 

Yield:Makes about 5-7 servings.  

Amazon links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.

Roasted Winter Root Veggies & Apples w/ Rosemary & Thyme

This is one of my favorite veggie combos to roast when the weather turns colder.   It’s super easy to make a big batch ahead of time and reheat as needed. 

Enjoy!

Equipment: Cutting Board, Sharp Knife, Peeler, Large Mixing Bowl, 2 Large Casserole Dishes or 2 Large Baking Sheet Pans

Note: Please use organic vegetables and apples when you can.  I would highly recommend at least using organic apples and potatoes if you cannot find all organic produce.  These are on the “dirty dozen” list of having the highest amounts of toxic pesticide residue. 

·      3 parsnips, peeled

·      3 carrots, peeled

·      3 red potatoes

·      1 large sweet potato, peeled

·      1 large golden beet, peeled

·      3 sweet apples, peeled (I use Fuji apples)

·      1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed from stem

·      5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from stem

·      4-5 fresh individual garlic cloves, peeled

·      3 tablespoons pasture butter, ghee or fat of choice (See Resources)

·      1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)

1.    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2.   Wash all produce.  Prep produce, peel all of the produce that needs to be peeled (see above).  Cut parsnips, carrots, potatoes, sweet potato, beet and apples into 1 to 1 ¼ inch cubes … this can be a rustic chop, don’t worry about everything looking the same.  Don’t cut pieces too small as they will shrink some while roasting.  Add chopped produce into large mixing bowl.  

3.   Remove fresh herbs from stems and chop finely.  Again, a rustic chop is fine.  Add to chopped produce/mixing bowl. 

4.   Remove skin from garlic cloves.  Add to chopped produce/mixing bowl.

5.    Add salt and melted fat of choice to the chopped produce/mixing bowl.  Combine with clean hands or large spoon, toss well to coat.

6.   Add all chopped produce in a single layer to 2 large casserole dishes or 2 large baking sheet pans. 

7.   Bake for 25 minutes, stir with a metal or wooden spoon/spatula.  Bake for another 25-35 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and have some golden brown edges.

8.   Season to taste and serve hot. 

Yield: Makes about 10-12 servings.    

This recipe is part of Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar and Gluten Free.