I’ve come a long way with vegetables since I was a kid (I only liked corn and raw carrots).  I always attempted to eat green veggies but never, ever liked them.  I don’t really remember ever having asparagus at our dinner table but it has become one of my favorite vegetables ever.  Some people don’t like aspargus because it’s too mushy but guess what?  That means it’s not cooked right!  Veggies get a bad rap and I think it’s primarily because people aren’t sure how to cook them properly.  Asparagus should only be cooked until they are bright green, whether they are steamed, roasted, or grilled.  Remove them from the heat when they are bright green and they’ll be crisp and perfect everytime.

I usually steam my asparagus but that gets boring after a while.  This recipe for Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar has introduced me to grilling asparagus for a little something different.  Fresh asparagus is tossed with a little bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper and grilled until perfectly green.  Since we are in the middle of the winter, I used my trusty indoor grill so any grill pan will do.  After the aspargus is grilled, it is sprinkled with a little bit of balsamic vinegar for an added flavor punch.  This recipe isn’t groundbreaking but it’s simplicity is what appeals to me.  Finding any new way to cook a common vegetable is a great way to keep the boredom out of the kitchen.  I couldn’t keep my hands off this asparagus!  If anyone would have told me that as a kid, I never would have believed them.

The ingredients:

Snap off the ends of the asparagus spears (tip: snap off the end of one asparagus spear and cut the remaining spears in the same spot).  Place in a dish and toss with olive oil, salt, and black pepper.

Preheat your indoor grill (I set mine at 350ºF).  Place asparagus spears on the grill coated with cooking spray and grill for 2 minutes on each side until spears are bright green.

Place spears in a bowl and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine