Oven-Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

Let’s talk veggies.  Like those really good, really quick, I want another helping kind of veggies. You got it —> say hello to some Oven-Roasted Parmesan Asparagus!

If you follow me on any of my social media channels, you would know I love veggies. Nearly every meal I post contains a hefty serving, whether it is leafy greens, cauliflower, or broccoli.  But, would you believe me if I told you I went a long period of time hating vegetables.  I was convinced that I didn’t like vegetables from the time I was born right up until early twenties. After all, I came from a household that disliked vegetables, so why wouldn’t I feel the same. During this time, if you asked about my favorite vegetables, I’d probably tell you about mashed potatoes, corn, and pickles.   On a good day, I may even throw in some romaine lettuce.

Yep.  That was my extensive list of likes.  Pretty impressive, huh?

It wasn’t until my early twenties, when I went back to school for nutrition, that I really started to test the vegetable waters.  I slowly started to incorporate a few new things little by little. Not only was I trying new things, I was also experimenting with different cooking methods.  Most of us don’t realize that cooking methods can really make all the difference!  For example, unless it’s covered in dip, I don’t eat raw broccoli; but, if you give it to me steamed, grilled, or roasted I can eat it by the bowl-full.

One of the foods that took awhile to catch on was asparagus.  When I tried it in the past, I often experienced over-cooked, mushy asparagus.  Not only does it kill the flavor, but it kills the texture. For some reason, roasting vegetables brings out the natural sweetness, making them super delicious! That’s why this Oven-Roasted Parmesan Asparagus is so dang good. So if you’ve had crap asparagus in the past, please give it another try!  I guess you probably wouldn’t be visiting this post if you weren’t interested in cooking up some asparagus.  Either way, spread the word and roast your asparagus.

I like to keep this recipe easy.  If it’s easy, I’ll do it. The preparation and the clean up is super easy on this one.  Once you have the ends of your asparagus trimmed, evenly place them across a baking sheet. Instead of tossing with olive oil, I prefer to drizzle oil over the prepared asparagus.  Then, I just take a basting brush to evenly coat the asparagus with oil.  Saves you from washing another big bowl.  After they are well coated, sprinkle with your minced garlic, salt and pepper.  Top with a few lemon slices if desired and toss in the oven.  Just before they are halfway done cooking, remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese.  Pop back in the oven until they are cooked to your liking.  Try 7 more minutes for a crisper asparagus or 12 minutes for more tender asparagus.

So go your veggies on!  I hope this will make it easier for you to get plenty of vegetable servings. Not just for you, but for your family! If you serve up this Oven-Roasted Parmesan Asparagus, don’t forget to tag a snapshot with #stephanieleenutrition on Instagram. I’d love to share what you all cook up!  Happy eating xo!

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