It’s officially Spring, which means asparagus is in season! If you’re like us and you enjoy shopping at the local Farmer’s Market, now (March through May) is the season for asparagus!

Although you probably think of asparagus as a green vegetable, it is also found in white and purple varieties. It’s one of the most nutritious vegetables out there – it’s high in folic acid and is a great source of potassium (hello lower blood pressure and calmer inner body), fiber (goodbye Metamucil), vitamins A, B6 (bring on more energy!), and C. And asparagus is packed with antioxidants, which have been found to help with cognitive decline. How great is that!?

BONUS: Asparagus also is a natural diuretic and helps to flush excess salt and bloat from the body, thanks to its high content of an amino acid called asparagine.

Asparagus tastes great raw or cooked up in a skillet or in the oven and we can’t wait for you to try this delicious asparagus recipe! Hello healthy body!

Baked Asparagus

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
• Olive oil cooking spray
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp olivio light
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the asparagus on a non-stick baking sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray.
• Lightly season with pepper and salt.
• Put asparagus in oven and cook until tender, approximately 12 minutes.
• Heat the olivio light in a small saucepan over low heat. As olivio becomes a liquid, remove it from the heat and add soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Stir well. Pour olivio light mixture over the baked asparagus and enjoy!

* We found a substitute for soy sauce called coconut amines. We learned about it here and it definitely seems interesting to try! We’re fans of coconut vinegars on salads and veggies already – Coconut Aminos: A Natural Soy-Free Sauce

What other ways have you enjoyed asparagus?