Oriental Cashew Asparagus

Ok, after yesterday's Triple Chocolate Cake with Fudge Filling and Chocolate Buttercream, 5x the chocolate, even I was feeling guilty and had to make something somewhat healthier.

Another one of my 2011 Food Goals is to cook/eat more vegetables. For me personally this isn't that hard to do, there have been times in my life that I might as well have been a vegetarian (although I am not one), like when I was pregnant with my first child, I rarely, rarely, ever ate meat! But being the cook and trying to make everyone happy (the hubby who sticks to lettuce and cucumbers for his green veggies, and two children 3 and under! ) I don't always cook that many vegetables.

And this is the response I got from my husband when I said I needed to go to the grocery store for vegetables: "You need vegetables for what?!"  Ummm.. what else do you primarily do with vegetables.. EAT THEM! (or if you are like our household the animals aka horses get them!) 

So, I have started off the first week of 2011 with Oriental Cashew Asparagus

Oriental Cashew Asparagus

• 1 lb. fresh asparagus spears
• 1 small jar of mushrooms (or fresh button mushrooms quartered)
• 1 medium red onion quartered
• 1/4 c. red pepper chopped
• 4 T. butter (2 T. for vegetables, 2 T. for sauce)
• 2 T. flour
• 1/4 C. water + 2 T. water
• 4 T. teriyaki
• 4 T. extra virgin olive oil (2 T. for vegetables, 2 T. for sauce)
• 4 T. cashew halves



Snap off bases from asparagus and slice into ~ 1 inch pieces.

Quarter red onion.

Chop Red pepper.

Melt  2 T. butter in  large saucepan at medium heat and saute onions for a couple of min. until just tender.

Add asparagus and pour 2 T. extra virgin olive oil over. Then add red pepper and mushrooms.

Add a dash of salt and 1/4 tsp. or desired black pepper.

Cover and let steam for ~ 5 min. (less if you want veggies more crisp-tender).

Remove vegetables from pan

*Loco Cocoa tip: Put vegetables in a metal bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.

In same saucepan, melt 2 T. butter,  reduce heat to low, add 2 T. flour to melted butter, stirring. Add 4 T. teriyaki, and 1/4 C. water and 2 T. water stirring constantly, cook until thickened and bubbly. If sauce gets too thick add more water or additional 2 T. of olive oil. Remove sauce from heat pour over vegetables and toss, adding in cashews.

Enjoy!

A great way to get some of your veggie servings in for the day!

                                       

And I must say this vegetable dish seemed to be a hit with all in the family, even the reluctant husband, although I did have to say, no triple chocolate cake if you don't eat all those red peppers you left on your plate! :0) 

The one year old did the best at cleaning the veggies off of her plate!! Maybe we all need to learn something from one year olds!

Until next time,

 Happy Baking,

Lynn aka Loco Cocoa