
I want so badly to tell you that what you’re about to read didn’t really happen and that I made it up for the sake of entertainment. But that’s not the case.
Yesterday I found myself locked in a Target fitting room. Me, my purse and three shirts. This was pretty ironic, considering that my New Year’s resolution was to try and cut back on a habit of impulse buying, and all I really needed from Target was three birthday cards. I sat there, confused for a moment and in a slight panic, and thought about what to do. I had my phone. I could update my facebook status: Locked in Target fitting room. Please help. But fearful of how many of my friends would “like” it, I thought maybe I should tweet instead, but I was pretty sure all 17 of my followers could care less. The thought of using my phone to actually make a phone call seemed too logical (or… didn’t cross my mind). I could yell “Help,” but that would probably just turn into a growing cluster of chuckling, red-shirted employees as the news spread through walkie-talkies.
It felt like hours, and I sat there wondering how many pieces of gum from my purse I could chew to make a meal. But then, it hit me. This was happening for a reason. The New Year’s Resolution gods were sending me a message. I shouldn’t have even been in the fitting room to begin with. Obviously, I really wish I hadn’t been. OK, so it worked. I kept to my resolution and did what any normal adult would do…I left my merchandise hanging, grabbed my purse and crawled under the door.
So, I can happily say that I’m not a resolution failure, not yet anyway, and I don’t want you to be either. Maybe it’s because I’ve stuffed you full of cookies, cake and booze, but I’ve been hearing a few popular resolutions to eat healthier, eat more vegetables, or shed a few pounds. This recipe just might help with all of those.
Crisp, colorful asparagus is roasted in olive oil and served on top of a walnut crema. What’s a crema and how does moving the “a” around in “cream” make it healthy? It’s a blend of walnuts, olive oil, red onion, and here I added rosemary. It’s a double dose of healthy fat blended into a smooth, creamy base. Perfect for adding a little something special to an ordinary vegetable dish.
Although it took a little divine intervention and a lot of embarrassment for me to keep my resolution, I’m hoping all it takes to keep you on track is a good healthy recipe. So go ahead and tell your friends you’re making a crema – they’ll probably look at you like you just crawled out from under a fitting room door.
Roasted Asparagus with Walnut Crema (Recipe adapted from A16 Food+Wine )
Walnut Crema:
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups walnuts
¾ cup diced red onion
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for sautéing
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (no need to chop)
½ teaspoon of Kosher salt, plus more for water
Directions:
Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients:
1-2 lbs of asparagus
½ cup walnuts, toasted (see this post for a reference on how to toast nuts)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
pinch of kosher salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
pecorino, parmesan or romano cheese, for grating on top
Directions:
Notes:
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Posted on January 5, 2011