Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Sauce

Spring is the season for Asparagus. Regarded as a delicacy since ancient times, asparagus is  a great anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. It’s high in vitamin K, A, folate and iron.

In this recipe fresh asparagus is baked until tender, and dressed with salty buttery tasting, soy and balsamic vinegar sauce. The sauce itself is great served over a tofu steak or roasted vegetables.  Ready in only 25 minutes, this is a sophisticated side-dish that can jazz up any meal.

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed

cooking spray

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons vegan butter

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Arrange the asparagus flat in a single layer. Coat with cooking spray, or paint with some oil then season with a little salt and pepper to taste. You don’t need much salt as the soy sauce will enhance the salt flavor later, in fact it will still taste good without any salt. Bake the asparagus for about 12-15 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, melt the vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to turn brown. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Pour over the baked asparagus to serve. Hint: If you’re keen on aesthetics add in small quantities as the sauce will run all over the plate.

Did you know? Asparagus is twice as perishable than lettuce? By wrapping the ends of the asparagus in a damp paper or cloth towel, you can help offset asparagus’ very high respiration rate during storage, effectively preserving it for longer.