I love beets.
I’m still recovering from asparagus.
Despite my timidness toward asparagus, I was lured in by a $1.99 sale at Whole Foods.  Whole Foods is the source of all temptation for me.  Ok, ok… Whole Foods and whiskey.  And chocolate cake.  I’m weak.
Back to the topic at hand… asparagus and beets. Â They are both normal, but you don’t often see them paired. Â It’s a little strange to serve them together. Â Which is exactly when I did in this very good Lemon-Garlic Asparagus and Beet dish.
On the rare occasion that I eat asparagus, it’s even more rare that I take the time to sauté it.  Once I started the process, it really wasn’t that bad.  I built it up in my head… plus roasting lemon and garlic makes the kitchen smell amazing!
Lemon and garlic make everything taste like heaven. Â It also helps that asparagus is just coming into season. Â Spring asparagus is a little sweeter to me, which makes it 100x better.
But I didn’t stop there.  I added beets.  I bought them pre-roasted (I had a coupon) so all I needed to do was toss them in the pan with the asparagus at the very end, along with some almonds.  The earthiness of the beets and the crunchy almond slivers was fantastic with the garlicky asparagus.
I grated a little parm over the top at the end, but if you prefer to leave it dairy-free just omit it. Â I served our asparagus with lemon caper chicken and this Lemon-Pepper Roasted Cauliflower. Â Apparently there’s a lemon theme…
[Tweet “Check out this Lemon-Garlic Asparagus and Beet recipe – beautiful spring side dish!”]
Lemon-Garlic Asparagus & Beets with Parmesan & Almonds
- 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed
- 1 T macadamia oil
- 4Â cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 CÂ water
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 8.8-ounce package pre-cooked beets (or 4 small), diced
- 1/4 C sliced almonds
- 1/4 CÂ freshly grated parmesan (optional)
- 4 lemon wedges
In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the asparagus and allow to cook for 2-3 mins, or until the color begins to deepen.
Add the garlic, water, and lemon juice. Â Cook 2-3 mins, stirring occasionally.
Place a cover over the pan and cook for 5 mins more, until the liquid is absorbed and asparagus has reached desired done-ness.
Add the pepper, beets, and almonds, and cook just until the beets are warmed through (1-2 mins).
Plate the asparagus and beets. Â Add cheese, if using, and lemon wedges. Â Squeeze the lemon over the top and devour.
Makes 4 servings.
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At least when it’s cooked asparagus doesn’t make my pee smell as bad. Â TMI?
What’s your favorite spring veggie?
Are you afflicted by asparagus pee?
What a great combo! I’ve never put the 2 together but this sounds perfect. And what do you mean cooked asparagus doesn’t make your pee smell as bad?!? Maybe it’s just me…
Not that it doesn’t smell… just not AS bad as it does when I eat it raw.
This is beautiful and I love the flavor profile.
I could never tire of asparagus.
I figured you would. Asparagus and I are still iffy… but this was a good step forward in our relationship.
I’m not a huge fan of of raw asparagus, but I do like it cooked. Even better with lemon, and I bet the macadamia nut oil gives it a nice nuttiness. I would literally eat a beet like an apple if given the chance. I love them.
Oh I love asparagus! The parmasean on top sounds so good. I’ll have to try that!
The asparagus pee grosses me out and my husband hates asparagus so I rarely have it… a little parmesan makes everything better though. I put lemon on everything too- and garlic, no such thing as too much garlic.
Agreed! We buy lemons in bulk.
EVERYONE gets asparagus pee 😉 Hahaha! I wish asparagus loved me like I love it, but it KILLS my stomach :'( I think it must be high in FODMAPs like mushrooms :/ Damn it!
Really?! I’ve never heard asparagus hurting stomachs… it’s always something, isn’t it? At least your pee doesn’t smell! 😉
Everyone has asparagus pee! natural diuretic! I am so loving asparagus right now and this is just my kind of recipe
Oh yes to the asparagus pee! I can’t imagine eating asparagus raw!! Does that give you super asparagus pee?
I love this combo! Pinning for later!
LOL! Super asparagus pee. Yes.
WHAT IN THE F is wrong with me?! How come I never buy beets when I am at the store?! HA! I still have yet to have them.
Gigi… if we started listing everything that was wrong with you, we’d be here all night. 😉
Please please please tell me how to like beets! I actually am opposite of you: super timid toward beets and I love asparagus – oven roasted is my fave. I know beets are good, especially for recovery. But I just can’t get over their dirt taste!
It’s tough – I used to hate them. I actually started eating them in powder form. I make chocolate-beet protein shakes with CocoCardio in it (chocolate cocoa powder). It’s good!
I’ll look for it! I could handle powdered beets.
This is what I use: http://amzn.to/1VRCyCs
Thank you!
I used to be skeptical about beets and then I tried baked beetroots in spinach and feta cheese salad. Now I can even have smoothie with raw beetroot. It is all about other ingredientes it is served with. That salad was served with grapefruit vinaigrette. Now, any time I prepare similar salad at home I make citrus dressing as well or add some sour & juicy extras. The same about smoothies – my favourite ingredientes to accompany beets are sour cherries, grapefruit and banana. I always add some cinnamon to neutralize a little bit more that specific taste.
I love beets, but the preparation gets me every time. If I used pre-roasted I think my life would be so much easier, how did I not know these existed? My boyfriend has started to really like asparagus, so if I can get him on board with beets we’ll be all set. 🙂
It is SO much easier (and less messy). Whole Foods, to the rescue!
All the color! I love it! You know, I used to not like beets because I thought they tasted like a mud-pie. But now I love them…and this dish looks amazing.
It’s crazy how taste buds change – I was the same way!
I love asparagus but the beets could be a deal breaker for me!
LOL! I hear ya… it would be good with just the asparagus. Or maybe with some roasted red peppers?
i didnt like beets 2 years ago but then i tried it roasted and now im a big fan! i will have to try it with other veggies!!! have you tried beet carpaccio, i think you will like that of course with cheese 🙂
This looks and sounds absolutely incredible! I love asparagus! It’s one of my favorite spring veggies and I agree it tastes so much fresher and sweeter when in season. And with roasted garlic, lemon and BEETS!? Oh my yum! Def pinning!
I’m glad I ‘m not crazy about it being sweeter… Vegas looked at me like WTF? lol!
Looks amazing – I pinned it 🙂 I have asparagus pee but love asparagus. I love beets but they are messy to cook. Worth it but messy!
Thank you!!! I’d love to hear what you think if you try it.
Have you ever made golden beets? I like them a lot too and they’re MUCH less of a mess.
There isn’t’ anything about this recipe I don’t like. I’m beet obsessed lately.
gorgeous AND sounds delicious! saving this!
I don’t think I have ever seen these paired, but what a genius idea! Love them both and they are almost in season here.
I LOVE beets and did a whole post today all about them! I’ve never thought about pairing them with asparagus but this sounds like a master combination!
I saw that post… I love beets for their athletic benefits too! They’re so versatile… I used them for red velvet waffles, chocolate beet smoothies and then turn around and male a savory dinner side. They rock. 🙂
Girl you are killing me right now, for the love of beets and asparagus that looks so good!! Think if I walk over to the Whole Foods (in the pouring rain, I thought it didn’t rain in CA) and got everything I could talk the hotel kitchen into letting me in there for 20 minutes to whip this up?
Pinning for later so I can make it when I get back home!
If anyone could do that… YOU could! 🙂
And yeah… sometimes we do get rain. But it’s sooooo rare. I miss a good thunderstorm, actually.
This timing of this post was great… I prepped asparagus for meals last week. Then I got worried about the aftermath on my pee if I ate it at work. I negotiated saving it until the very end of the day so almost everyone would be gone, and I’d minimize the possibility of afflicting others!!
Hahaha! When I was competing, in the last 2 weeks I had asparagus 6 meals a day. I was too embarrassed to go to work and just worked from home for the last week. LOL!
6 meals a day…I understand now why you got burned out on it!
It always amazes me how quickly it “takes effect!”
I would never think of putting asparagus and beets together but I do like both those foods so why not.
This combo sounds like heaven to me. I love asparagus and I love beets Sign me up! And Whole Foods is seriously dangerous, I love it there but they steal all my money!
I don’t call it Whole Paycheck for nothing! 😉
Ooh, I didn’t know you did this link-up. You’re inspiring me to start trying to create something strange but good. This looks yummy! I used to not like beets, but I know that God made them, so I think I’ve started to like them more over the years.
Oh, I hope you do!!!
I love beets, but I have a texture issue with asparagus.