I was walking down the produce isle at Trader Joe’s when I spotted fresh asparagus for $1. I made a beeline for them and bought two bunches. Just a few weeks ago I had seen the pencil thin vegetable for almost $4. This time the asparagus where bright green, firm, and plump.

Love in season produce – you just can’t beat the taste and low price! Asparagus is best cooked the day it’s purchased, though you can keep it in the fridge for up to five days. If there’s room in the fridge, I’ll store the bundled stalks in a bowl with about an inch of water. If there’s no room, in they go into the crisper with a damp paper towel wrapped around the bottom of the stalks.

I couldn’t wait and made them that evening. I cooked an easy pasta dish with tomatoes and asparagus. This is similar to my lemony pasta recipe I shared some time ago.

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Penne

Asparagus

Cherry Tomatoes

Garlic

Olive Oil

Freshly Grated Parmesan

Directions

Cook pasta according to directions. Once the pasta is almost ready add olive oil to a skillet. Then add the garlic and saute till it’s golden, but not burnt. I like to cut the asparagus in half so it’s easier to work with them. Saute them until they’re tender. Then add the cherry tomatoes and warm through.

Remove the pasta from the water and add it to the skillet. Toss the pasta and veggies. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and top with freshly grated Parmesan. Yum! It was super simple and delicious.

What’s your favorite spring vegetable?