Spring has sprung and it is time for bright flavors! This is one of the best times of year for fresh veggies with lots of color and nutrients. One of those vegetables that are in season is asparagus! People get intimidated by cooking it because it is easy to overcook-making it stringy. It is also really easy to undercook- leaving it really fibrous. Not to worry, I struggle with this too, which is why I love making it when it is in season! This Lemon Asparagus Pasta is a quick 30-minute meal that screams springtime.
Let's talk about why it is important to eat foods that are in season. Not only does it create variety in your diet throughout the year, but it also prevents burnout. Some people can eat the same thing year-round... I am not one of those people. Plus a variety of veggies=a variety of nutrients. Another reason to eat in season is that it is SO much cheaper. The veggies that are in season will be the veggies in abundance and on sale at the store. The last and my favorite reason is that you know you are getting the freshest of the fresh veggies. When your veggies (and fruit) are in season they are picked at the peak of ripeness... meaning it has the most flavor! There are lots of other reasons to eat seasonally, but these are the reason I love trying my best to eat in season all year long.
This Lemon Asparagus Pasta light and fresh with all clean ingredients. I use Jovial Pasta- this particular one is not grain-free, however, they have lots of delicious grain-free options! It is however gluten-free, so don't fret for all my gluten-free people! I also use JOI for the base of the sauce. I love JOI because it is ground-up nuts (cashews in this case) that you can make milk, sauce, dressings, etc with. Other than these two ingredients, this recipe has 3 non-pantry pulls. Perfect for a weeknight meal or an easy way to clean out your fridge.
Tips for Lemon Asparagus Pasta
- I use chicken (shocker) but this would go great with some shrimp too.
- If you don't have JOI- blend your own cashews with some water or substitute coconut cream
- To make this Whole30- use spaghetti squash or zoodles.
Use the code ALTITUDE at check out for JOI to get 10% off your order.
Lemon Asparagus Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lbs Chicken
- 1 bunch asparagus
- ½ white onion
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoon JOI- cashew can use cashew butter instead
- 1 box Jovial pasta of your choice this recipe uses the rice pasta
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan. While oil is heating cut raw chicken into 1 inch cubes. When the oil is hot add your chopped chicken and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon lemon pepper.
- Cook your pasta of choice follow the package directions.
- Chop end of asparagus off and cut the remaining asparagus into fourths- this should leave you with asparagus pieces that are about 1-1.5 inches. Dice the white onion and roughly chop the mushrooms.
- Add all of your chopped veggies and frozen peas to another pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until asparagus is vibrant green and peas are thawed.
- Add your cooked chicken to the pan with your veggies and turn on low to keep warm. In the meantime, in the chicken pan, time to make the sauce. Combine JOI, juice of one lemon, chicken broth, parsley, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- When sauce is thickened, combine veggies, chicken, sauce and pasta into a bowl and toss together. Serve and enjoy!
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