Roasted asparagus with peanut sauce

Today the Michigan State basketball team played Louisville for a chance to go to the Final Four. I didn't think they had a chance, but figured that I should make something green for good luck. And, I figured a nice peanut sauce would go well with my leftover Thai salmon, butter beans, and rice.

Roasted asparagus with peanut sauce (adapted from "Vegetables Every Day" by Jack Bishop)

1 lb. thin asparagus

1 Tbsp peanut oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

juice of 1/2 lime

1 tsp soy sauce (use wheat-free tamari for gluten-free)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

water

Remove and discard bottom inch of asparagus stalk. Drizzle asparagus with oil, and sprinkle with garlic. Toss well so that all stalks are completely covered with oil, and then spread out on a baking sheet. Roast at 450, stirring asparagus occasionally, until it starts to brown (about 15 min). Mix remaining ingredients well, and add enough water so that it becomes pourable (I added about 2 Tbsp). Place asparagus on serving dish and drizzle with sauce. Serves 3.

This was delicious and went perfectly with my Thai lunch. I was never able to get the sauce very smooth (and I may have added a little bit too much water while I was attempting this), but it still tasted great. And apparently it brought the Spartans the luck that they needed because I've never seen them play better and they ended up creaming Louisville! I got so much energy from the excitement of winning the game (and the massive amounts of caffeine I consumed while watching the game) that I ended up juggling this afternoon instead of working. Note to self: don't lift weights in the morning and then juggle for a long time (your arms and shoulders will hate you so much that it's hard to stir while cooking).

Given that the month is almost up, this will probably be the last recipe from one of the cookbooks of the month, "Vegetables Every Day." I still love this book - the recipes are fairly simple, but all have been great. When all is said and done, in addition to this delicious asparagus, I've made a cauliflower and curry dish, boiled carrots with African spices, a spinach and pasta concoction, and two braised cabbage dishes (one with vinegar and onions and one with apples and cinnamon. It will be fun to use this book more as the seasons change and I have access to more veggies.