Orange Essance Bulgur Salad w/Chicken

I think the world is FREAKING out at warp speed.  Where is the time going?  Why is everything SO busy and SO draining and SO seemingly earth shatteringly important all of the sudden?  IS IT A FULL MOON????

Getting the flu this week, putting in a couple 14 hour days (because so many people think THEIR problems are more important than the next guys - you know....THE SKY IS FALLING - yeah right), babysitting, AND ONE COMPUTER crash (due to a bootkit and Malware - don't ask - thanks doublemyspeed.com!!) and trying to keep up with the demands of "life", I haven't been able to get a blog out to save my life.

I actually HAVE been cooking - I have pictures galore, but alas, I couldn't get it to you.  FRUSTRATING!.

This is WAR!  I am drawing a line in the sand and getting this recipe written.    WHY?  Because you deserve to make this refreshing summer "salad".  Not only is it good, it's good for you...but mostly?  It's just good.

So what is this stuff called Bulgur and where do you buy it?  Bulgur is a parboiled, then dreid, quick cooking wheat grain.  Most of the bran is left on the grain, making this a recognized whole grain by the U.S.D.A. as well as the Whole Grains Council.  If you are looking to amp up the whole grain in your diets this is for you.   Bulgur can be found in natural food stores, Middle Eastern specialty grocers (think VALLEY PRODUCE MARKET), and some traditional grocery stores -  although I haven't found a normal market YET that carries it.  This is a common ingredient in Armenian, Syriac, Turkish, Middle Easter, and Mediterranean dishes.  It has a light, nutty flavor, with a great texture your mouth will LOVE.    Bulgur comes in four distinct grinds (sizes) (#1 Fine, #2 Medium, #3 Coarse and #4 Extra Coarse grinds.) You can use Bulgur just as you would rice, couscous, Quinoa, etc.... 

From a cost perspective, this should be INEXPENSIVE, but if you can find it at all in a regular grocery you might spend 5-6 dollars for a tiny bit.  In a middle Eastern Market or on the Internet, a package will cost far less. Seek this grain out, it's worth it.

If you are Wheat intolerant and need Gluten free,  or you cant locate Bulgar please make it with Short grain brown rice!!

Orange Essence Bulgar Salad with Chicken
This salad uses #3 course, but use whatever size you can find (or short grain brown rice)
The bulgur needs to cool so make this with enough time to cool the salad and let the flavors meld.

1 cup Bulgur, Course (#3)
2 cups Orange Juice
4 Chicken tenderloin strips thawed and diced
1tsp Chicken bouillon granules
2 Persian or 1 hothouse cucumber, small dice
1/2 mango - Peeled and diced
3/4 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp Chives or green onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup dried cranberries1/4 cup roasted pistachios (roughly chopped) optional
1 teaspoon Chopped parsley, or more to taste
1/8 cup olive oil
Juice of one fresh orange
1-2 tsp Cider vinegar
Salt and pepper

Gather your ingredients

This is what bulgar looks like

Bring the 2 cups of Orange juice to a boil and add Bulgur.  Cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed (about 15 minutes.  Taste.  If tender, it's done.  Dont overcook it to mushyness.  It needs a bit of texture.  If there is more liquid (there shouldn't be) then drain it off.

**IMPORTANT NOTE:  Put Bulgur in the refrigerator until cool (or the freezer while you are making the rest of the dish - OR have Bulgur done well in advance)

In a pan, saute the chicken cubes in a bit of oil or spray, and cook until done and tender.  Sprinkle with the chicken bullion granules and cook/stir until well coated.  Remove to bowl.  Set aside.

For the dressing:  Squeeze juice of one orange into a small bowl, Add olive oil, cider vinegar to taste and salt and pepper.  TASTE and adjust seasonings, if needed.  (you may want more OJ, vinegar, Salt or pepper). Set aside

In a large bowl add  chicken cubes, cucumbers, tomatoes, dried cranberries, pistachios, chives or green onion, mango, and parsley. Add the cooled Bulgar and stir well.

Mix dressing with whisk and pour over Bulgar salad. Add chunky salt (I used Himalayan) and pepper.

We ate this right away and it was good.  But the left overs were in the fridge a few hours later were AMAZING and REFRESHING.  I would suggest making this in the morning...putting in Fridge until cold and have for lunch or make the night before.

The result?  A refreshing, delightfully different salad that is healthy, full of whole grain and filling. Your family will not notice any of that.  They'll notice it's just a DARN GOOD SUMMER SALAD they will ask for again and again!

From my home to yours, ENJOY!!

Grilled Fruit with Maple Lemon Reduction.

Sunday morning is my Weight Watcher weigh in day....and yes, LIKE ALWAYS, I stayed the same.  BUT, on Saturday I went with Steph to pick up her Wedding dress...SO MUCH FUN and it's SOOOO GORGEOUS and she looked AMAZING!  Surprisingly I found a stunning dress (navy chiffon) and ordered it.  OH...and did I mention ITS 3 SIZES SMALLER than what I was wearing in January?  WOOO HOOO!  I am finally seeing my hard work and efforts finally paying off .  TAKE THAT YOU STINKIN PLATEAU!!   

At the meeting they were talking about this SUPER healthy breakfast "Pancake".  The accolades for this "pancake" were pretty high.  The words "GOOD and possibly DELICIOUS" were used.  The recipe is 1/2 cup quick oats, 3 egg whites, 1/2 mashed banana, and cinnamon.  Now I thought...hmmm, how could this be good, let alone delicious?? I thought, I gotta try this.  OMG!  It was SOOOO FRIGGEN BAD (should have stuck to my initial instincts because I am  literally damaged for LIFE now!)  The texture was very off putting, it tasted like soggy oatmeal (only EGG flavored) and even though I used a literally BLACK banana, the flavor didn't come through because the egg flavor overpowered it.  It was probably the single most disgusting thing I have ever made!  Two bites and it went in the trash (I know...what an idiot! Why two bites - Why didn't I stop at ONE??) I couldn't get the taste out of my mouth for what seemed like hours.   I don't care how "filling" it is or how low in points.....its just HIDEOUS!
This blog is about healthy eating, but without giving up taste and texture.  WHY do people feel that eating healthy means leaving out all of the emotional pleasantness that is the very essence of how we enjoy food?  I wish there wasn't an emotional connection but there is.  Denying the connection exists, is just a recipe for disaster. Our brains decide when and what we want to eat and how satisfied we will be when we eat it.  Therefore it's imperative we eat good, emotional pleasing food that makes us feel satisfied and happy with our healthy choices.

Enough said.

The recipe I am offering today was a hit at our Fathers day BBQ.  I wanted to serve fruit...but I am just a bit bored with sliced melons all the time.  I have two peach trees that are perfectly ripe right now and I had an idea from the WW weekly regarding grilling them.

I was however, slightly disappointed I couldn't make the Johnson family baked beans this year.  Just too many calories. We love them, they are tradition and BBQ's just don't feel the same without them.  Sweet and thick with Molasses and bacon....but I abstained and my back side is better off for it, I am sure!!   But I still wanted a light, sweet component to dinner that was emotionally satisfying.  So I picked some peaches and grabbed the two mango's I had on the counter and thought Hmmm...the maple reduction with Lemon (from a Thanksgiving sweet potato recipe) would be the PERFECT drizzle sauce for the fruit.....and I am pleased to say, IT WAS!

You can leave the peels on and grill the peach halves and mango halves cut side down and then drizzle. But I decided to peel and slice the fruit, grill it and then drizzle.  Either way this was a good AND delicious AND emotionally satisfying dish you are sure to enjoy!

Grilled Fruit with Maple Lemon Reduction Sauce
1 tablespoons of sauce is 2 points - the recipe should make 12 servings or so depending on the amount of reducing you do - Fruit is free

1 cup 100 percent REAL maple syrup
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon

Peaches, Nectarines, Mangoes, Pineapple, apples, etc.....
(I used about 6 small peaches and two mangoes peeled and sliced thick - served 4-6)

For the maple reduction:
( Sorry, I didnt get a lot of pics of making the sauce )

In a heavy pan (minimum size - 2 quart pan required) over medium to low heat add the maple syrup.  You will want to bring the syrup to a boil.  WATCH IT CLOSE.  If the fire is too hot, the syrup will bubble up and over the pan, best to keep the heat on the lower side.  Boil until syrup is reduced by 1/3 or 1/2.  Remove from heat.

Using a wire whisk, stir in the lemon juice and Zest and whisk until combined and most bubbles are removed. ** Be careful.  It might bubble up when you add the lemon juice, just keep whisking.

Taste (carefully, it's HOT) and see if it's sweet yet very tangy.  Set aside to cool in a dish you will serve in.  Its yummy - be careful you don't DRINK it all!  I always want to. You can make this a day or two before and store in the fridge for ease of entertaining...just microwave to take the chill out when ready to use.

Preheat the grill and get it hot.  Prepare the fruit for grilling, either by halving it, or peel it and slice it thickly.

Preheat a grilling pan on your BBQ.  Add fruit and grill until there is some char marks.

Remove to serving plate and top with sauce and serve OR divide into serving dishes and top each one with a measured amount of sauce.

The result?  An easy,  delicious, and elegant side dish that meets all of our criteria; healthy, emotionally satisfying, visually attractive.  The taste is a bit "sweet with a tang" but wonderful and refreshing! In the end, I didnt miss the baked beans.  I felt great knowing I didnt "cave" and make them after all!!
BTW- You WILL have left over sauce.  Use it to top baked sweet potatoes, use over grapefruit, or saute with bananas or pineapples for a quick "dessert".

From my home to yours, ENJOY!

Cauliflower Puree

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH ME.

I mean really and truly wrong.  Let's take a minute to discuss it.

Yesterday I was craving fish after my work out.  That was bad enough.  One could even argue that it was because I worked out so hard that I needed the protein, vitamins and omega 3's.  I can buy that. KIND OF. But for cryin' out loud, here I sit working, minding my own little business when WHAM!  I am slammed with another craving for FISH.  And not just fish, but fish and VEGGIES!  Really? That's a craving?????  Unbelievable.

What self respecting "overweight" person craves FISH AND VEGGIES in the middle of the day for NO GOOD REASON?  Certainly not me - NOT EVER ME. So I made myself FISH and VEGGIES...and now I am STUFFED?  HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? I didn't even eat that much!   In fact I am writing this post BEFORE my workout  just to let the lunch from now hours ago settle...now that makes me laugh!!

Yes something is wrong.

I come from a family of STICKS....you heard me correctly.  They are all naturally thin.  Especially my sisters.  They are gorgeous AND thin.  Ummm. Which postman did I come from?  Over the years, I got to "study" one of my sisters eating habits at work.  YEP...she would always give me her leftovers.  WHY?  Because she was just "too full"...HAHAHA - too FULL?  SOOO... I would eat mine AND hers.....but what I discovered is she would really want to eat more healthy foods...DEFINITELY not fun or exciting I would think to myself.  Then I would pray....GOD, please make me like that!

So the day has arrived.  I craved fish twice and I am stuffed from it.  YES, something is amiss...In a good way. 

OK, enough of my prattle. Onto the topic of the day.  Cauliflower Puree.  Yes, it's all the rage among Chef's and it IS good.  But it's sad that something so good and pure gets ladened with butter, cream and cheese to create a decadent side dish with, I am afraid to say, an obscene amount of calories.

By now, you know the motto of this blog.  It has to be Satisfying, delicious without the fat,  quick enough to make often, it needs to look good on the plate and it needs to fit into a lite and healthy lifestyle.  Cauliflower fits this profile, believe it or not.

Cauliflower IS a flower! (and you thought it was just a name).  The plant forms a compact head (the flower)of undeveloped white buds. The heavy green leaves that surround the head protect the flower buds from the sunlight. All this lack of exposure to sunlight prevents chlorophyll from developing. Therefore, color is not produced naturally, leaving the flower head white. It contains a high amount of vitamin C, folate, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. It is also considered a cruciferous vegetable which, scientists believe can help reduce the risk of cancer.  AND, it's FREE on the Weight Watcher program.

I mention this as there is so much discussion of "white foods" - don't eat white rice - eat brown, don't eat white bread - eat wheat, don't eat too many potatoes, refined flour, sugar etc...I have heard people say "All white foods are bad for you".   NOT SO.  Cauliflower IS white, but it's a HEALTHY white food that can be and should be eaten often.  Let me know what you think!

Cauliflower Puree
WW recipe builder calls this 2 points - It counts the cauliflower!  Crazy.  If I take it out, its about 1 point.  You decide.  Recipe serves 4

1 head of cauliflower, stems remove and flowers cut up
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese or any flavor laughing cow - 3 triangles, diced
(for purists or cheese haters, leave out the cheese if you want)
chicken stock
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese for the top
Salt and white pepper

Cut up cauliflower - remove core and green leaves and steam cauliflower until JUST tender.  Promise me you will NOT overcook them (LOL).  ***  NOTE:  Over steamed cauliflower makes for a thin puree....save yourself now.

When done, pop them in a food processor and  Process until smooth.  Add chicken stock until you have the desired consistency.  The consistency should be that of mashed potatoes.

Turn off food processor and add cheese, salt and white pepper - process until combined. Taste and adjust spices if necessary.

Spray a small baking dish and pour the puree in.  Top with a touch more Parmesan cheese , if desired and bake for about 15 minutes and let cool for a few minutes.

Serve with the desired main dish (Fish perhaps?  Turkey breast...the pork tenderloin with cherry sauce - see previous post to name a few ideas)  Just like you would potatoes.

The result?  A velvety smooth and creamy side dish that will rival any potato and dress up your weeknight (and special occasion) meals.

From my home to yours, ENJOY!!

Skinny "Cheesy" Smashed Potatoes

BRIGHT SHINY OBJECT!

That is what my husband says to me when I cannot focus.  Which apparently is often.  That's how I feel about the potato recipe I should have posted by now.  I got caught up in "other food" and almost lost track of the smashed potatoes I was going to write about from Easter!

In my opinion, there is a difference between MASHED potatoes and SMASHED potatoes.  I think of mashed, potatoes as those potatoes which are boiled or steamed and then mashed smooth.  I think of smashed potatoes as those potatoes that are baked first then smashed and left sort of chunky.  I (and my family) happen to like smashed, chunky baked potatoes.  There is something about baking a potato that just gives it a more comforting, deep and more satisfying flavor.  An important thing - especially if we are not going to "load them up"

My normal recipe is loaded with butter, sour cream and LOTS of cheese (I know. bad, bad, bad....BUT they are SO  good -  I bet they are a day's worth of points!).  Since I don't eat that way anymore, it was a challenge to make potatoes I would like just as well.

I just couldn't remove the cheese completely.  My brain (and my mouth!) would NOT let me.   I love cheese.  Everything about it.  The way it tastes, melts, satisfies and comforts.  What I don't like is the fact that it's fattening....I HATE THAT!! WHY OH WHY does cheese have to be sadly fattening???????

YES!  If you're wondering.  THAT WAS A WHINE!

But alas there is another option - Remember the LAUGHING COW CHEESE?  It's so good, so creamy and yummy that it's hard to believe its LOW FAT and LIGHT.  One triangle (which is a lot) is only 1 point!  PERFECT for these potatoes.  I used the Garlic and Herb flavor.

So I was off to the races with the spuds.

Feel free to add, subtract and enhance this "recipe" - when you do, please comment so others can benefit!!

Here is what I did:

First bake Large potatoes in the oven at 350 degrees until VERY soft.  I used 13 potatoes for 10 people (we had leftovers)

For a family of four probably about 5 LARGE

Once baked, let them cool for a while.  Cut potatoes lengthwise:

Scoop the potato flesh out of the skins into a large bowl:

When done, use a potato masher or large spoon to smash the potatoes a bit...remember as you add stuff and stir they will get smoother so don't over smash.

I used Low Fat Chicken broth and added it/stirred it into the potatoes until I was happy with the consistency.  This is all a matter of preference.

From here I added seasoning.  This is strictly up to you...I used fresh Chives from my garden...probably more than a 1/2 cup.  Some  salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder.  Have fun with this....try lemon pepper, Mrs. Dash, an assortment of fresh/dried herbs - your imagination is the only thing stopping you!  I often saute onions till caramelized and add them to the potatoes...SO GOOD

Stir all seasoning completely into potatoes.  Now it's time for the cheese...(my favorite part). Unwrap 1 cheese triangle per person  you are serving and cut them up into small chunks and add to potatoes.

If potatoes start to thicken too much, add more broth.  Taste to check seasoning and put the potato mixture into a sprayed casserole dish. 

Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly 

** NOTE - this is terrific made a day ahead and baked just before you serve.

The result?  A much lighter yet still satisfying, creamy, and tasty potato dish that's perfect for special occasions as well as week night dinners. 

By the way, few people even realized it was the SKINNY version.  And that makes me happy...it's the berometer to tell whether or not the dish was in fact, really good.

From my home to yours, ENJOY!!

Israeli Couscous salad with Balsamic dressing

My Sunday was SHOT.  I didn't get anything done that I needed to. I ended up having to deal with other responsibilities instead.  By dinner, I was hungry, had nothing planned AND I was in a bad mood.  NOT A GOOD COMBINATION.  Poor Tom.

Let me digress a bit.  Tom and I worked out that morning. We worked out HARD.  While I was in church, Tom kept on going on the incline treadmill.  He walked for almost 3 hours at a pace 4.0 MPH or faster(under a 15 minute mile).  He ended up burning over 1800 calories.  UNBELIEVABLE.  On top of that, he only consumed about  300 calories for lunch.  NOT ENOUGH.  So dinner would be important, I knew that.

But did I say I was in a bad mood AND had nothing defrosted, planned, or even thought of?  YEP, I was in trouble.  I thought "we should just go out"...but really, that's a disaster if your, A) overly hungry, B) in a bad mood and C) trying to DIET.  I would have surely gone off plan.  So I thought SOUP!!  I love soup and I have a number of them I can throw together fast..  But when I offered Greek Lemon Soup (someone special gave me fantastic lemons for my birthday) the look on Tom's face said NO.  DUH! what a dork.....of course he didn't want soup.  He needed a substantial meal.

DARN IT!

I must have opened the fridge, pantry and freezer a half dozen times.....THINK!!  Then I spotted this little pork tenderloin....and mindlessly opened my container with dried cherries to eat a few.  BINGO!  I will make a pork tenderloin with a dried cherry sauce!  ( I am blogging about that tomorrow )   But what to have with it.....?  Then my whole wheat Israeli couscous called my name (gosh I love that stuff!)  and a SALAD idea was born.  I would make some sort of Israeli Couscous Salad !!  If your are glucose intolerant...don't stop here.  Just swap the couscous for short grain brown rice!

So I grabbed all of my favorite stuff from the produce bin;  Green onions, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, fresh peas (yes, they do exist !!) along with raw almonds and dried cherries.

Really, the ingredients sort of came about because of the Pork Tenderloin.  I put dried cherries and Balsamic vinegar in the sauce for the pork.  PERFECT - the Balsamic, cherries with a bit of olive oil are great together and would be great with the couscous. Plus it would create unity between the two dishes.

DISCLAIMER:  This dish IS healthy, but it isn't low in points...why?  because of  olive oil, dried cherries and almonds along with (basically) pasta.  Weight Watchers points don't like that stuff!  So this is NOT the dish to eat if you can only have a few points.  But it was FRESH, VIBRANT and UTTERLY delicious. It's the perfect summertime salad (add cubed chicken for a complete meal!) I will make it over and over this summer!

You know....the greatest part about writing this blog is that it forces me to write down what I do.  This way so you can create the same great dish and I can easily recreate the dish without asking myself, what did i do to make that salad?

There is however ONE problem with the dish.  You WILL NOT be able to stop eating it.  YEAH....NOT GOOD for portion control!!!  But it did get me out of my bad mood and it put a smile on my husbands face. Hopefully you will love it as much as we did!!

Here is what you will need:

1  cup Israeli Couscous (also known as pearl couscous) - I used whole wheat
2  cups low fat or Fat Free chicken broth
bit of olive oil for toasting couscous
1 cup diced cherry tomatoes (I used baby heirlooms)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 - 3/4 cup cucumbers, finely diced
1/2 cup fresh peas (optional - we will talk about these)
1/3 cup fresh raw almonds (very roughly chopped)
1/8 cup dried cherries, chopped
1-2 teaspoons orange zest
1/8 cup balsamic
1/8 cup olive oil (more or less to taste - adjust points)
pinch of crushed red pepper
salt and pepper

To make the couscous:

Heat a bit of olive oil in a sauce pan (med size).  Add couscous and cook over high heat until it turns golden brown.  Add the 2 cups of Chicken broth.  ** BE CAREFUL...IT SPLATTERS AND STEAMS WHEN YOU ADD THE LIQUID**.  Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorb and the couscous is tender.

If you have time, transfer to a bowl and cool.  I however, had no such time.  I put tons of ice with some water into a larger bowl and stuck the couscous in a smaller bowl creating an ice bath.   Stir  the couscous a bit and it will cool rapidly.  Set couscous aside.

To Make the Salad:
Add the diced tomatoes, green onions, cucumbers, fresh peas, if using, chopped dried Cherries to a bowl.

Isn't that gorgeous?  WOW - it just LOOKS like summer in a bowl.

**Note about fresh peas.....I remember being a kid and going to the beach on a Sunday with my parents.  We would pass by these produce stands and would ALWAYS stop.  My mom would buy POUNDS and POUNDS of fresh English peas.  OMG!  SOOOOO GOOD.  We gobbled them up like candy.  FOR YEARS!!  I have hunted for fresh peas.  NOBODY has them anymore, not even the produce stands.  I LONG FOR THEM EACH YEAR.  Imagine my surprise when Valley Produce Market actually HAD fresh peas???  I have bought about 10 pounds over the last couple weeks and have put them in EVERYTHING.....if you cant find them, use frozen (never canned) or leave them out.

ROAST the almonds in a dry pan until lightly browned- Only make about 3-4 pcs out of an almond (or less) The big pieces of almond are the BEST PART. Add to Veggies.

For the Dressing:

Whisk together olive oil, balsamic, orange zest, pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste.  Adjust seasoning to your liking - you may want more balsamic, olive oil, etc....

Assemble:
Mix the cooled couscous with Veggies in bowl, add dressing and mix well.  Refrigerate to chill (or put it in the freezer for a bit like I did !!)

The result? A gorgeously appealing, bright, vibrant, and super flavorful salad perfect for summertime or anytime!! 

Its especially helpful to get you out of that bad mood!!

From my home to yours, ENJOY!
















.

YUMMMM. Roasted Lemon Asparagus.....

Strange title right?  

How good can asparagus be?  Good enought to say YUMMMM??  It's not like they are drool worthy fair,  It's just a vegetable for cryin' out loud!

There is something to be said about satisfying food.  Eating something that is sub-par is....well....SUB PAR, DISAPPOINTING, LACKLUSTER, and UNINTERESTING. ( I have a million other words, but you get the point)  

I decided I simply cannot have boring food...yes, hard to imagine I came to that conclusion, but alas - it is true.

Last night I was telling you how tired I was.....what I didn't say is that I threw my back out on Saturday.  I know, what a dork!!!  Jogging on the treadmill and I stumbled.  YEP, get the laughter out now.  It was funny....but man did I ever through my hips and lower back out.  I have been in pain ever since and by last night, I was really hurting.  That made producing a good dinner hard for me to put together. UGGGHHH!!!!  We had the most boring dinner ever!!  Doctored up canned soup with flat bread crumbles.....yes, it filled me up and yes, I stayed on my points.  But SOOOO unsatisfying.  It made me want some little tidbit of deliciousness, all night long, which I didnt get.  (can you hear me pouting??)

And that brings me back to square one.

There is something really good about a great vegetable.  One that is cooked simply but in a different manner than you would normally prepare it.  That's definately not boring!!  Usually Asapragus are boiled or steamed and served with butter, Hollandaise, or a cheese sauce.   Obviously not LITE and way out of my particular calorie budget! 

God created Aparagus to be perfect little satisfying "sticks" of deliciousness.  This method is my favorite way to serve and eat them. (Even if I did have the calories to spend on fattening sauces!!)

Start with about a pound of Asparagus for 2-4 people....

Prep your Asaparagus by snapping off the tough ends and rinse them under cold water. 

I make these a lot when the "little guys" are in season, but I make a pound or less.  For Easter, I made 4 lbs!  it's very hard to get 4 lbs pan roasted and looking perfect but they were still yummy - just know that yours will be much browner than these ones!

Heat a large pan (I use a large  enameled cast iron pot) and add some olive oil....let's see....you probably want a good 2 tablespoons.  Get the pan hot.

While the pan is heating, pat the asparagus dry with paper towels....they don't have to be perfectly dry, but  enough so they dont spatter when the hit the oil.

Now, with tongs, turn them over, let them cook a bit then turn them again...you should just see them start to turn golden - see above pic.

Next add lemon juice.  For a normal batch, I squeeze the juice of one lemon into the pan. For this batch I squeezed 2-1/2!   Then turn and turn them until well coated and juice is evaporated.  TASTE ONE!  If it's not lemony enough, add more.  If too much add a touch of water and let it absorb. Continue to turn them over until they are the doneness you like.  I prefer crisp tender, with some really browned ones.

Add a little salt and pepper and put into a bowl to serve with some sliced lemons - Why?  Because its so pretty!

The result is a very rich tasting asparagus, with bright "Spring" flavor...SUPER SATISFYING....and you will never miss the butter or heavy sauces!!  Really, really!!

WW members, add points for the amount of oil only.

From my home to yours, ENJOY!