Roasted Asparagus Salad with Arugula and Hazelnuts | UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Asparagus is an excellent source of folate, a B vitamin which may help to lower the risk of cancers of the colon, pancreas, and esophagus. Arugula is considered a cruciferous vegetable, containing compounds which may inhibit the development of certain cancers, as well. Cook’s note: Peeling the asparagus gets rid of the stringy, some- times tough outer layer and exposes the sweet flesh underneath. To peel it, first snap off and discard the tough ends, then use a regular vegetable peeler with a light touch to shave off just the skin. This technique is not necessary with thin asparagus spears.

Ingredients

1/3 cup hazelnuts (may substitute pistachios or walnuts)
2 bunches (~ 2lbs.) asparagus
2 T plus 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
4 cups loosely packed arugula

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F
Place the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and into the oven for 5-7 minutes as it preheats, until aromatic and browned.
Transfer to a plate or, if you’d like to remove the skins for a more refined texture and appearance, wrap them in a towel and give them a good rub. The majority of the skins will come right off
Coarsely chop the hazelnuts
Put the asparagus on the same baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with the 2 tsp. of olive oil, toss gently to evenly coat the asparagus
Bake for 8 minutes, until just barely tender
Put the lemon juice, the 2 T of olive oil, and ground pepper in a small bowl and mix well with a small whisk
Put the arugula in a large bowl. Drizzle with half of the dressing and toss until evenly coated. Mound the arugula on individual plates or a platter and arrange the asparagus over it. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and sprinkle the hazelnuts on top

Yields 4 Servings

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 288; Total Fat 26g; Saturated Fat 3g; Carbohydrate 13g; Fiber 7g; Protein 8g; Sodium 6mg