This is a deliciously simple salad you can make for lunch or as a side with a larger meal. Last October my mother visited San Francisco. She’s one of those people who from seemingly nothing can whip up a restaurant grade meal. Every lunch featured a soup, a lovely salad, some specialty bread (often walnut whole wheat), and cheese. Everything she made was quick, simple, and fresh. A definite upgrade from my usual grilled cheese panini before her arrival. The great thing is that I’ve managed to keep it up after her departure. I don’t usually have a soup, salad, and sandwich together like when she was here but I can do a salad with a sandwich or soup with some good bread and feel satisfied without much effort.

This asparagus goat cheese salad has become a regular lunch feature at home. I just chop up the asparagus and sautee them in some olive oil for a few minutes. I add it to a bowl of lettuce with some good creamy goat cheese and top it with a light lemony dressing and some toasted walnuts and have it with a  slice of whole wheat baguette.  Couldn’t be any easier!

Ingredients

• 6 Asparagus
• Lettuce
• Goat cheese
• Pine nuts
• Lemon (1)
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Maple Syrup (optional)

Directions

• Cut an inch off the bottom of each asparagus and then cut each asparagus into 3 even piece

• Make the dressing my adding 4 tbsp of olive oil, some lemon, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper (1/4tsp), and a tsp of maple syrup (optional).

• Put 2 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan and sautee the asparagus on medium heat for about 4 mins.  Taste the asparagus to check if it is ready. It should not be tough but still have a little crunch.

• Add some lettuce to a bowl and toss with the dressing

• Add the goat cheese and asparagus and toss it once or twice so that the cheese doesn’t get mushy

• At the end top it with the toasted pine nuts. Enjoy!