It’s spring! Everything is turning green … that means it’s time for my favorite spring vegetables. Like asparagus. And spinach. I’m in heaven whenever I can have fresh asparagus and spinach from the garden.
And this year I have one more wonderful thing to harvest from the “garden” … garlic. I snagged a couple clumps of garlic from my mom and dad’s garden and planted them in a pot to bring home. Now I have a big mess of delicious fresh garlic ready anytime I want them. I love that. I love garlic.
And I really, really love these little green toasts. Aren’t they pretty?
Asparagus on Green Garlic Crostini
Inspired by the Full Belly Sisters’ Green Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- 15 – 20 fresh asparagus spears
- 6 fresh cloves of garlic (the whole plant … complete with scapes … if you don’t have fresh garlic, you can substitute garlic cloves
- 2 cups packed full of fresh spinach leaves
- 1 avocado, peeled and pitted
- 1 oz light cream cheese
- French bread slices
- Freshly shredded parmesan cheese
- Pinon nuts (pine nuts)
Directions:
- Wash the asparagus and set it on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Roast in the oven at 450 for about 5 – 7 minutes or until the asparagus is barely crisp tender (and still bright green). Chop into about 1 to 2 inch slices. Set aside.
- Clean the garlic, chop off the roots and any bad peel, and toss it into a handi chopper or food processor with the fresh spinach leaves. Whir until it’s all chopped fine.
- Mash the avocado in a bowl, then cream in the cream cheese to make a smooth blend.
- Stir the chopped spinach & garlic into the avocado/cream cheese to make a wonderful luscious green paste.
- Lightly toast the french bread slices, then spread each toast with a liberal amount of the pretty green creamy paste.
- Arrange the asparagus on the toasts (I arranged them in a fan shape … not that you can really tell …), then sprinkle lightly with parmesan and a few pinon nuts.
- Put the toasts on a baking sheet and bake at 450 for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the pinons are lightly toasted.
- Serve immediately.
This recipe was shared at Newlyweds Recipe Linky, Tastetastic Thursdays, and Fit & Fabulous Fridays.
14 comments
Ann, these look INSANE!!! 🙂
They are SO good, Lauren!
Oh how I would LOVE to have at least one of these for supper… “4.Stir the chopped spinach & garlic into the avocado/cream cheese to make a wonderful luscious green paste.
5.Lightly toast the french bread slices, then spread each toast with a liberal amount of the pretty green creamy paste.” To drool over! No, really! Thank you dear Ann! 🙂 xoxo
Thank you Michele! You are so sweet. I’m pretty sure we are like foodie twins or something because we seem to love all the same things!
What in interesting combo with the avocado, asparagus and spinach. The green is so pretty. And you make me wish I weren’t a terrible gardener!
Honestly, Brianne, I’m not a very good gardener either! The weeds take over and I forget to water … and if I do manage to grow something, the deer eat it! It’s awful! I am just lucky my parents are such amazing gardeners and they always have way more than they can eat! I can do pretty well with growing food in pots, but in a garden I’m hopeless.
Oooh, some of my favorite foods – avocado, asparagus, garlic – all on bread! *swoon*
Mine too … I think I could eat these every day! But now I’m all out of avocado 😐
I am so bookmarking this recipe. When my teenagers are gone I am so cooking this!!!!!
Do it! 🙂
Oh my gosh these are insanely gorgeous.
they are insanely yummy too 🙂
Ann, I wish this wasn’t virtual. I could eat one of these RIGHT NOW! Book-marking this recipe and hope to make it soon. ; )
Oh I hope you do! I know you are going to love it. I wish I had the ingredients to make them again today!