Tortilla Wrapped Asparagus with Parmesan

All I wanted was a simple side dish... I had asparagus, tortillas and parmesan, and THIS happened! But how cool are these? Plus, you can grab the asparagus spears with your fingers, so eating is extra fun!

Oh, this is healthy too: I've done puff pastry wrapped asparagus in the past. I've also used prosciutto and bacon to wrap the spears. But, these provide the same amount of style, without the added calories, fat and salt.

Combining a veggie and a carb creates a double-duty side dish: Since the asparagus is wrapped with tortillas, you now have a double-duty side dish, a carbohydrate and vegetable in one bite. A great partner for pasta, and grilled and roasted meats, poultry and fish.

Serving more people? If you want to make a big batch of these to serve at a party, simply double or triple this recipe. I used 24 asparagus spears and 2 tortillas, plus the sprinkling of parmesan. You can easily make 100 of these... just get some help wrapping.

Tortilla Wrapped Asparagus with Parmesan

24 asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed
2 small soft flour tortillas
Wooden picks (I use 24 wooden picks and split each one in half)
Cooking spray, preferably olive oil cooking spray
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to the spears to ice water to prevent further cooking. Drain and pat dry.
Slice the tortillas into 24 thin strips, about 1/4-inch wide. Wrap the tortilla strips around the asparagus spears and secure both ends with the halved wooden picks.
Arrange the asparagus on the prepared baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Season with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.
Bake for 10 minutes, until the tortillas just start to turn golden brown.
Serve warm or room temperature.

Serves 4