Sweet and Sour Asparagus and Red Pepper

Look at that fabulous shimmering glaze! That lacquer is a simple and flavorful blend of sweet and sour sauce and hoisin sauce - kicked up with toasted sesame seeds and cilantro. You need a handful of ingredients to transform everyday vegetables into a stunning side dish!

And I mean STUNNING. The sauce is a sweet-tangy gloss, and you need just 2 ingredients! I used sweet and sour stir-fry sauce, but I've also used regular sweet and sour sauce (which can be used as a dipping sauce too). I coupled the sweetness of the sauce with salty hoisin sauce and created a magical balance of flavors. Both are sold in the Asian foods section of the grocery store.

About the veggies: I chose asparagus and bell pepper because I wanted long, thin strip of both. Plus, since they're the same size/shape, they roast to perfection at the same time. You could also use snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, and broccolini. It's a great way to clean out your produce drawer!

This is also a fantastic way to get kids to try new vegetables!

Sweet and Sour Asparagus and Red Pepper

1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons sweet and sour sauce of choice (including stir-fry sauce)
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (sold pre-toasted; or toast in a dry skillet over low heat for a few minutes)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Arrange the asparagus and bell pepper on the prepared pan, add the peanut oil and toss to coat. Add the sweet and sour sauce and hoisin sauce and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Top with sesame seeds and cilantro and serve.
Serves 4