Dairy-Free Roasted "Cheesy" Asparagus + Tomatoes

I hope everyone is having a good summer. Wow, is it now officially summer. I have taken a wee bit of a break from social media, and a well needed one. I felt as if I needed time away from the digital sphere and just work on things in the real world.

I did not, and still do not miss social media. I would not use it except as a writer it is necessary to have an online presence.  Anyways, I am about six weeks too late posting this asaparagus recipe, but it is well worth it regardless of its timing.
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Roasting vegetables is one of the most common forms of cooking produce. However, adding a twist with nutritional yeast gives this a cheesy flavor, which is now my preferred method of cooking and consuming asparagus.

Asparagus is one of those seasonal vegetables that has a unique history and past. It is believed that humans have consumed asparagus for over two-thousand years. A distant cousin of the onion family, asparagus originates in the Mediterranean. 
The Greeks considered asparagus to be sacred and was used as an aphrodisiac. The ancient Greek doctor, Hippocrates, used this vegetable to treat symptoms of diarrhea and urethra pain. 

The Romans ate asparagus as an entrée or alongside cooked fish. Europe forgot about asparagus during the Middle Ages, but made a comeback in the 16th Century as it was served by the royal courts. In the 17th Century, the French cultivated asparagus since King Louis XIV was very fond of it. By the 18thCentury, asparagus was available in the markets. What a history, and that’s the shortened version. 
For a more Mediterranean flare, I added a variety of colorful cherry tomatoes, which also tastes delightful covered in nutritional yeast. Enjoy!

Dairy-Free Roasted "Cheesy" Asparagus + Tomatoes
Serves - 4 

Ingredients: 
1 lb. of asparagus (or 1 bunch)
10 oz. package of cherry tomatoes (used sugar plum)
​1-2 tbsp olive oil
2.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper + garlic salt 

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the last 1-2 inches off the ends of the asparagus. Place the asaparagus and tomatoes into a bowl and mix with olive oil. Mix the nutritional yeast and the spices together. Sprinkle over the vegetables (save about a teaspoon) and mix until well-covered. Arrange the  vegetables on a baking sheet and roast for 21 minutes.  

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