SPRING DAY 45

Eat Pretty Recipe

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DETOXIFYING ASPARAGUS SPEARS WITH CREAMY SCALLION DIP

Asparagus boosts the anti-aging, detoxifying antioxidant glutathione in your body, but when we cook it (and, too often, overcook it), it loses some of its most beautifying nutrition. Raw asparagus has a satisfying snap and a savory depth that pairs well with this creamy dip, packed with its own dose of detoxifying, collagen-protecting phytochemicals and skin-clearing zinc.

SERVES 4 TO 6

1 tsp plus 1 Tbsp coconut oil

3 scallions, white and crisp green parts only, chopped

1 shallot, finely chopped

1/2 cup [60 g] raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours or overnight, drained and rinsed

1 cup [100 g] cooked white beans

1/8 tsp unrefined salt

1/4 cup [60 ml] fresh lemon juice

1 bunch organic asparagus, tough ends removed

In a small sauté pan or skillet, melt the 1 tsp coconut oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and shallot, reserving 2 tsp of the chopped scallion greens, and sauté until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a high-powered blender or food processor, combine the cashews, the 1 Tbsp coconut oil, the cooked scallions and shallot, the beans, the reserved raw scallion greens, the salt, and the lemon juice. Process until the dip is creamy and free of any lumps, about 5 minutes, pausing frequently to scrape down the sides of the blender or food processor. Serve at room temperature with the raw asparagus spears for dipping.