These easy, baked asparagus fries are a fun and healthy alternative to traditional French fries. Serve them as a side with your favorite burger. Slideshow: More Asparagus Recipes
How to Make It
When shopping, choose asparagus spears of medium thickness. They shouldn't be too thin in order to hold their shape. Trim the hard ends of each asparagus and discard.
In a shallow dish, whisk together the lemon juice, water and chia meal. Set aside and let it form a thin gel.
Mix the rest of ingredients in a bowl or shake them in a Ziplock bag to combine thoroughly. Pour about 1/3 cup of this mixture onto the large plate.
Preheat oven to 395°. Dip the asparagus one spear at a time into the lemon-chia mixture, then transfer to a plate with the dry coating. Using a fork, generously coat the asparagus, avoiding touching the spear and the coating with your hands in order to keep the coating as dry as possible.
Carefully transfer the coated asparagus spears onto a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Continue to add more of the coating mixture to the plate as it gets used up. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the coating is dry and golden.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately. The leftovers will get soggy in the fridge, but they will be still delicious and great for placing between a slice of bread along with the burgers and vegetables.
