Vegetables are integral to a healthy diet, but cooks often try to enhance their flavor by coating them with butter, melted cheese, or even too much olive oil.

My husband often reminisces about the asparagus frittatas his mother and grandmother used to make in the summer. However, when I tried to replicate this dish, mine never tasted quite the same. Always on a quest to lighten the food I prepare, I didn’t use nearly as much oil as they did when sauteing the asparagus before adding the eggs. Consequently, the asparagus in my version was more al dente and didn’t match his memory of what a frittata should taste like.

Alternatively, I tried partially steaming the asparagus and then sauteing it with a bit of olive oil. Unfortunately, this version lacked the flavor we sought.

What made the difference, though, was when I began roasting the asparagus spears at 400°degrees F for about 10-15 minutes with a drizzle of olive oil and a bit of sea salt. Roasting intensified the natural flavors of the asparagus and delivered a whole new depth.

After roasting the asparagus, I cut it into bite-size pieces, heat a saute pan coated  with nonstick spray, and add the vegetable to a combo of beaten eggs and egg whites.  A real winner!

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