Roasted Asparagus Salad - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (about 1/2 pt.)
1/2 chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 head bibb lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 avocado, sliced

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425\u00b0F
Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus; remove scales with a vegetable peeler if desired.
Stir together 1 T. olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped basil, 1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt in a large bowl.
Add asparagus to olive oil mixture, and toss gently to coat. Place asparagus on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake asparagus at 42\u00b0F for 13 to 15 minutes or to desired degree of tenderness. Cool 10 minutes.
Whisk together balsamic vinegar, garlic, and remaining 7 T of olive oil, 1 T. basil and 1/4 teaspoons salt.
Toss together tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and take out 1 T. of the balsamic mixture you made and toss together.
Arrange lettuce on a large serving plate or large bowl. Top with tomato mixture and asparagus. Add avocado just before serving. Drizzle with the remaining balsamic vinegar mixture.
Note: To make ahead, toss together tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion without the dressing. Store these ready to use ingredients in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 hours. The dressing and asparagus can also be made up to 8 hours before serving.