This shaved asparagus and blood orange salad is topped with toasted quinoa for some crunch. It’s healthy, bright and refreshing.

I’ve done some awkward things in my life.

Trying to shave thin asparagus, stalk by stalk for this salad is definitely one of them.

Or maybe that’s more along the lines of just stupid.

Shaved asparagus and blood orange salad with toasted quinoa

Awkward would be spending 45 minutes in your foyer trying to take your own headshot against the only white plain background in your entire house, your front door.

It’s mid afternoon, I’m in my typical wardrobe which consists of whatever I’m going to wear to workout in later + a hoodie + fuzzy slippers.

Sometimes I upgrade the hoodie but only on days that require web cam usage.

Those days also get a touch of makeup and a straight iron through my hair if I’m feeling ambitious.

Yesterday was not one of those days.

Shaved asparagus and blood orange salad

So an email comes in asking for a headshot for the local newspaper (details of which I’ll leave out because who knows if it’ll even happen) ASAP.

Which would be fine and all….IF I HAD A HEADSHOT.

But I don’t because headshots remind me of school pictures and there’s not a single school picture I can actually remember liking in my lifetime.

Do you ever see yourself in pictures and think “shit, I actually LOOK like that?”

Like, if that’s what the camera is telling me, it’s gotta be true even though in my head I swear I look different (read: better).

Apparently not.

Anyway, so what does one do in a headshot-less situation such as this?

Get dressed, do your makeup, tame your hair and bust out the tripod you bought last week to take pictures of yourself for 45 minutes straight hoping the FedEx guy doesn’t happen to come by while you run back and forth between the camera and front door.

Asparagus and blood orange salad

It was awkward.

28 pictures and they all sucked.

I cut off half my arms, look artificially tan (even though I’m really white as a ghost right now) and somehow managed to look pissed off even though I swear I was making it a point to smile every time.

I think I’m just meant to be behind the camera rather than in front of it.

Taking pictures of shaved asparagus salads almost too pretty to eat.

5 from 1 vote

Shaved Asparagus Blood Orange Salad with Toasted Quinoa

Servings: 2 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
This shaved asparagus and blood orange salad is topped with toasted quinoa for some crunch. It's healthy, bright and refreshing.

Ingredients 

  • 1 blood orange, rind removed and cut into segments
  • 1/3 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed and shaved with a vegetable peeler
  • 2 tablespoons red quinoa
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • honey

Instructions 

  • Heat coconut oil in a small pot over medium high heat.
  • Add quinoa and toast for about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, plate the shaved asparagus and blood orange.
  • Top with the toasted quinoa and drizzle with honey to taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1SERVINGCalories: 75kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 37IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Salads
Cuisine: American
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Founder and Writer at Running to the Kitchen | About

Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.

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16 Comments

  1. Gina,

    Thanks for giving me the link to include in my upcoming Band Fruit Fundraiser Recipe Round Up! It will be published on 12/4/2013!

  2. Beautiful salad! I absolutely adore blood oranges. Mainly for their color. They’re just so vibrant and sweet. Curious how they’d pair with asparagus!

  3. Lol, I HATE having pictures taken of myself. I agree that we tend to look better in our minds than we actually do, which is a depressing fact.

    Cool idea to shave the asparagus for ‘noodles’. :-)

  4. i dont even want to look at my school pictures- godddd

    this salad looks delicious- i love blood oranges :) and your resources page is wonderful

  5. Pinned on a CL favorite recipe board. Now I have something wonderful to do with the rest of the beats I have. And I did just buy asparagus too. Never thought of shaving it. Brilliant! Beautiful pics, Gina. Envious of your talent. ;)

  6. Mmm like that! I haven’t had a ton of love for red quinoa but I like how you used it as a garnish almost, rather than the main component of the meal.

  7. I’m sure your pics are far better than you are giving yourself credit for Gina! I certainly do not miss school picture day…I always had to show up for the retakes, lol.
    We are obsessed with asparagus and I’ve been hunting for new twists for it. Never ever would have thought to shave it for a salad. Gorgeous!

  8. Absolutely stunning pictures Gina! I am loving this salad. I love blood oranges but somehow have not had them yet this year. I’m with you on the headshot. I don’t have one either and keep thinking I should get one but keep putting it off.

  9. Whenever I’m told to pose for a photo I always look a bit cheesy in my smile, only when I don’t know my photo is being taken does it come out better in general.