Pasta with Aspagus Cream Sauce and Roasted Asparagus

So, I have been going to the gym for like an hour and a half 5 days a week for the last few weeks.  Seeing how I am working my tush off, I am trying not to undo all that hard work with my dinner.  I have always been pretty conscientious about what I make for dinner and try to do healthy. 

I bought an obscene amount of asparagus at Sam's the other day.  It was starting to wilt, so I knew I had to use it tonight.  Had this brain child and am so glad I did.  This pasta was so creamy and really delicious.  I wanted a creamy sauce, but didn't want the guilt.  After trying this method, I will be trying it with all sorts of veggies.

PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS CREAM SAUCE AND ROASTED ASPARAGUS

INGREDIENTS:

for the sauce:

• 2-3 pounds of asparagus (stems, keep spears for roasting)
• 1/2 cup milk (or chicken broth)
•  1 TBSP flour
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt) or 2 cloves garlic
• 4 TBSP pesto
• juice from 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

For pasta:

• olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 TBSP Italian bread crumbs
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 1 lb. cooked pasta
• Pasta water or milk to thin sauce
• Parmesan cheese for topping

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425.  Put on water for pasta (salt it well) and a pan for steam the asparagus stems.  Clean asparagus and cut of the spears and place the spears on a baking sheet.   Cut off the other end stalky part (I see where it breaks naturally and cut the rest about that length.)
For the sauce:  Discard stalky ends and place the other stems in steam basket.  Steam for about 15 minutes, or until very tender and no longer bright green.  Place stems in blender with milk, flour, pesto, onion powder and garlic powder and lemon juice.  Puree until smooth.   Place in pan and heat over low.  Add Parmesan cheese just before right about when pasta is cooked.

 While the stems are steaming, drizzle the spears on the baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, some salt and pepper and one clove of fresh garlic.  Toss and place in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven (cook pasta here). Sprinkle spears with bread crumbs. Add tomatoes to baking sheet (drizzle with oil, salt and pepper them) and return to oven for 5 more minutes.
Dump pasta and sauce together and stir.  Add veggies and stir until combined.   Sprinkle with  some more Parmesan cheese.