Anatomy of an Artichoke

According to legend, the artichoke was created when the smitten Greek God Zeus turned his object of affection into a thistle after being rejected.  Despite this prickly beginning, the ancients considered the artichoke full of health benefits, using it as an aphrodisiac, a diuretic, a breath freshener, and even a deodorant.  The artichokes we eat are actually the buds of a purple flower that can grow more than 3 feet tall.  Because of their tough exterior, artichokes take some careful preparation, but your efforts will reap nutritional rewards—the veggie is a good source of folate, dietary fiber, and vitamins C and K.  Artichokes are also packed with antioxidants; they’re No.7 on the USDA’s top 20 Antioxidant-rich foods list.  Not to be confused with the Jerusalem artichoke or the Chinese artichoke (neither has any relation to the common globe artichoke), the vegetable is native to the Mediterranean.  But Castroville, California, where three-quarters of all the artichokes grown in the state are harvested, proclaims itself the “Artichoke Center of the world.”  Eat the tender ends of the leaves after boiling or steaming—through the best part is the flavorful heart – Chloe Thompson

     

Artichoke Spinach Gratin  RECIPE

 

Makes 8 Servings

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 medium red pepper, chopped
2. 1 medium onion, chopped
3. 1 tsp. olive oil
4. 3 cloves garlic, minced
5. 2 10-oz. boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
6. 8 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened
7. 8 oz. low-fat sour cream
8. 2 14 oz. artichoke hearts in water, drained, rinsed, sliced into quarters
9. 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (dry, not packed in oil)
10. 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
11. 1/4 cup bread crumbs
12. 1 tsp. paprika
13. Salt and pepper to taste

PREPAREATION:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sauté red pepper and onion in olive oil 5 minutes; add garlic and continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add spinach, cream cheese, and sour cream.  Combine and heat until blended.
4. Stir the artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes.
5. Pour into lightly sprayed 9x9 inch pan or 1 quart gratin dish.
6. Combine cheese, bread crumbs, and paprika.  Sprinkle evenly over spinach.
7. Bake 30-40 minutes or until golden.

Source:  Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD, WebMD director of Nutrition

Nutrition Information Per Serving:

185 calories, 10g protein; 12g carbohydrate,7g fat (4g Sat fat), calories from fat 34%, 21mg cholesterol,5g fiber,402mg sodium.

March/April Issue WebMD 2010.

Golden Chickpea & Artichoke Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

1. 1 Tbsp olive oil, plus additional
2. 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained
3. 3-7 artichokes hearts, drained and sliced lengthwise
4. 1/4 to 1/3 Cup sliced almonds toasted, (if desired)
5. 1 tsp. lemon juice
6. 1/4 tsp. salt
7. 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in seasoned wok or cast-iron skillet.  Add chickpeas and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring only occasionally to prevent burning., until chickpeas are golden brown.  When done, transfer chickpeas to large mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Add more oil to pan and sauté sliced artichoke hearts until browned.  Add artichokes to bowl of chickpeas.
3. Toast almonds in dry skillet (if desired) and then grind them in food processor.  Add almonds to artichokes and chickpeas.  Season salad with lemon juice and salt and stir in chopped parsley.  Serve warm or at room temperature, adjusting seasoning, if needed.

Source:  Vegan Yum Yum by Lauren Ulm, Health Communications, Inc., 2009)

Follower Sunday: “Thank You Readership!”

Each Sunday, I thank my readership for their loyalty and dedication to my blog, by providing a healthy recipe.  To those that know, this is a healthy repeat, but for those that are unaware and are new to the blog, this is my way of “giving back.”  It is also a way to “Pay it Forward.”

CSPI shared this tip of the month and a healthy recipe using artichokes on their January 2009 Calendar.  I thought it was quick and easy and that you might like this too.   For a quick, healthy pizza, purchase a whole wheat crust and top with lightly shredded mozzarella, a spicy red pepper sauce, sliced onion red pepper, and chopped artichokes hearts—or your own favorite veggies.  You can even add some spinach, with diced tomatoes with some basil.  Follow the baking instruction on the crust package. 

Enjoy!