ARTICHOKES. Got 20 minutes? Need something to keep your hands busy? Artichokes to the rescue! Not only are they fun and time-consuming to eat, they pack a pretty powerful nutrient punch consisting of fiber, protein, Vitamin C, iron, and assorted antioxidants. And as Miss Piggy once said, "After all the trouble you go to, you get about as much actual food from eating an artichoke as licking 30 or 40 postage stamps." I can attest to this -- I love them so much that I once ate four, I kid you not, and I wasn't even close to feeling full, but I was completely exhausted. A nap ensued.
An adult-sized specimen has only about 60 calories between the heart itself and the little bit you scrape off of each leaf. The concern, of course, is your choice of dipping sauces. Butter! I'm thinking butter! But I've discovered that butter mixed with fresh lemon juice is just the right combination for dipping. Plain lemon juice is also good, of course, and light or nonfat mayonnaise mixed with lemon juice and little curry powder is another favorite.
Here's my quickie cooking method: Cut off the stem and trim the sharp little tips off the ends of the leaves. Put the artichoke in a microwavable dish with about an inch of water in the bottom. Drizzle it with a tiny bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, or your choice of seasonings. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 10-15 minutes, until a sharp knife poked down into the middle indicates that the heart is tender. Let it sit for a minute so you don't burn your little hands, and then dig in!
An adult-sized specimen has only about 60 calories between the heart itself and the little bit you scrape off of each leaf. The concern, of course, is your choice of dipping sauces. Butter! I'm thinking butter! But I've discovered that butter mixed with fresh lemon juice is just the right combination for dipping. Plain lemon juice is also good, of course, and light or nonfat mayonnaise mixed with lemon juice and little curry powder is another favorite.
Here's my quickie cooking method: Cut off the stem and trim the sharp little tips off the ends of the leaves. Put the artichoke in a microwavable dish with about an inch of water in the bottom. Drizzle it with a tiny bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, or your choice of seasonings. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 10-15 minutes, until a sharp knife poked down into the middle indicates that the heart is tender. Let it sit for a minute so you don't burn your little hands, and then dig in!
