It's artichoke season! Indulge!
Artichokes contain cynarin and silymarin. These two antioxidants also support the liver by stimulating bile production and helping the body to digest fats and eliminate LDL cholesterol and triglycerides! A medium-sized, globe artichoke contains nearly 7 gms of fiber to aid digestion and to help move toxins out of the body. And there's more: artichokes have more protein than most other vegetables. Not convinced yet? Artichokes also deliver folate, vitamin C, K, magnesium, manganese, and potassium.
It's a process to eat an artichoke, which is great because it helps you slow down and appreciate and digest this beautiful plant.
Easy preparation: boil them in lightly salted water for 30 minutes. Dip the leaves and the heart into a mixture of homemade mayonnaise, lemon juice and Dijon mustard.
Or you can dip them into a vinaigrette.
I am such an artichoke fan, I use jarred artichokes throughout the year. Look for ones that are preserved in water with minimal sodium. Add the artichoke hearts to sauteed vegetables, salads, pasta sauce and soups.
But the fresh ones are the best!!