[Veggies All Year] Artichokes

Celebrate veggies all year long with a new vegetable each week! This week, we're highlighting artichokes.

I am SO excited about this week's veggie ~ artichokes! They are my absolute favorite veggie. I love love love artichokes. Always have. Always will.

Seeing as they're not really the most budget friendly veggie, I try to only buy them when they are on sale -- nothing like a 10 for $10 on artichokes! My own personal heaven.

I also always have cans of artichoke hearts in my pantry because you never know when you'll need that delicious veggie that can go in dips, dinners, or stand alone & be pretty.

Let's take a look at why my favorite veggie is a super one to love...

Artichoke Nutrition:

*1 medium artichoke (cooked) has 64 calories, 0.4g fat (0.1g saturated fat), 72mg sodium, 14.3g carbohydrates, 10.3g fiber, 3.5g protein, 15% Vitamin C, 22% Vitamin K, 27% Folate, 13% Magnesium, 10% Potassium, 13% Manganese

Note: these nutrition facts are based on the whole artichoke, not edible portion, so it is likely a little lower

Artichoke Fun Facts:

*Artichokes are the immature flowers of a thistle plant {in the sunflower family}.

*Artichokes have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all vegetables, and cooking artichokes increases its antioxidant levels.

*Artichokes have been shown to promote liver health and improve digestion thanks to the fiber content and certain antioxidants. The antioxidants in artichokes also help improve your HDL to LDL cholesterol ratio.

*One of the antioxidants in artichokes can alter your taste buds making things taste sweeter than they actually are.

*Most wine experts suggest that eating artichokes with wine will ruin the taste of the wine.

*Artichokes are the official vegetable of the state of California. Almost all the artichokes grown commercially in the US are grown in California.

Artichoke Tips:

*When shopping for artichokes, look for artichokes that have bright green, compacted leaves. They should feel heavy for their size. Avoid artichokes that have turned brown, have leaves that are pulling away from each other, and/or are shriveled.

*Smaller artichokes are usually more tender. Artichokes that are rounder have a bigger heart {my favorite part!}

*Artichokes' peak season is between March and May.

*Store artichokes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days

*Check out these videos on Preparing Artichokes and lots of different Cooking Methods

*You can steam, boil, microwave, grill, bake, and slow-cook your artichokes. My personal favorite is steaming.

*Adding lemon juice to the artichokes will help them stay a more vibrant green color during cooking.

Artichoke Recipes: