Artichokes

While artichoke hearts are often the most widely available and consumed part of the artichoke, don’t so discarding the artichoke leafs quite so quick- the leaves are actually where many of the most powerful nutrients in the artichoke are stored. Artichokes are usually in their peak season is March through May, but are also in season on a smaller scale in October.

BUY IT Make sure the artichoke leaves are intact. When choosing your artichokes, look for tightly-packed leaves; splayed leaves are a sign your vegetables is less than fresh.

PREP IT Before cooking artichokes, wash and trim the top, trim the remaining thorns, and slice off the stem, as that it may be bitter in taste. Artichokes can be cooked in a pan of water, you may also add herbs and spices for added flavor. Once cooked it can be eaten hot or cold.

ADD IT Restaurants offer artichokes prepared in many ways–dips, stuffed, grilled, breaded and fried–but, even though artichokes look kind of intimidating, they are easy to make at home. One trap to avoid, though, is to be careful how much oil, salt and calories you add to the artichoke in the form of dips and sauces. Jarred marinated artichoke hearts are delicious but be careful of the calories that come from the oil. Frozen artichokes are a great option as they are easy to cook with and are as low in calories as fresh.