Low Carb Recipe: Artichoke

 

I've always loved artichokes. But if you've never made one yourself, you might not realize how easy it is to have a low carb snack, just 13 grams of carbs for one artichoke. Now if you do know how to make them and have your own way of cooking and seasoning them, that's fine, this is just my way. 

So the first thing I do is cut about 1-2 inches off the top and cut the stem down to about an inch. The stem is stringy so I don't eat it. The top cutting just makes it easier to cook it all the way through and since you don't eat the top of the leaves, this doesn't waste anything. 

Then just put it in a pot with enough water to almost cover it, salt the water really well and cover it. Boil for around 30 minutes or until you can stick a form into the side of the stem really easily, like checking if a potato is done when boiling them for mashed potatoes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. To be sure the middle gets done too. Use a slotted spoon to remove from the water and let sit in a colander with the cut side down for 3 minutes to get most of the water run out.

This is what it looks like when done.

Now you can start taking the leaves off. Now you see the white part of the leaf? That's the part you eat plus just a little of the green part right above it. You just drag your teeth across it and bite that part of the leaf off. I make a melted butter sauce with a little salt and dip each leaf into it before I bite it. 

After all the leaves are gone, it starts to look like this. You can still eat the white part of the leaves until they get too small to eat. 

At that point you are left with this. You take a spoon and carefully scoop out those inedible thorny leaves. 

It usually comes out really easily and you are left with the artichoke heart. The best part! Dip it in some melted butter and enjoy. Have you made artichokes before? Will you try it now?