Christ is in our midst!

Hi my beloveds! There is a recipe I’ve been meaning to share for some time, like many of the recipes, but it takes hours or days even to share the nutritional benefits of each ingredient in the recipe. This is a veganized version of a recipe I came across at a Greek store. Alas, today I am just going to share the recipe and not go into depth at the moment about the nutrition. I need to paint moreso today than write about nutrition at the moment. We have had terrible news about our eldest dog; she is not doing well, from what the vet told us. Sarah and I have had our differences but she is the sous chef that was always there, barking orders at me. I often told her, I wonder who is the chef of the kitchen, you or me?

Greek braised artichokes have been a recent spring favorite of mine. This dish contains carrots, one of Sarah’s favorite foods, potatoes and artichokes. Great Lent is a very busy time so I opt out and buy artichokes from Mediterranean Gourmet where the artichokes are prepared already. Luckily, they also have a recipe on the back of the bag. I like to veganize recipes on packaged bags- this one was so easy. I opt out on the eggs; in my opinion it is not needed. Plus, it really is a great lenten meal to serve on the weekends or week days, if you have a blessing to have oil during the fast.

What I like about this artichoke brand is that they are grown in naturally fertile lands and are greatly benefited from the Mediterranean climate and extended sunlight. This enables the chlorophyll to fully develop, with minimal use of fertilizers and pesticides.

If you are serving a large gathering, or have very hungry family members, this is the perfect dish to add if you are cooking a Mediterranean meal. It pairs well with other vegetables and rice dishes. Sweetness from the carrots has a beautiful volume. The lemon juice brings out the brightness. The dill, though, is the secret ingredient that ties the flavors together like a beautiful bow.

Artichokes can be intimidating to many. If you want and have the time to go the fresh route instead of frozen, I am adding tips. How do you know which one is right to buy, how do you store the artichoke, how do you prepare. It can be daunting but below you will be relieved. Because, as Vegetables Illustrated puts it, “90% of the work that goes into preparing most artichoke dishes is cleaning the artichokes. By the time you’ve finished trimming away the inedible parts, it seem like you’re throwing away more of the vegetable than you’re keeping! But it’s well worth it to peel back those layers to discover the hidden, delicious inner edible portions.”

Anatomy

• The entire exterior of the artichoke (including several layers of leaves), as well as the fuzzy choke and tiny pointy leaves at the center, cannot be eaten 
• The tender inner heart, leaves, and stem are entirely edible 
• The cooked heart can be eaten with a knife and fork 
• To eat the tough outer leaves, use your teeth to scrape the flesh from the underside of each leaf

Shopping and Storage

The tips listed below are from “Vegetables Illustrated: An Inspiring Guide with 700+ Kitchen-Tested Recipes”:

• Springtime is the peak season for artichokes, particularly March, April, and May.
  • In the winter and spring months, choose artichokes with firm, tight heads.
    • Winter artichokes touched by frost will have bronze-colored leaves
    • Summer artichokes have a somewhat conical and flared shape
• Artichokes of all sizes are widely available from baby to jumbo
  • Pick the ones heaviest for their size, for they will have the meatiest leaves and base 
• When selecting fresh artichokes, look for leaves that are tight, compact, and bright green 
• If you give an artichoke a squeeze, it’s leaves should squeak as they rub together (evidence that the artichoke still possesses much of its moisture) 
• The leaves should snap off cleanly 
• If the leaves bend rather then snap, or if they appear dried out or feathery at the edges, the artichoke is “over the hill” (as Cook’s Illustrated states)
• Because fresh artichokes are limited by seasonality, we often turn to prepared artichokes
• When buying them, (C.I) avoid pre marinated versions; we prefer to control the seasonings ourselves
• (C.I) doesn’t recommend canned hearts, which tend to taste waterlogged and have tough leaves 
• Smaller whole jarred artichoke hearts, labeled “baby” or “cocktail” are best 

• Artichokes will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days if sprinkled lightly with water and stored in a zipper lock plastic bag

Vegetable Prep for Fresh Artichokes

1. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, trim end of stem and cut off top quarter of artichoke with a chef’s knife.
2. Break and pull off bottom outer leaves by pulling downward until only light-colored core remains.
3. Using kitchen shears, trim off top portion of outer leaves.
4. Either trim and base or, if called for, peel stem
5. Cut artichoke in half lengthwise and scoop out choke using small spoon 
6. Submerge prepared artichokes in lemon water to prevent them from turning brown

Why do artichokes turn brown?

This meal might not look good, and quite bland to some. The glorious orange carrots (or rainbow ones if you choose) and beautiful emerald dill with the bland artichoke color and with the help of acidity from the lemon juice helps minimize the darkening of the dish. Here is the science behind the artichokes turning brown that I came across when researching how to prep artichokes.

According to “Vegetables Illustrated: An Inspiring Guide with 700+ Kitchen-Tested Recipes”, artichokes are rich in phenolic compounds. When the cell walls of artichokes are cut or crushed, enzymes (polyphenol oxidase) in their tissues are exposed to oxygen and react with those phenols, producing unattractive black or brown-colored pigments/ rubbing the exposed ends with acid slows the rate of browning. We found that vinegar (which is high in acetic acid) and parsley (which is high in ascorbic acid) each minimized darkening when added to cooking water. But lemon juice (which contains both citric and ascorbic acids) proved far more effective, limiting this enzymatic reaction almost completely.

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Ingredients

600g Barba Stathis Artichokes or fresh artichokes, trimmed, artichoke hearts only

2 carrots, sliced

2 potatoes, diced

1 cup olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 tbsp finely chopped dill

the juice of 2 lemons

freshly ground salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil and sauté the potatoes, the carrots, and the onions until wilted in a large pan. Season with salt and pepper, add the artichokes and sauté for another 5 – 6 minutes. Add the juice of one lemon. Add as much water as is necessary to cover the vegetables and boil over medium heat for 50 minutes.
2. Allow the food to cool for 20 minutes while keeping the saucepan covered. Add the juice of the second lemon right before serving. You can also slice the lemon into slices and serve them individually on each persons plate.
3. Sprinkle with dill and serve.

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Nutritional Benefits

Artichokes

82% Carbs  13% Protein 5% Fat 64 calories per medium artichoke Protein: 3g 

One large artichoke is high in potassium and is a good source of Vitamin C, folic acid, magnesium, and phosphorus. It also provides calcium and iron.

Serving: 1 artichoke

 
Water: 84.94 grams  Calories: 47  Total Lipids: 0.15 grams  Protein: 3.27 grams  Carbohydrates: 10.51 grams  Total Sugar: grams  Saturated Fat: 0.035 grams  Monounsaturated Fat: 0.005 grams  Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.063 grams Cholesterol: 0 mg  Fiber: 5.4 grams Retinol: 0 mcg  Calcium: 44 mg  Iron: 1.28 mg Magnesium: 60 mg  Phosphorus: 90 mg  Potassium: 370 mg  Selenium: 0.2 mcg  Sodium: 94 mg  Zinc: 0.49 mg  Vitamin A IU: 0  Vitamin A RAE: 0  Vitamin B5 Pantothenic Acid: 0.338 mg  Vitamin B6: 0.116 mg Vitamin C: 11.7 mg Thiamin: 0.072 mg Riboflavin: 0.066 mg  Niacin: 1.046 mg  Vitamin K: 14 mcg  Folate: 68 mcg  Folic Acid: 0 mcg

Carrots

89% carbs  6% protein  5% fat 55 calories/1 cup serving (raw, chopped) Protein: 1g

Loaded with carotene (pro-vitamin A), which promotes good night vision and reduces the risk of many forms of cancer. Munching on a single large carrots (¾ c shredded) provides 20,000 IU of vitamin A. Carrots contain moderate amounts of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, & folacin, and a good dose of potassium. When cooked, they lose most of their vitamin C content.

Serving: 1 cup, grated 

Water: 88.29 grams  Calories: 41  Total Lipids: 0.24 grams 
Protein: 0.93 grams  Carbohydrates: 9.58 grams  Total Sugar: 4.54 grams 
Saturated Fat: 0.032 grams  Monounsaturated Fat: 0.012 grams  Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.102 grams  Cholesterol: 0 mg  Fiber: 3 grams  Lycopene: 2 mcg 
Alpha Carotene: 2817 mcg  Beta Carotene: 5774 mcg  Retinol: 0 mcg  Calcium: 33 mg 
Iron: 0.3 mg Magnesium: 12 mg  Phosphorus: 35 mg  Potassium: 320 mg  Selenium: 0.1 mcg  Sodium: 69 mg Zinc: 0.24 mg  Vitamin A IU: 12036  Vitamin A RAE: 602  Vitamin B5 Pantothenic Acid: 0.273 mg  Vitamin B6: 0.138 mg  Vitamin C: 5.9 mg  Vitamin E: 0.66 mg 
Thiamin: 0.066 mg  Riboflavin: 0.058 mg  Niacin: 0.983 mg  Vitamin K: 13.2 mcg  Folate: 19 mcg  Folic Acid: 0 mcg

Potatoes

93% Carbs 6% Protein 1% Fats Calories: 70 per 1/2 cup serving (boiled) Protein: 1g

Serving: 1 Potato, medium 

Water: 78.58 grams Calories: 79 Total Lipids: 0.08 grams Protein: 2.14 grams Carbohydrates: 18.07 grams Total Sugar: 0.62 grams Saturated Fat: 0.02 grams Monounsaturated Fat: 0.002 grams Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.034 grams Cholesterol: 0 mg Fiber: 1.3 grams Lycopene: 0 mcg Alpha Carotene: 0 mcg Beta Carotene: 0 mcg Retinol: 0 mcg Calcium: 13 mg Iron: 0.86 mg Magnesium: 23 mg Phosphorus: 55 mg Potassium: 417 mg Selenium: 0.4 mcg 
Sodium: 5 mg Zinc: 0.29 mg Vitamin A IU: 1 Vitamin A RAE: 0 Vitamin B5 Pantothenic Acid: 0.301 mg Vitamin B6: 0.345 mg Vitamin C: 19.7 mg Vitamin E: 0.01 mg Thiamin: 0.082 mg Riboflavin: 0.033 mg Niacin: 1.035 mg Vitamin K: 1.8 mcg  Folate: 14 mcg Folic Acid: 0 mcg

Sweet Onion

90% carbs (high in sugars) 8%protein 2% fats  65 calories/1 cup serving  Protein: 2g 

Tip: onion increases appetite and pair well with virtually all savory foods.

Serving: 1 sweet onion, raw

Water: 91.24 grams Calories: 34 Total Lipids: 0.08 grams 
Protein: 0.8 grams  Carbohydrates: 7.55 grams  Total Sugar: grams 
Saturated Fat: grams  Monounsaturated Fat: grams Polyunsaturated Fat: grams Cholesterol: mg Fiber: 0.9 grams Lycopene: 0 mcg Alpha Carotene: 0 mcg Beta Carotene: 1 mcg Retinol: mcg Calcium: 20 mg Iron: 0.26 mg Magnesium: 9 mg Phosphorus: 27 mg Potassium: 119 mg  Selenium: 0.5 mcg Sodium: 8 mg Zinc: 0.13 mg Vitamin A IU: 1 Vitamin A RAE: 0  Vitamin B5 Pantothenic Acid: 0.098 mg Vitamin B6: 0.13 mg Vitamin C: 4.8 mg Vitamin E: mg Thiamin: 0.041 mgRiboflavin: 0.02 mg Niacin: 0.133 mg  Vitamin K: 0.3 mcg Folate: 23 mcg Folic Acid: mcg

Dill

Serving: 1 tsp 

Water: 7.7 grams Calories: 305 Total Lipids: 14.54 grams Protein: 15.98 grams Carbohydrates: 55.17 grams Total Sugar: grams Saturated Fat: 0.73 grams Monounsaturated Fat: 9.41 grams Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.01 grams  Cholesterol: 0 mg Fiber: 21.1 grams Retinol: 0 mcg  Calcium: 1516 mg Iron: 16.33 mg Magnesium: 256 mg Phosphorus: 277 mg Potassium: 1186 mg Selenium: 12.1 mcg Sodium: 20 mg Zinc: 5.2 mg Vitamin A IU: 53 Vitamin A RAE: 3 Vitamin B6: 0.25 mg Vitamin C: 21 mg Vitamin E: mg Thiamin: 0.418 mg Riboflavin: 0.284 mg Niacin: 2.807 mg Folate: 10 mcg Folic Acid: 0 mcg

Lemon

Lemon juice, especially when added to greens, adds brightness to the dish. Lemons contain magnesium and phytochemcials such as limonoids and terpenes. Limonoids contain detoxification properties and can help conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention. Terpenes contain anticancer properties and can help cancer prevention and hormone balance.  

63% Carbs  24% Protein 13% Fat  20 calories/medium lemon (raw, with peel)  Protein: 1g 

Serving: 1 fl oz 

Water: 90.73 grams Calories: 25 Total Lipids: 0 grams  Protein: 0.38 grams Carbohydrates: 8.63 grams  Total Sugar: 2.4 grams  Saturated Fat: 0 grams  Monounsaturated Fat: 0 grams  Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 grams  Cholesterol: 0 mg  Fiber: 0.4 grams  Beta Carotene: 3 mcg  Calcium: 7 mg  Iron: 0.03 mg  Magnesium: 6 mg  Phosphorus: 6 mg  Potassium: 124 mg  Selenium: 0.1 mcg  Sodium: 1 mg  Zinc: 0.05 mg  Vitamin A IU: 19  Vitamin A RAE: 1  Vitamin B5 Pantothenic Acid: 0.103 mg  Vitamin B6: 0.051 mg  Vitamin C: 46 mg  Vitamin E: 0.15 mg  Thiamin: 0.03 mg  Riboflavin: 0.01 mg  Niacin: 0.1 mg  Vitamin K: 0 mcg  Folate: 13 mcg 

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Sources

Recipe is inspired from Barbara Stathis I adapted it and made it vegan.

Kitchen, A. T. (Ed.). (2019, March 5). Vegetables Illustrated: An Inspiring Guide with 700+ Kitchen-Tested Recipes.

Pauling. (1968). Orthomolecular . Retrieved March 31, 2023, from http://orthomolecular.org

(2014, October). The Vegetarian Flavor Bible (1st ed.). Little, Brown and Company.