Lately I’ve been roasting a whole artichoke each night for an appetizer before dinner and it’s a delightful replacement for cheese & crackers which were a staple.
I mix juice from 1/2 lemon, 1 clove crushed garlic, and 1/2 tsp olive oil and then brush that on the outside and try to get some garlic bits in between the leaves; place on roasting sheet as shown and put in oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes; turn oven off and leave in oven while it cools down (depending on your oven you may need to roast longer – you want the outside dark but not burnt). I eat it with a dip made of Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and old bay. Delightful!
Hard to calculate exact calories since I’m not weighing the meat I get off of each individual leaf and the heart, but I’m assuming ~100 cal for the whole artichoke + the oil/lemon/garlic for basting. Plus whatever you use for the dip – if using 0 fat Greek yog is minimal.
It takes a long time to eat and is very experiential, kinda like picking a crab. It allows you to get the pleasure of eating and snacking over a longer time period without adding up in the calorie department.
(Picture is of the artichoke before going in the oven; will be dark and roasted on outside, tender inside when removing from oven)
by ferdinandfelicity