Castroville California is known as the artichoke capitol of the world. Did you know Marilyn Monroe was once crowned the Artichoke Queen in 1947? What does this bit of trivia have to do with this recipe? Nothing really but some good to know trivia about artichokes would be that the artichoke is a low-calorie, nutrient-rich vegetable that is an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C, and a good source of folate and magnesium. Artichokes also are a natural source of antioxidants.
Actually, I put together this recipe because Sarah and I were having lunch in a lovely organic restaurant the other day and Sarah ordered flatbread that came with three different spreads. She fell in love with the artichoke spread and asked if I could figure out what was in it and re-create it. I love food sleuthing so I did some taste testing and came up with a pretty good likeness. This spread is quick and easy and would be a great dish to take to a potluck, cook-out or picnic.
Kristy
Ingredients:
- 1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts
- 1/2 cup baby spinach
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Preparation:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the spinach, lemon juice and oil in a food processor and process until smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until you have a mostly smooth spread with a few chunks remaining.
- Spoon into a glass baking dish, cover with foil and bake 20-30 minutes or until hot.
- Spread on flatbread with a little additional drizzle of olive oil and use as a dip with pita chips.
Nutritional Info:
Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups.
Serving size 4 tbsp.
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 54, Cal. from Fat: 34, Total Fat: 4g, Sat. Fat: .5g, Carbs: 3.5g, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 1g, Protein: 1g, Sodium: 331mg, Chol: 0mg
Notes:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
