Spring is already here, and you know what that means… it’s the peak of the season for artichokes!

You can find them in any market or supermarket these days – royal in rich purple and green shades, kind of resembling wonderful dragon eggs that emerged straight out of a legendary fantasy.

Not only is the artichoke a beautiful vegetable, it’s also at the top of the list of the healthiest vegetables : it’s low in calories and packed in fiber {so it’s not fattening and it’s very satisfying} and they contain a high amount of antioxidants, folic acid, potassium and Vitamin C.

So you better take advantage of them while they’re around 😉

Devouring artichokes is something I remember since my childhood, when my father prepared huge pots with artichokes cooked in water and the whole family would enjoy eating them while watching TV during the evening hours.

So simple, easy and good.

Just recently I found out that quite a lot of people stay away from cooking this wonderful vegetable – I’m assuming that the tough leaves and spiky appearance makes people not want to mess with it.

Some people eat it in its frozen or canned form or only once in awhile when they go out to eat at Italian restaurants, which usually serve it in season, and it’s really a shame because it can be an amazing alternative for a healthy snack that’s very easy to prepare.

How to cook and eat artichokes :

1. First of all, it’s very important to choose fresh and succulent artichokes.

How could you recognize these out of the piles offered? Very simple – choose artichokes that are heavy relatively to their size, with leaves that are almost completely closed.

2. Cut the top stem and the bottom leaves off the artichoke.

3. Wash the artichoke under running water and open the leaves a little bit to allow the water to enter inside as much as possible.

4. Put the artichoke in a pot with water, a clove of garlic and a few slices of lemon {the ratio is 1 artichoke: 1 clove of garlic: 2 slices of lemon}.

5. Bring the water to a boil, lower the flames and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

6. Strain the water.

7. Prepare a small dish with a dip made from a little lemon juice and salt or yogurt and enjoy snacking on the artichoke