Today at the grocery store I was excited to see some great looking globe artichokes: They were firm, small, compact and bright green, and they felt fairly heavy for their size. (Large artichokes can be tougher and have less flavor.)

Artichokes make a healthy snack option because they are high in Vitamin E and C and they have no fat and very few calories.

Artichokes are also very flexible: we serve them at home as a fun snack for the kids and also as a great appetizer option when we have company.  Artichokes are easy to cook and fun to eat.  Simply throw them in a steamer for an hour and then serve them with aioli you can make yourself in minutes.  You eat them by pulling off leaves and then dragging your teeth across the base of the leaf to pull of the soft, tasty part.  Once you have eaten all the leaves, you can use a spoon to scrape the florets off the base of the heart.  The heart has a nutty, earthy flavor and is a tasty reward for working through the layers of leaves.

Steamed Whole Artichoke

Candied Ginger Aioli Sauce

1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1 tsp candied ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp lemon juice
1 pinch Kosher salt
a few twists of freshly cracked black pepper

Mix all ingredients well!