Artichokes with Quinoa

Here is another delicious vegetarian recipe to celebrate the vegetable of the month...the Artichoke.. This dish is compliments of Chris DeBarr, chef at the fresh eclectic eatery, Green Goddess, in New Orleans (my favorite town!)


Celebrate New Orleans Jazz Fest (starts next week) with these artichokes stuffed with lots of goodies and quinoa. Quinoa is an amazing grain found in the rice aisle of your grocery store or at your local whole foods market. Quinoa is a complete protein so you will not need to serve meat with this meal! Just serve a nice vegetarian tomato soup or toss together a large garden salad and enjoy!

Artichokes with Quinoa (serves 2)

2 artichokes
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 parsnip, sliced
1/2 head fennel, cored and sliced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 lemon, sliced
3 sprigs thyme
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1 oz dried shitake mushrooms, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup red quinoa
1/8 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds
1 tsp smoked paprika
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/3 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Heat over to 400 degrees. Cut off stems and top 1/2 inch of artichokes, then, with scissors, trim 1/2 inch off leaf tips. Separate leaves with thumbs, then pluck soft leaves to expose fuzzy choke. Scoop out choke with a spoon until you see the heart. (discard choke).

Place artichokes in a pot, cover with water and boil 30 minutes: strain. In a large pot, place garlic, parsnip, fennel, onion, lemon, thyme, wine, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and 1/2 cup water; add artichokes. Simmer covered, until bottoms are tender, about 20 minutes. remove artichokes, strain vegetables, discard lemon, reserve liquid.

Boil 3/4 of a cup of reserved liquid (add water if needed) and add mushrooms and quinoa. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until quinoa absorbs water; 20 minutes.

Mix pumpkin seeds, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and remaining 1/2 tsp of olive oil. Toast in a pan in oven until brown, 7 minutes. Mix seeds with quinoa.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of quinoa mixture into each artichoke. Place remaining quinoa mixture in a baking dish; top with the reserved, strained veggies. Nestle stuffed artichokes in quinoa. Roast, uncovered 10 minutes. Divide and serve.

The dish: 384 calories, 8.6grams of fat (1.3g unsaturated), 67 carbs, 24 g fiber, 16 grams protein!

And this is my Daily Cyn......