Marinated and Grilled Artichokes-Part 1 of the “A” triangle

Artichokes are part of the perfect food triangle. What is the food triangle you may ask? Well, it’s Artichokes, Avocados and Asparagus; three foods that not only taste great but are good for you too. They are full of vitamins, minerals and oils that will keep you healthy, so go on, eat em up yum!

Now, about the artichokes, most people I know eat artichokes with either butter or mayonnaise. Either way, that’s not too healthy. Here, we pair them with garlic and some Italian dressing and toss them into the fire. Oil and Fire. Could it get any better?

• 4 small to medium artichokes (actually, you can make as much as you want, they store well and continue to marinate)
• 1 cup of low fat Italian dressing. (I use olive oil and red vinegar with a dash of salt and pepper, so feel free to be creative)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic diced (go on, toss in another 2-3 cloves, we’re all friends here and I’m not going to kiss you anyways)

Here’s the most important part. Peel the outside leaves off the artichokes, right down to the bright green leaves. Cut the pointed leaf tips with scissors or a knife and trim the stem. Boil these bad boys for about 15 minutes. If you are familiar with artichokes, we want to cook them about  of the way through. If artichokes are new to you, don’t worry, you can over cook them and they will be fine. Artichokes take a little bit of practice, so go longer rather than shorter and adjust as you learn.

Let the artichokes cool. When you can handle them, cut them in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the “hair” just above the hearts. You’ll create a nice little hollow that will hold in all the garlic and marinade. Place them in a Tupperware or other suitable marinating device. Toss in the Italian dressing and garlic and seal. Let marinate for a few hours to a few days. When you are ready to eat, place them on a BBQ for about 5 minutes to char the outside and warm the inside. Don’t let them burn! This is good stuff kids. Trust me.