Artichoke with Dijon-Dill Dip

Spring is quickly coming to an end in Arizona, but not before I have my fill of fresh artichokes.  Every year I look forward to artichoke season. There is nothing like pulling the petals off of a warmed artichoke and scraping the flesh off into your mouth.  Mmmm.  I try to look for artichokes that are big, round and have slightly closed up petals.

**Artichokes are an excellent source of dietary fiber, magnesium, and the trace mineral chromium. They are a very good source of Vitamin C, folic acid, biotin, and manganese. They are a good source of niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin A, and potassium.  Wait!  There's more...  artichokes have strong choleretic activity, which helps reduce the manufacture of cholesterol in the liver and protects liver cells. Whew.  Just eat 'em!

Here is a  video to help you get started.  It shows three ways to prepare your delicious artichoke.  Also, experiment with different dips and sauces.   Here is a quick, non-dairy dip that I make:

Dip:
2 T Vegenaise mayo
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. dill seasoning
1 tsp. squeeze of lemon
pinch of sea salt, pepper and garlic powder
Enjoy!