I didn’t think food could be this delicious AND support your liver detox pathways all at the same time!
F O O D A S M E D I C I N E. That’s our vibe at Organic Olivia, and this week’s #GutDiversityChallenge recipe is no different. Not only is snacking on this beautifully, simply seasoned artichoke going to promote the growth of your good bacteria by providing a unique prebiotic fiber we don’t always eat regularly… artichokes are famous for supporting our liver’s detoxification functions and pathways.
Ever heard of the herb Milk Thistle? Hint: it’s in our Liver Juice formula! 😉
Milk Thistle is probably THE most popular herb in the kingdom for supporting not only liver, but kidney health as well. It works to maintain the healthy function of our liver cells and encourages the production of glutathione so that excess hormones and toxicants are metabolized and excreted normally and efficiently.
One of our guest teachers at herb school, Dr. Jody, who is a naturopathic oncologist, explained to us how artichoke can be a powerful yet gentle food-based substitution for supporting liver health when someone is undergoing a medical procedure or regimen such as chemo and cannot consume medicinal herbs like Milk Thistle due to contraindications. She says, “artichokes are like edible milk thistles” — a phrase that never left me!
Nick's Simply Seasoned Garlic Artichoke
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
40 minTOTAL TIME
SERVES
2Ingredients
- 1 full head of garlic, peeled and gently smashed to release the flavor
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 artichokes
- olive oil
- salt + pepper
Directions
- Set a pot of water to a boil, using a pot large enough to submerge both artichokes. Preheat your oven to 375F.
- Prep artichokes by trimming the tops of the leaves and cutting off the stem. Nick takes off about 2 inches from the very top of the artichoke.
- Peel one head of garlic (about 8 cloves), gently smash to release the flavor, and toss into the water as it's heating up. At this point you will also add the 4 bay leaves. Lightly salt the water and allow it to come to a roaring boil.
- Once roaring, add the artichokes and boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Once boiled, remove and let the artichokes drain any excess water in a colander.
- Place the drained artichokes in a baking tray, sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper, and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
- Pop them in the oven at 375F for 20 minutes.
- Remove, let them cool slightly, then peel away and ENJOY! xo, Nick and Liv
Nick and I regrettably don’t eat artichoke all that often (or really, ever) unless it’s already jarred or canned. This was our first time making it fresh at home and we found that boiling the garlic WITH the artichoke in the water is truly the key for deep deeeeep yet simple + satisfying flavor. We hope you love this recipe, and that your gut health does too! We can’t stop eating it and are making another batch today.
