Happy cloudy day! Some people may think it’s crazy to enjoy a cloudy Saturday in the summer, but I can’t help it! I enjoy spending the day in the kitchen. Today, I tackled a family favorite: Italian-Stuffed Artichokes. Super healthy, and easy to veganize!

Recipe

You will need…

4 artichokes

1/2 loaf bread (Your fav vegan choice! White works best, but you can sub wheat)

Olive oil

1 15-oz can black olives

Garlic salt

Salt & pepper to taste

Artichoke Prep

These may not be the ideal veggie to work with, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. First, cut the stems off of the artichokes. Place these aside for later use – we won’t waste a thing! Cut the spiked leaves with a knife or kitchen scissor. Once cut, bang the artichoke on the counter. The fun part!! Sounds crazy, but that is how we do it in our very Italian family. The leaves should loosen and open up at this point. Clean throughly – no one wants to eat a bug. Set aside.

The stems are going to be added to our stuffing, so let’s prep those next. You will need to skin them first. To do this, I carefully slice the thin outer layer away with a knife. Do this for all four. Next, dice up and place in a medium bowl.

Italian Stuffing

Time for that delicious stuffing!!

First, dice up your black olives. Toss them into the bowl with the diced stems. Using your hands, crumble up a half-loaf of your favorite vegan bread and add to the bowl. Once all ingredients are in, drizzle olive oil, add garlic salt, salt, and paper, and head to the sink.

Nope, not to wash your hands (I’m hoping you already did that!) Wet your hands and begin to mash up your stuffing. Repeat this step 3-4 times, or until your mix begins to look like a sturdy stuffing.

Now for the fun part – stuff the artichokes! Self explanatory, right?

Homestretch

Choose a pot that will snuggly hold all all 4 artichokes. Once everything is in, add water – about 1/3 of the way up the artichoke. Drizzle with olive oil, and turn up the heat.

It won’t be long before the water begins to boil, so I hang around the kitchen until it does. Once bubbling, turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Simmer for 90 minutes-2 hours. Done!

Easy, right? Enjoy, love. xx Bianca