Whole artichokes stuffed with Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, spices and olive oil.

Growing up, Stuffed Artichokes were one of my favorite vegetables to eat. Sure, there are healthier ways to eat one, but stuffing it with breadcrumbs and cheese was the way we always enjoyed them.

If you've never tried eating an artichoke, you might look at it and say to yourself "How the heck do I eat it?" Believe me, I've seen people actually try to bite into the whole leaves and chew them. However, you only eat the portion at the base of the artichoke.

How do you eat a whole artichoke?

1. Pull off the outer petals, one at a time.

2. Tightly grip the top of the petal and place the bottom part in your mouth, upside down so the fleshy part is aligned with your bottom teeth.

3. Using your teeth, remove the soft, pulpy portion of the petal.

4. Discard the remaining petal.

5. With a spoon or knife, scrape out and discard the fuzzy part called the choke. The remaining bottom of the artichoke is called the heart.

What are the health benefits of Artichokes?

Artichokes are:

high in antioxidants
good for your liver
helps aide digestion
reduces cholesterol
high in fiber
have been known to help with a hangover.

How do you make Whole Stuffed Artichokes?

For this recipe you'll need whole artichokes, Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, dried parsley, dried oregano, garlic powder and EVOO.

Start by removing the stem from the bottom of each artichoke so that they can sit flush in a pot. Clip off the thorns using kitchen shears. Not too much, just ¼-inch or so. If you leave them on, it's fine. The thorns will soften when cooking; however, it does make it difficult to stuff the artichoke without getting your fingers pricked!

In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, spices and oil. Gently pull apart the petals by rows and stuff the breadcrumb mixture into the artichoke using a spoon or fork. Try to push them down towards the meaty part of the artichoke petal.

Once stuffed, place both artichokes in a large pot or a Dutch oven. Fill the bottom of the pot with water until it reaches the bottom quarter of the artichoke. You don't want to submerge them; just enough to help steam the artichokes.

Bring the water to a boil; then cover pot with a lid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let simmer anywhere from 25-45 minutes depending on the size of the artichoke. The artichokes will be done when the bottom leaves start to pull away easily and the artichoke is a deep green color.

It's not very pretty, but man do these Stuffed Artichokes taste good. I haven't made them in ages, but will be putting them on our dinner rotation soon because my family does love them. Once you're left with the artichoke heart, you can use them in soups, in dips or even pizza. ~Enjoy!

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