Instant Pot Steamed ArtichokesInstant Pot Quinoa Made In Artichoke Water

Instant Pot artichokes are so tender.

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Instant Pot Artichokes

Some nights we make an entire dinner out of giant steamed artichokes dipped in creamy hummus accompanied by a glass of our Sauvignon Blanc. Cooking the artichokes in our Instant Pot produces really tender leaves and, best of all, produces delicious and healthy cooking water that you can enjoy as tea, use as a broth for soup, or use to cook grains. 

Artichoke leaves contain some powerful phytonutrients - cynarin, silymarin, quercetin, rutin, and gallic acid, which can help protect us against liver disease, cancer, and heart disease. 

Artichokes are rich in vitamin C, K, folate, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese, much of which ends up in the water when you cook the artichoke.

The cynarin in artichokes helps stimulate bile production and is beneficial for your liver. Silymarin is also a very good liver protectant so artichoke tea and broth are excellent for helping you detox.

Artichokes are a natural diuretic and can help prevent water retention and allow you to shed some water weight. And when you eat the artichoke, with all its wonderful fiber, it will act as a natural laxative and remove additional waste and toxins. Just one medium artichoke has a whopping 7 grams of fiber. And your gut microbes will have a feast too!

Clean the Artichokes

Holding the stem, cut the pointed top of the artichoke with a sharp knife. Then, with a pair of scissors, cut the tops of each of the remaining leaves by about ½ inch. Remove the bottom stem with a knife so that the artichoke can sit flat. Peel the stem and set aside. Wash the artichoke under cold water while slightly opening the leaves. 

Place the artichoke directly in the Instant Pot with an 1 1/2 inches of water. Sprinkle with salt. Place the stem on the top of the artichoke. 

Secure the lid and press the "Manual" button, setting the time for 30 minutes at high pressure. (Note: this time is for the giant artichokes we get here in Northern California. They can be 5" in diameter. If you are cooking smaller ones, cut the cooking time down significantly.) When done, press the "Off" button and let the pressure come down naturally. 

Open the lid carefully and test a leaf to see if it's tender. If not, cook for another 5 minutes. 

Remove the artichokes carefully and SAVE the cooking water.

Serve the artichokes with your favorite creamy hummus. Dip each leaf in the hummus. When you get to the bottom, clean out the choke material and fill the bottom with more hummus. That's our favorite part!

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Quinoa with Artichoke Broth

Vegan, Gluten Free

[makes six (1/2-cup) servings]

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups artichoke water

Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer with cold running water. Drain and place in the Instant Pot with the artichoke water.

Artichoke water

Secure the lid and press the "Manual" button, setting the time for 5 minutes at high pressure. When done, press the "Off" button and let the pressure come down naturally. Open the lid carefully. Fluff with a fork and serve. 

Quinoa with artichoke broth