GiGi Ashworth, also known as the Salmon Queen because she eats roughly 14 pounds of salmon a week, is a popular allergen-friendly food personality in the ketogenic carnivore and seafood space across all social media platforms. Because of her popularity and creative talents in the kitchen, GiGi was recruited to be on Master Chef, serving up her obsession with food to Gordon Ramsey. Before being crowned the “Queen of Salmon”, GiGi earned her master’s in Nutrition Communications and undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism. She also worked for entertainment outlets such as E! Entertainment and Buzz Media, but she fully ventured into the food world 15 years ago when she realized the people who follow her were fascinated with her lifestyle, which has been modified due to autoimmune diseases and food allergies. This blunt but light-hearted foodie who’s utterly obsessed with salmon along with other seafood, has published two best selling cookbooks, hoping to make others obsessed as well. You can also follow Gigi on Instagram: @gigieats.
Artichokes are one of the more intimidating vegetables sprouting up at grocery stores and farmers’ markets nationwide, thanks to the warmer seasons ahead. Still, they’re not a vegetable to be overlooked because artichokes can lend quite an earthy, nutty, and hearty flavor and texture to so many dishes! Heck, artichokes are so delicious that eating them freshly boiled or right out of the jar or can is also an extremely tasty option! But since not everyone is that adventurous, prepare yourself for a recipe where artichokes truly shine through! However, we are going to take a closer look at this flower first. Just call these artichoke stats an appetizer before we dig into the main dish.
As we are all pretty aware of at this point, all vegetables contain vitamins and minerals, artichokes included. The vitamins and minerals most abundant in this spring and summertime vegetable include folate, copper, magnesium, vitamin C, niacin, and potassium! This means that artichokes can aid in healthy cell development, brain health, improve insulin resistance and digestive health, regular heart and muscle function, and boost our immune systems.
Artichokes are also our liver’s best friend, for this vegetable has a way of reducing inflammation and improving overall liver function. And if you’re not aware, our livers help our bodies break down fat and absorb nutrients from food, filter and remove harmful waste from our bodies, aid in blood clotting, and fight infections. So clearly, we want to try our best to keep our livers as healthy as possible.
Thankfully, you can do just that by incorporating artichokes quite easily into your life with the recipe below!
Learning to Appreciate the Artichoke
- Main Dish, Seafood Puttanesca
Ingredients:
•1–2 Tbsp Avocado Oil
•1 C Onion, chopped
•1 C Tomato Sauce
•18 Black Olives
•1 Tbsp Capers
•3/4 C Artichoke Hearts
•1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning (which includes salt and garlic)
•1 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
•1 Tsp Anchovy Paste
•1/2 C Jumbo Lump Crab Meat
•4 Oz Mussels (in or out of shell)
•Parsley (optional)
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Steps:
1. In a deep, medium sized pot, pour in the avocado oil, turn on the burner to medium-high and let the avocado warm up for one minute.
2. After a minute, add the chopped onions and let them cook until translucent, which takes about three to four minutes.
3. Once cooked, add the tomato sauce, artichokes, olives, capers, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and anchovy paste.
4. Stir all the ingredients together and let them cook for about five minutes.
5. Add the lump crab meat and the mussels, and delicately incorporate the seafood into the sauce. Let the entire recipe simmer for about 10 minutes and then turn off the burner and let it sit for another 10 minutes allowing the flavors to truly develop.
6. Serve this sauce over spaghetti or by itself, it’s just that good!