How about those yummy baby artichokes? Blue House Farm is full of them for the season! Not sure how to get the most out of them? Start by turning a sharp knife against the outer leaves of the artichoke and cut away the tough outer leaves exposing the more tender leaves. Next, go ahead and cut about an inch off the top (or half of the artichoke’s length from the base), peel the stem, and cut the whole artichoke in half. With a spoon scrape out the choke, the hairy fibers, while leaving the leaf structure in tact. Blanch in a pot of boiling salted water until easily pierced with a fork. Drain, and serve as, with a little salt, or salad dressing, or try one of our favorite ways of eating artichokes. Sauté the artichokes in some late harvest California Olive Oil with some chopped garlic and sliced chiles (or chile flakes) until nicely browned. Add a squeeze of lemon and some salt and you’ve got a delicious side dish or first course!

Artichokes are also a great source of folate! For women, taking folic acid everyday 3-12 months before pregnancy can lower the risk spina bifida, anencephaly and other neural birth defects by 70%. It may also lower the chance of pre-term labor and low infant birth weights. Remember to check your vitamins for 400mcg of folic acid B9! To see if you’re getting 400 mcg from your food, there’s a cool App available for iPhone from vitatrack that will help calculate your intake. You can start by eating artichokes from MCM! More info at Go Folic .