What an exciting day. . . it's Toddler-Meal-Tuesday and Super Tuesday. I hope you had a chance to vote today!

I've been posting a sampling of the foods we eat at mealtime and wanted to share a recipe for an unconventional favorite around our house- marinated artichokes. Any vegetable my toddler will eat is a great vegetable!

I've made a few tweaks from the recipe in Danielle Walker's Against all Grain. These prepare quickly with ingredients you have on hand and taste SO MUCH better than store bought artichokes. If your child is texture averse, you can always throw these in the blender for "hummus."

Ingredients

2 12-oz bag frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Method

Place all the ingredients except the lemon juice in a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. I like to mix all the ingredients up and then add the apple cider vinegar last in order to keep the garlic from turning blue (blue garlic is apparently unappetizing to small children. . .) Continue to boil 10 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice, then cool to room temperature before storing in a glass jar in the refrigerator for later use.

So there you go! A yummy new vegetable to add in to your meal routine. These are a great addition as a stand-alone side, in a pasta salad, or on top of chicken. Let me know how this recipe turns out for you!

VEGGIE TIP: If your child is a picky eater (and most are), I always recommend that parents introduce new foods at lunch. Lunchtime is usually more relaxed and allows for extra time for trying something new. Dinner time is usually a "business meal" as bath and bedtime are quickly approaching. I find that my daughter, Evie, will often try foods at lunch that she won't touch at dinner.

We love these stainless steel plates!

Happy eating!

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