Hi wannaBaloser,
I hope you like the artichoke soup. I had a bag of artichoke hearts in the freezer for quite a while so I figured I'd try making soup out of them. I like the taste of artichokes, but sometimes I don't like the really fibery stuff! By pureeing them in the blender I get the good taste without the stringy bits and they are so low in calories. Here are some interesting artichoke facts:
Artichokes, including leaves, were thought to be an aphrodisiac, a diuretic, a breath freshener and even a deodorant. Decoctions of artichoke leaves have been used as blood cleansers, cholerics, to improve bile production and secretion and to detox the liver and the skin.
Artichokes contain vitamin C and nutrients that support the structure of capillaries. A diet of fruits and vegetables yields lower homocysteine levels, which means less risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to a 2002 report from scientists at Boston University. High amounts of dietary potassium in vegetables appear to lessen the risk of forming kidney stones.
Welcome to 3FC and good luck