Artichoke Chicken

This is for all you out there that eat chicken once or twice a week in order to get enough protein. Artichokes are an excellent source of Fiber, Protein, Prebiotics, and anti-oxidants!

This recipe is simple to make, either on the stove top or in the pressure cooker - and its tasty!!

Artichokes are a versatile food, and although some would consider them a vegetable, they are actually a variety of thistle. For nutritional purposes, they are primarily consumed due to their associated benefits of bolstering the immune system strength, lowering cholesterol, and protecting against diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke.

Artichokes have also long been famous for detoxifying the body and improving the health of the liver and aiding in digestive issues like indigestion, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and diarrhea. They also have anti-cancer potential, besides reducing blood pressure, eliminating hangovers, and stimulating urination.

Artichokes are low in saturated fat and cholesterol while being a rich source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They contain vitamins which include vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin B-6, B-12, A, E, D, and vitamin K. They also provide minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, sodium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc.

Arrowroot Powder contains a good amount of potassium, iron and B vitamins, which is great for metabolism, circulation and heart health. Studies have even shown that arrowroot can stimulate immune cells and boost the immune system.

Spinach is considered a super food. Its an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate as well as being a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2. Vitamin K is important for maintaining bone health and it is difficult to find vegetables richer in vitamin K than spinach.

The calcium in spinach can help strengthen your bones to fight against injury, and vitamins A and C, fiber, folic acid, and other nutrients fight against colon and breast cancers. Spinach also helps to lower damaging protein levels in the blood and can protect against high blood pressure and heart disease. Lutein is a special nutrient in spinach that helps to prevent cataracts and fight against macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in senior citizens.

Like many leafy green vegetables, spinach is loaded with potent antioxidants, which are important for normal skin cell development and encourage a healthy skin tone. Other outstanding benefits of spinach for the skin include an increase in the production of collagen, which helps to strengthen the capillaries for a smoother even skin tone—reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. The vitamin A in spinach can also help your skin retain moisture to fight against dryness, psoriasis, and even acne.

The benefits of eating spinach on a daily basis are innumerable. While it’s a good idea to rotate your vegetables or consume a variety of kale, bok choy, and romaine lettuce, spinach can be eaten every day to fight against age-related issues. The health benefits of baby spinach are the same, so you can choose the smaller leaves if you prefer bite-sized spinach in your dishes. It’s good to aim for at least a cup of fresh spinach or a half a cup of cooked spinach each day for maximum nutritional benefits. Studies have shown that adding just a cup of spinach to your diet each day will help aid in digestion, prevent constipation, maintain blood sugar, and even help curb your appetite if you are trying to lose weight. A cup a day can also help strengthen mucous membranes, the respiratory system, and your urinary tract, which can help fight against infections.

ARTICHOKE CHICKEN

Minced Garlic (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

Olive Oil (ant-histimic and mast cell stabilizer)

Basil

Oregano (if tolerated)

Generous Hand fulls of Spinach (or 3/4 cup if you have to be careful due to sensitivity to oxalates. Can be swapped with bok choy, kale, or variety of romaine lettuce)

2 cans Artichoke Hearts (you can use frozen or canned)

Sage

1 cup Chicken Stock

2-3 TBSP ArrowRoot or 1/2 tbsp Corn Starch (to thicken sauce. Note: Corn starch can be an inflammatory for many)

Several drips of lemon juice

4 Chicken Breasts or Thighs

Coat pan with Olive oil and add minced garlic. Salt and pepper your chicken.

Add chicken, brown it, and then cook it until done.

In separate saucepan, add about 1 cup chicken stock, 2 cans of artichoke hearts, about 3/4 cup chopped spinach, approx 1 TBSP-ish minced garlic, oregano, basil, and sage. Cook on medium heat, then toss it into pan that has the chicken. You can add generous amounts of spinach here (if preferred), and Cook for about 5-10 minutes covered.

Then take the chicken out - leaving sauce in pan. Add Arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) to thicken the sauce and cook until thickened. Add the chicken back in (or pour over chicken) and serve!

For Easy Pressure Cooker Method: Just brown the chicken first, and then add all the ingredients and cook for the time in your instructions. (Approx 7-8 minutes if chicken is fresh and thawed.)

DELISH!! Enjoy!!

SPECIAL NOTE: For those taking Warfarin or Coumadin

Spinach contains very large amounts of vitamin K. Vitamin K is used by the body to help blood clot. Warfarin (Coumadin) is used to SLOW blood clotting. By helping the blood clot, spinach might decrease the effectiveness of warfarin (Coumadin). Be sure to check your blood regularly.

Love and Light,

Happy Healing