Put these Bacon Feta Quinoa Stuffed Artichokes on your appetizer menu the next gathering you have! They’re easier than they look, and make for a beautiful presentation.

STUFFED ARTICHOKES. Oh em gee.

How did we get here…? And by “here” I mean Artichoke Land.

Truthfully, I probably didn’t even know what an artichoke looked like two years ago. The artichokes I knew were mainly hearts, and almost always in spinach dip. (I know you know…) I barely gave any thought to what an actual WHOLE artichoke looked like.

I remember when Erin shared her recipe for roasted artichokes last year, I was in awe of how pretty they were. Like, “Wow. THAT is an artichoke?” I know, sad. But I tell you guys this all the time: I didn’t grow up eating vegetables.

Not to mention prepping an artichoke is somewhat a labor of love. Growing up with five siblings on various schedules, I don’t think taking the time to prep (or stuff in this case) an artichoke and serving it with dinner was a priority for my parents.

Okay, I am giving artichokes a bad rap before I even get to the recipe–hang tight. 

But here’s the thing about stuffed artichokes: they’re FUN. They’re NEW. They’re EXCITING. Well, for me at least, and maybe soon for you too. 

And it’s really not any different than prepping a squash to bake. Jut another part of the kitchen and cooking process you learn and realize it is a lot easier once you get going!

And bacon is involved today, so there’s that 😀

AND FETA. Yesss. Seriously the bacon feta stuffing makes these artichokes taste wonderful.

what you need

globe artichokes

olive oil

quinoa

cooked bacon slices

feta 

parmesan

Prepping tip!

I watched this video to learn all about prepping artichokes and various ways to serve them. 

One you’ve prepared your stuffing and artichokes, you just gently pull back the leaves and start filling the stuffing inside. It’s actually quite simple. And once they’ve been roasted they make for such a pretty presentation.

You can enjoy the leaves by pulling them out, and then kind of scooping the stuffing like a dip.

Note: I did not do a lemon bath for my artichokes–which would have prevented them from turning so dark. You can follow Erin’s post for steps on how to do this.

There are also several videos on the Ocean Mist Farms website.

Feta Bacon Quinoa Stuffed Artichokes

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Preparation 20 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 1:05

Serves 4-6     adjust servings

Beautifully stuffed artichokes perfect for gatherings.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
• 4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
• 2 oz feta, crumbled
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 4 globe artichokes
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• olive oil

Instructions

1. Rinse quinoa in fine mesh strainer under cold water. Transfer quinoa to small pot, add water and seasonings plus salt. Bring to boil, then allow quinoa to simmer until water has evaporated–about 15 minutes. Transfer quinoa to medium bowl to cool. Toss in chopped bacon, feta, and parmesan cheese. Set aside
2. While the quinoa is simmering, prepare the artichokes: rinse artichokes in cold water and gently scrub leaves with brush. Place artichokes on cutting board. Using large serrated knife, cut about 1" off the top of the artichoke, and cut the stem off just before the base, so the artichoke stays upright. Rub lemon over leaves and freshly cut artichoke top. Next snip away the pointed parts of the leaves. Gently pull apart the leaves to create room for the stuffing. Watch this video if you need help!
3. Start spooning stuffing into the artichokes, around the outer leaves and inner leaves, dividing the stuffing evenly between the artichokes. Place artichokes in baking dish with about 2" water. Drizzle olive oil over artichokes. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes, until leaves are soft. You can also steam artichokes, or use dutch oven.
4. Serve immediately–guests can pull leaves of artichokes out and scoop out stuffing to enjoy.

by Ashley

Making this recipe? I would love to see it!

Tag @fitmittenkitchen and hashtag #fitmittenkitchen

So I hope this recipe has inspired you to give fresh artichokes a try!

Oh! One more thing

I am entering this recipe into a blogger contest with Ocean Mist Farms–the leading grower of fresh artichokes. It is for a chance to win a trip for two to Monterey, CA this June to attend the annual Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival, and get a personal tour of Ocean Mist Farms. How fun is that?!

It’s open to any blogger who wants to share their recipes using fresh artichokes!! All you have to do to enter is create or repurpose an existing artichoke recipe (make sure to use FRESH artichokes), tag @oceanmistfarms on social media and use the hashtag #heartichokegetaway. The winner will be selected and announced April 7.

GOOD LUCK!

This post was created for a recipe contest with Ocean Mist Farms. This is not sponsored post, just a recipe contest is open to any blogger! 🙂

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