Artichokes are a source of iron and, of course, fiber.  You are welcome to prepare your own, but I'm going canned here for the sake of realism.  Most people just don’t have the time to prepare them fresh.
 
Yes, this recipe contains cheese, but as always with the comfort food revamp, I'm trying to remind you of your old favorites (in this case, that delicious nutritional nightmare-- spinach and artichoke dip) while keeping it pretty healthy.  This version chooses to focus more on the spinach and artichokes themselves and less on the animal fat. 

Prep Time:  10 minutes
Cooking Time:  20 minutes
Yield: 5-6 Servings
Ingredients:
24 Oz of Canned or Cooked Artichoke Hearts (16-20 Count), drained
3/4 Cup Vegetable Stock
2-3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Parmesan or similar, grated
1/2 Lb Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
1/2 Lb Baby Spinach
1/4 Cup Whole Grain Breadcrumbs
Additional 1/4 Cup Parmesan or similar, grated

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bring to a boil enough water for the pasta in a large pot with a dash of sea salt and a drop or two of olive oil.  Drop in pasta and cook until al dente.  Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine artichoke hearts, vegetable stock, garlic, olive oil, and 1/2 cup parmesan.  Place all baby spinach in the bottom of a colander or strainer.  When cooked, pour pasta with boiling water directly over the spinach and let water drain through.  This will wilt your spinach.  Combine sauce, pasta and spinach in a 9”x12” (or whatever you’ve got) and combine breadcrumbs with remaining parmesan in a small bowl.  Sprinkle over the top of pasta/artichoke mixture.  Bake for about 20 minutes, uncovered, or until golden.  Serve hot.