This is another recipe that I grew up eating.  It was given to my Mom by my Nouna.  The original recipe is delicious, but contains potato, bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.  My Mom also added whole cherry tomatoes to the original recipe, and the way that they puff up (and some pop in the oven) is divine.  It is so simple, for such a big payoff of flavor, and I was really proud of my Paleo remake.  If possible, I think it ended up even more flavorful.

I omitted the potatoes altogether, because even before our Paleo lifestyle, the potatoes were my least favorite part of the dish.  The artichokes, cherry tomatoes, roasted red pepper, and olives are gently tossed with almond meal instead of Italian bread crumbs.  I simply added garlic powder and Italian seasoning to compensate for the substitution.  You may omit the olives or exchange them for a different type of olive if you’d like, but this dish is so good, even those not crazy about olives will probably love it.  It is important to dab the veggies with a paper towel (since many of them come canned or jarred), so that the almond meal doesn’t get too soggy.  However, the extra sprinkle of almond meal and seasoning on top, and the drizzle of organic olive oil help give the top a nice crunch.  This antipasto-meets-casserole is a hearty side dish, but good enough for a vegetarian meal.

Ingredients

• 2 cans artichoke hearts, quartered or in bite-sized pieces
• 2.25 oz can sliced black olives (optional)
• 7 oz jar roasted red peppers (preferably packed in oil)
• 1 tsp minced garlic (or 2 garlic cloves, minced)
• 1 small container of cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup + 2 tbs almond meal/flour
• 1 tbs + pinch italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup organic olive oil
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• parsley, to taste
• sea salt, to taste

Instructions

• 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
• 2. Drain and rinse artichokes, olives, shake off excess liquid, then add to large bowl
• 3. Drain roasted red peppers of liquid, then stir into artichoke and olive mixture
• 4. Add tomatoes (whole)
• 5. In a separate bowl, mix almond meal, 1 tbs Italian seasoning, and garlic powder
• 6. Pour over mixture, stirring gently until everything is lightly coated
• 7. Line a casserole dish with parchment paper
• 8. Pour the antipasto mixture into casserole dish, distributing evenly
• 9. In bowl used to make “breading” add 2 tbs almond meal, a pinch of Italian seasoning, and salt/red pepper flakes, if desired
• 10. Sprinkle “breading” then olive oil evenly over the casserole dish
• 11. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until top is slightly brown
• 12. Finish with parsley, if desired
• 13. Enjoy!