Gluten Free Recipes

Kia’s Tahini Beet Salad

beet-salad

The crew got to try this vividly colorful salad for lunch recently — and boy, was it tasty!

As the availability of last fall’s beet crops extends far into the spring, I’ve been experimenting with new ideas for preparing these delicious crimson roots. This salad’s rich flavor disguises its simplicity, and no one could guess the secret ingredient… tahini!

For the Salad
3 cups minced parsley
4 cups shredded beets, cooked or raw (6-8 medium beets)
4 or 5 chive blossoms (optional)

For the Dressing*
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Thoroughly scrub the beets, then grate them raw. Or steam/boil/roast them until tender, and then grate. Toss beets with parsley and set aside. Although both are delicious, I love the cooked beet version of this dish better, and my two-year-old son did too!

Combine the olive oil, tahini, lime juice, apple cider vinegar and salt & pepper in a pint mason jar. Screw lid on tightly and shake thoroughly. Dressing will be thick. Thin as desired with another splash of vinegar, or water.

Toss veggies with dressing. Break apart chive blossoms into tiny flowers and sprinkle throughout salad. Serve warm or chilled.

This salad debuted at an April 2015 Farm Lunch. It was accompanied by Mary Wong’s ham and cheese scalloped potatoes. Needless to say the crew returned to work that afternoon with full, happy bellies!

*This dressing would be wonderful tossed with any kind of “chop-chop salad.” That’s my term for chopping up (or grating) raw veggies into a slaw-like salad, like broccoli stems, cabbage, carrots, celeriac, ruatabagas, green onions, etc.

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Green Garlic Hummus

green garlic

Green spring garlic is milder than garlic in bulb-and-clove form, but it can still garlic up your favorite dishes.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 bunch green garlic (6 to 8 stalks)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or Nash’s field peas*
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Trim the green garlic stalks and chop them. Let sit for 5-10 minutes while you drain and rinse the chickpeas and gather the rest of the ingredients. Put chopped green garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they’re more finely chopped. Add the lemon juice and salt and whirl until a rough puree forms. Add the chickpeas or field peas and pulse until everything is combined. Whirl in the oil until a puree forms again. Stir in pepper and/or lemon zest to taste. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as you like. Serve with crackers, bread, or crudités.

Although this recipe uses green garlic, which is milder than cured garlic bulbs, it still packs a big punch! The flavors will intensify over time, so if you want a milder hummus prepare just before serving.

*Try using a cup of Nash’s dried field peas instead of canned garbanzos. Soak them overnight, and then cook until tender, about an hour. Cool, drain, and add to the recipe.

Recipe adapted by Virginia Newman from About.com.

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Easy Breakfast Porridge

Whole Grain Naked Oats

This breakfast takes a little forethought but after some soaking and throwing ingredients into a crock pot you can wake up to a nourishing warm breakfast, ready to eat. Make a large batch and eat it all week!

1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup millet
1 cup whole naked oats
6 cups warm water mixed with 4 tablespoons yogurt (yogurt is optional)*
5 cups water
1 cinnamon stick broken into 2 pieces (plus any other spices you want)
4 cups milk (or a non-dairy milk, such as almond or rice)

The morning before you want porridge, soak all the grains in the warm water/yogurt mixture until after dinner (for at least 2 hours), then rinse and drain well. Pour the soaked grains into a slow cooker with water, milk, and cinnamon or your other favorite spices. Cover and set unit on low to cook overnight (7-9 hrs). When you wake up you will have hot delicious porridge ready for you! Add nuts, seeds, fruits, and additional yogurt to create your unique breakfast.

*The lactobacillus bacteria found in yogurt helps to breakdown the phytates found in whole grains. Phytates can bind to nutrients and inhibit their digestion, so this process helps us to better digest the nutrients in our meal!

We thank Virginia Newman for this recipe.

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Wilted Spinach Salad with Asparagus

6 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed, dried, and chilled
1 pound asparagus stalks, washed and trimmed
3 tablespoons good-quality balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped

Remove stems and veins from spinach leaves and tear into bite-sized pieces; place spinach on individual serving plates.

Blanch the asparagus in lightly salted boiling water for approximately 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; do not overcook. Remove from heat and refresh under cold water; drain and dry well; set aside.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, red onion, garlic, and pepper; heat mixture until hot, stirring occasionally. Add cooked asparagus spears to dressing mixture, tossing to coat and reheat.

Remove from heat. Place asparagus spears over the top of the spinach. Pour warm dressing over asparagus and spinach. Sprinkle with chopped egg and serve immediately. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

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Potato Soup with Bacon and Asparagus

4 slices thickly cut bacon
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 cups low-fat milk
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (optional)

Place bacon slices into a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Stir onion, garlic, and salt into the hot skillet and cook and stir until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and stir in the asparagus; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until asparagus are softened but still bright green, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain asparagus and set aside.

Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes; drain.

Transfer cooked potatoes to a soup pot and mash them with a potato masher, leaving some potato chunks for texture.

Pour milk into a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high until the milk is hot, 1 to 3 minutes; stir milk occasionally as it heats. Pour hot milk into the potatoes and stir to combine.

Place soup over medium-low heat. Crumble bacon slices and stir bacon and the onion mixture into the soup; heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until soup thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle soup with chives to serve.

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Quinoa and Parlsey Salad

Curly Parsley

A flavorful and colorful salad, this can be served cold and tastes even better the second day!

1 cup water
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup unsalted pumpkin seed kernels, toasted

Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Spoon into a bowl; fluff with a fork. Add parsley, celery, onions, and apricots.

Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and black pepper. Add to quinoa mixture, and toss well. Top with seeds.

We thank MyRecipes.com for this recipe.

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Rutabaga Saute

rutabagas

Enjoy the sweetness of these lovely rutabagas!

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium leek, sliced fine
2-3 mushrooms, chopped
1 medium rutabaga, grated
1/2 pound ground meat (Nash’s pork or Clark’s beef)
1/2 cup broth or stock of any kind
1 small package Itsy-Bitsy Greens, any kind
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup grated cheese, any kind

Sauté the leek in the butter until it starts to soften, 3 minutes. Add the ground meat and sauté until cooked through. Add mushrooms, rutabaga, salt, pepper, paprika and broth. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes. Towards the end, toss on the greens and cover to wilt. You could also add about 1 cup of any leafy green, chopped fine; just add it when you add the broth to cook through. At the end, sprinkle the cheese on top, cover and wait a couple of minutes for it to melt. Voila!

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Nettle Soup with Potato

Nettles

Don’t be afraid of nettles — they’re tasty and nutritious!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 pound potatoes, peeled and chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth, or water
1/2 pound stinging nettles
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
Sour cream, yogurt, or horseradish cream (optional)

In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add potatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook 15 minutes. Add nettles and cook until very tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter, pepper, and nutmeg.

Puree soup with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor in batches. For a silken, less fibrous texture, run mixture through a food mill or sieve.

Stir in cream, if using. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if you like. Serve hot, garnished with sour cream, yogurt, or horseradish cream. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

We thank LocalFoods.About.com for this recipe.

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Kia’s Jalapeño Salsa

The roasted pepper flavor of this salsa is wonderful over breakfast potatoes and eggs, spread with mayo on sandwiches, mixed into tuna or egg salad, atop meat or vegetarian entrees, stirred into soups, or anything you want to kick up a notch with some heat!

6-8 jalapeno peppers, stems popped off
4-5 cloves of garlic, quartered
Salt
Water

In a dry cast iron skillet, pan roast whole peppers on medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until they are softened and mostly blistering or blackened, about 25 min.

Combine peppers, garlic, 3-4 large pinches of salt and a few long splashes of water in blender or Vitamix. Blend thoroughly until everything is smooth, adding a more water if needed.*

Store salsa in fridge for up to 10 days, or pour into ice cube trays and then pop them into a plastic bag when they are frozen. Use liberally over everything you eat!

*Note: Do not touch your eyes while preparing or let children handle salsa, it is VERY spicy. After blending the peppers, take the blender outside or to your stove’s fan, and open the lid in a well ventilated area.

We thank the farm’s own Kia Armstrong for this recipe.

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Garlicky Leeks in Olive Oil

leeks

Celebrate the flavors of leeks and garlic.

2 leeks
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons salt

Trim the dark green ends of the leeks, leaving only the light green and white ends. Rinse leeks well (cut in half lengthwise and rinse in between layers). Slice the leeks into 2-inch chunks.

In a small frying pan, heat olive oil to hot but not smoking. Turn down the heat and add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cilantro and cook another 30 seconds. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

In a medium saucepan, bring 8 cups water to boil. Salt the water with 2 tablespoons salt. Add leeks to the boiling water and reduce heat to simmer. Poach until leeks are just tender to bite, about 4 minutes; do not overcook.

Drain the leeks and add them to the olive oil mixture, stirring gently to coat the leeks completely. Serve immediately, garnished with more cilantro.

Recipe adapted from Food52.com.

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