Lactose Free Recipes

Stuffed and Baked Sweet Onions

Walla Walla onions

Walla Walla onions, oh so sweet!

2 green bell peppers
2 medium sweet onions
6 small tomatoes or 1 large, chopped
1 Tbsp. capers
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dried
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Thyme sprigs for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place bell peppers on foil-lined baking sheet and, with oven door partially open, broil 5 inches from heat, turning, for 5 minutes until skins blister. Remove and let cool. Place in paper bag, close it, and let stand 10 minutes to loosen skins. Peel, seed, and chop. Set aside.

Cut thin slice from bottom of each onion, forming a base. Cut about 1/3 off top, remove centers, leaving 1/2″ thick shells. Reserve top and centers for other dishes.

Stir together peppers, tomatoes, capers, basil, thyme, vinegar, salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into onion shells. Place in baking dish and bake, covered, for 50 minutes, until onion is quite soft but not collapsing. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.

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Summer Fruit in Wine

a pile of peaches and nectarines

Nectarines and peaches work quite well in this classy treat.

1 stalk lemongrass, outer layers removed
(You can also use lemon balm, mint, thyme, sweet woodruff or rosemary)
1-2 Tbsp. sugar or honey
1/2 cup water
Mixed summer fruit (peaches, nectarines, melons, apricots, and strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and cherries), washed, pitted, cut up
White wine (Riesling, Gewurztraminer, etc.)
Mint or lemon balm sprigs
Edible flowers (nasturtium, pansy, mint, lavender, calendula, borage) for garnish

Chop lemongrass and boil with sweetener and water until sweetener is totally dissolved and blended. Let cool for several hours or overnight.

Place fruit into nonreactive bowl. Strain lemongrass syrup and combine with enough wine to barely cover fruit. Pour on fruit and chill for several hours.

Serve in large wine goblets or clear glass dessert bowls. Garnish with herb springs and flowers.

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Roasted Rainbow Chard & Salmon

rainbow chard4 5-ounce salmon fillets
4 large chard leaves, stems removed (save for stir-fry!)
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
Fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400F. Place each fillet in center of chard leaf and sprinkle with lemon juice, ginger, salt and pepper. Roll each leaf, stem end to tip, over fillets, tucking ends under to close.

Place packets side by side in baking pan brushed with olive oil and coat each packet with additional oil. Roast until fish is firm and just cooked to the center, 12-15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Recipe from 366 Healthful Ways to Cook Leafy Greens by Linda Romanelli Leahy.

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Fava Bean-Pistachio Salad

Fava beans in the pod¼ cup coarsely chopped raw pistachios
1½ cups shelled fava beans (from about 1 ½ lb pods)
Salt/pepper
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup olive oil, plus 1 Tbsp.
1 bu garlic scapes, sliced in 1” pieces
2 cups trimmed arugula or spinach
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Chive blossoms for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast pistachios until fragrant but not brown, 5–8 minutes. Let cool. Remove fava beans from pods and cook in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander set in a bowl of ice water. Drain, remove skins, and transfer beans to a small bowl.

Combine shallot and vinegar in another small bowl; season with salt and pepper and set aside at least 10 minutes. Whisk 1/3 cup oil into shallot mixture; season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

Toss garlic scapes in 1 Tbsp. oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 4 minutes in 400° oven. Turn and roast for 2 minutes more. Let cool.

Combine beans, scapes, arugula/spinach and tomatoes in a large bowl; add vinaigrette and pistachios and gently toss to combine. Transfer to a serving platter and top with chive blossoms, if using.

Bonus Recipe
I also love to take the shucked and peeled favas (lots of work! Sigh) and saute them with cut-up garlic scapes until tender, then puree them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Maybe add a dash of lemon juice or some diced basil, or other herb you like. Makes a great spread.

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Tokyo Turnip Salad

Hakurei, or Tokyo, turnips are a mild, juicy variety of turnip. You can eat the tender roots of this plant as well as the delicious greens. Tokyo turnips are tender, slightly spicy and taste like a cross between a radish and a turnip. Any root vegetable like turnips or carrots will store better if you remove the leaves from the roots. Store both greens and turnip roots in a moist towel, cloth bag or plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.

Try Tokyo turnips raw in salads, or thinly sliced on crudite plates or with crackers and cheese. You can also cook them in vegetable or miso soups, or steam or stir fry them – they’re quite versatile! Note that they do not need to be cooked for long. They are also delicious marinated or pickled in vinegar and salt. The greens are slightly spicy, tender and delicious, and can be prepared just as other greens.

1 bunch turnips, scrubbed, trimmed & sliced in 1/4″ rounds
1/2 cup rice or white vinegar
1/2 tsp salt + more to taste
water to cover
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

Combine the vinegar and salt in a shallow bowl and stir until the salt is dissolved. Submerge the turnip slices and add more vinegar, if necessary, to cover. Allow to stand 15 minutes. Remove the turnips from the liquid, add toasted sesame seeds and toss. Serve over noodles or rice or alongside another dish.

We thank our good friends and fellow farmers Paul Muller and Dru Rivers of Full Belly Farm in the Capay Valley in northern California, for this info and recipe.

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Fava Beans with Red Onion and Mint

Fava beans in the pod2.5 lb fresh fava beans, pods and membranes removed (makes about 3 cups)
1 tsp. plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 medium red onions, chopped
Fine sea salt
Generous handful of mint, roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup)

Cook fava beans with 1 teaspoon oil in boiling unsalted water until tender, 6 to 8 minutes, then drain.

Cook onions in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring, until just crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add beans and cook until just heated through, then season with sea salt and pepper. Toss in mint. Serve immediately.

We thank epicurious.com for this recipe.

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Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms

Spinach on a tabletop1 cup cooked spinach
8 large mushrooms (or 12 smaller ones. Try some of our lovely Crimini mushrooms at the Store)
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. bread crumbs (optional)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Chop spinach, place in strainer and press out liquid. Wash mushrooms and remove stems. Chop stems fine and saute with onions in butter and olive oil until tender. Add spinach and cook another minute or so, mixing well. If there is too much liquid, or you like drier filling, add dried bread crumbs. Add nutmeg and season to taste. Fill hollow of each mushroom with spoonful of stuffing and place in buttered pan. Add 1/4 inch water to pan and bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

We thank Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon for this recipe.

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Asian Pickled Leek Scapes

Yields ½ pint. Recipe can be doubled or quadrupled.

½ cup rice vinegar
Small splash of fish sauce (optional)
Juice of 1 lime
1 leek bulb or shallot, thinly sliced
½ to 1 whole hot chili pepper, sliced
1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
¼ tsp. salt
1 to 2 leek scapes, to total about 2½ feet in length, sliced thinly on the diagonal

Combine all but the sliced scapes in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the scapes and return to a simmer, then remove from heat and allow to steep for 20 minutes.

Pour everything into a clean half-pint jar, tightly seal it, and give it a good shake to make sure all the aromatics in the brine are well-distributed. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours to allow the flavors to develop.

We thank The Daily Mail for this recipe.

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Curry Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower in the field

This year’s sweet overwintered cauliflower is our best-looking cauli crop yet!

¼ cup olive oil
2 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
4 cups cauliflower florets, washed
2 Tbsp. slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the olive oil, curry powder, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Drain the cauliflower florets and place in a 13 x 9” baking dish; pour the oil mixture over the florets and toss gently. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir in almonds mixing lightly. Return to oven and bake uncovered for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until cauliflower is browned and almonds are toasted.

We thank geniuskitchen.com for this recipe.

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Grilled Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Tahini Dressing

Purple sprouting broccoli is a gorgeous and nutritious treat that graces our tables in the spring. As a member of the brassica family, it has detoxifying properties and is a great way for your body to cleanse. The deep purple color indicates a unique antioxidant profile and will also add some color variety to your plate. Additionally, it is an excellent source of vitamin C, which supports your immune system as the season shifts.

purple sprouting broccoli

Grilled Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Tahini Dressing

1 bunch of Nash’s purple sprouting broccoli
2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus extra to serve
½ clove garlic, crushed with a little salt
2 Tbsp. light tahini, stirred
½ lemon, zest finely grated, juiced
½ orange, juiced
½ tsp. clear honey
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil

For the dressing, put the garlic in a small bowl with the tahini, lemon zest and juice, orange juice, honey and a grind of black pepper. Stir well. Thin down by whisking in water, a tablespoon at a time, till the dressing has a creamy consistency. Gently stir in the oil and season to taste.

Trim the broccoli, removing any tough ends; slice any thick stems lengthwise. Steam over boiling water for three minutes, until just starting to soften but not fully tender. Or cook in boiling water for four minutes, until not quite tender, then drain well. The broccoli will be cooked further in the grill pan, so you want it under-done at this stage.

Put two tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper into a bowl. Add the broccoli, toss it in the seasoning and oil. Heat a ridged cast-iron grill pan over a high heat. When hot, add the broccoli and sear for five to seven minutes, turning from time to time, until tender and patched with dark brown char marks. Transfer to a warm dish, trickle over some of the dressing, add a little more salt and pepper, and an extra dash of olive oil, and serve.

We thank theguardian.com for this recipe.

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