Gluten-Free Croque Monsieur

By Sylvie Ryan, the Boise Co-op's Culinary Educator

1 cup hot Coconut Milk
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Gluten-Free Baking Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
Pinch Nutmeg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2-1/2 cups grated Gruyere Cheese
10 slices Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread
Dijon Mustard
5 slices Prosciutto or Ham, nitrate-free

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat coconut milk in a small saucepan, but turn off heat before milk gets foamy.

In separate saucepan, melt the butter over low heat and add the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes to make a roux. Slowly add in the hot coconut milk, whisking constantly until the sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, the parmesan, and 1/2 cup of the Gruyere. Mix the cheese sauce well and set aside.

Toast the bread slices in the oven for 5 minutes on a baking sheet. Turn over the slices and toast in the oven for another 2-3 minutes, or as preferred.

Lightly spread half the toasted bread slices with the mustard and add a slice of ham to each. Top with half of the remaining Gruyere. Top with the other slice of toasted bread and slather the tops of the sandwiches with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyere on top and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil the sandwiches for 3-5 minutes, until the top of the sandwich is bubbly and lightly browned.

Makes 5 sandwiches.

Sylvie's Roasted Vegetable Gazpacho

An Original Recipe by Sylvie Ryan, the Boise Co-op's Culinary Educator

Serves 10

5 Red Bell Peppers, halved and seeded

4 lbs. Plum or Roma Tomatoes, whole and washed

4 medium Red Onions, peeled and roughly sliced

6 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed

1 Tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

½ cup Water

3-4 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

1 Tsp Hot Sauce (you may use Tabasco)

Salt and Pepper to taste


Turn on the broiler. Cut the peppers in half, discard the seeds. Place them on a baking sheet open side turned down. Place the baking sheet as low as possible. When they are ready, they will look quite dark, place in a bowl and cover. Let rest for a few minutes. The skin will separate from the flesh, this will help the peeling process. Carefully peel the peppers. Set aside.

Set the oven to 425 degrees and move the rack to the middle position. Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast them for about 15 minutes. You will know they are ready when the skin has started to crack. In a large bowl mix the onions and garlic together, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with about 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Place in the oven along with the tomatoes and roast for about 15-20 minutes. Put in a bowl and cover. When the skin has separated from the flesh, peel the tomatoes.

Purée the red peppers, tomatoes, onion and garlic mixture together in a food processor, adding a little bit of water at the time. You want to obtain a fairly chunky soup, but make sure that it does not become too liquid. You may need to this in sections so to not overflow the food processor. Place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. I suggest that you wait for the soup to be thoroughly chilled before adding the vinegar, hot sauce and adjust the seasoning. You may garnish the soup with fresh herbs, olive oil, or cubed cucumber. Bon appétit!

Grandma Hélène's Green Beans

From Sylvie Ryan, the Boise Co-op's Culinary Educator


My grand mother made this recipe for larger family gatherings. It accompanies roasted chicken very well, but would be a good plate companion for any roasted meat dish. It is so quick and easy to make and the flavors of slowly cooked onions with garlic and tomatoes are delicious and very fresh.

Serves 8-10

2 Lbs. String Beans (You may use Green Beans cut in half)

1- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Large Yellow Onion, minced

4-5 Garlic Cloves, crushed and minced

1 Large Tomato, cubed

½ cup Vegetable Broth

Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste



Wash and trim the beans. Set aside.

In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat and add the onions. Sauté the onions until tender, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for an additional 5 minutes, lower the heat if needed, the mixture has to simmer. Add the vegetable broth, the beans, salt and pepper, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasoning and serve. Bon appétit!

Arugula Pear Salad

3 ripe Pears

juice of 2 Lemons

1/3 cup dried Cranberries

1/3 cup Pecans, toasted and chopped

1/2 cup Apple Cider

1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1/3 cup Honey

1/4 cup extra-virgin Olive oil

1 bag (6 ounces) Arugula

Black pepper and sea salt



Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the pears into slices, about 6 slices per pear, removing the cores and seeds.

Whisk the apple cider, vinegar, lemon juice, honey and 1 tbsp olive oil in a bowl.

Toss the pears with the mixture and arrange them core side up in a baking dish.

Bake the pears, basting every 5-10 minutes with the apple sauce mixture, until tender, about 40-50 minutes. Remove and let cool to warm or room temp.

Whisk together the remaining olive oil and 1/2 cup of the basting liquid. Toss with the arugula with the dressing, pecans and cranberries and divide among 6 plates. Top each salad with 3 pear slices, season with salt and pepper.

Black Quinoa Salad

 2/3 cup Black Quinoa

 1 Avocado

 Lemon Juice

 2 Oranges

1 tablespoon chopped Parsley

1 bunch Golden Beets, peeled and diced


For the vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon Gluten-free Honey Dijon Mustard

2 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar

6 tablespoons Olive Oil

• Rinse the quinoa under cold water and drain. Add to a pot with twice the same amount of water (2 x 2/3 cup water). Add salt and bring to a boil. Simmer and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Stop the heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.

• To prepare the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, combine the honey mustard with the white wine vinegar. Add the oil and emulsify with a fork. Season with pepper (note that I don’t add more salt here because the quinoa is already seasoned with salt from cooking).

• Dice avocado. Drizzle with lemon juice to prevent oxidation.

• Peel the oranges and using a sharp knife, remove the white membranes of the oranges; cut it in slices.

• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and dress with the vinaigrette.