No Tears Here

 

No tears fall when chopping onion greens.

It seems that most of the people I know have food sensitivities or allergies, or have restricted diets for health issues or philosophical reasons. That can make cooking for potlucks a challenge. We've hosted enough potlucks that we know most of these restrictions for the people who are regularly invited, and we ask about food restrictions when inviting new people. 

Sometimes all that's needed is a simple substitution in a recipe, or simply eliminating an offending ingredient. Sometimes that means creating a second offering for one or two people. At other times it means separating ingredients for people to combine as it fits their needs. This works really well for salads. People can simply build their own.

One condition that requires certain restrictions is SIBO, small intestine bacterial overgrowth. In this condition usually beneficial bacteria and other microorganisms that are supposed to populate the large intestine, aiding digestion and nutrient absorption, have somehow moved in the small intestine where they don't belong. This causes gas, bloating and other digestive issues and requires minimizing foods that are high in certain "fermentable" sugars (referred to as FODMAPS) that feed the misplaced organisms in the small intestine and cause symptoms. Other intestinal issues also require restricting these foods, but SIBO is the one I know about.

Since this photo was taken four days earlier, the tops have 
grown to more than three times this height.

The issue with restricting these foods is that they're very healthful and tasty foods.  

Onions and their relatives -- leeks, garlic, shallots, etc. -- the white bulbs, anyway, are full of FODMAPS. It is difficult to cook without these vegetables (Alliums), as many recipes call for one or more of them. You can still get their flavors into foods, however, by using only the green leaves instead of the white bulbs. A plus is that you don't cry when chopping the greens.

Last spring I planted bunching onions, which are considered a perennial vegetable. Instead of pulling and using the bulbs, you use the greens of bunching onions. Bunching onions, I read, are not always truly winter hardy, so I planted two of the supposedly hardier varieties -- Warrior and Flagpole. So far Warrior seems the most robust. If you don't have garden space, bunching onions can be grown in containers. They don't have deep roots.

I sowed the seeds in the spring, probably late March, early April. I failed to note that on my calendar. I plan to plant more this year, as the two small patches didn't provide nearly enough greens. I hope that the ones I planted last spring come back and I can start cutting them earlier and get more greens. I dehydrated what I didn't use right away. You also can saute and freeze them. When using the greens to flavor your dishes, use more than you would of the bulb, as the flavor of the greens is milder.

I also dehydrated the leek greens when I pulled them. The year before, when I had a lot more leeks, I sliced and dehydrated the white part. Very tasty, almost like onion rings. (By the way, it's about time to start your transplants for regular onions and leeks.) 

This year I will cut and dry garlic greens. However, we'll soon have fresh ones. I planted a bunch of cloves in potting soil in a pot and set it on the windowsill. We can snip the greens as needed. I also have a potted clump of chives by the window. I dug and potted it after the weather turned pretty chilly and we had a freeze or two, so the chives weren't in the best condition. They dried up right away, but are now growing green and can be snipped to toss into salads or garnish other dishes. Chives have a milder flavor than other allium greens, and are best left uncooked. Garlic chives can be potted up, as well, for a mild garlic flavor.

If only it were this easy to substitute other problematic foods.