what's new

Community Produce Program Adds Regional Fresh Food to Pantry Shelves

Posted on
October 2, 2024

New grants and a new partnership have allowed LEAP's Community Produce Program to feed more people fresh, regional food in emergency settings. This is not our most visible work, but it's important work that we are proud to be a part of.

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The Gathering Place at The LEAP Hub Open to Community

Posted on
June 28, 2024

In The LEAP Hub, we have a space for the community to come together for meetings, conversations, and sharing. Welcome to The Gathering Place.

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Hurt Park Community Garden Grows

Posted on
May 17, 2024

One of LEAP's three community gardens, this space continues to evolve. Stop by during a volunteer night to see for yourself.

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LEAP Hosts Monthly Community Dinners with the Roanoke Co+op Again in 2024

Posted on
May 14, 2024

Bring yourself and as many friends as you'd like! Dinners are held on the third Wednesday of the month.

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Fall Internships at LEAP

Posted on
May 3, 2024

LEAP is seeking fall interns. Apply now.

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Food is Medicine

Posted on
April 2, 2024

LEAP and partners continue to explore pathways for Food is Medicine initiatives in the Roanoke region.

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Springtime in the Gardens

Posted on
April 1, 2024

What was barren turns beautiful -- sometimes seemingly overnight!

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A New Season Begins

Posted on
April 1, 2024

New markets, new Farm Share season, new Mobile Market schedule, new staff, and a new retail store all begin this spring.

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LEAP Kitchen Seeks Food Business Start-ups

Posted on
February 12, 2024

Roanoke shared commercial kitchen has capacity for new members and is offering expanded services.

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Local Food Leaders Share Their Stories

Posted on
January 14, 2024

Learn more about an exciting new project highlighting food systems leaders in the Roanoke region.

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Star City Compost Turns Food Waste Into Amendments for the Soil

Posted on
January 13, 2024

Want to keep your food scraps out of the landfill? There's a new business that will compost for you!

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Trying New Tastes

Posted on
September 13, 2023

LEAP helps Cave Spring Elementary School students sample new foods and flavors.

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New Community Produce Program Begins

Posted on
July 30, 2023

This month, LEAP kicked off an important partnership and program to serve our community.

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LEAP Accepts 'Healthy Benefits' Cards at Mobile Market Stops

Posted on
July 26, 2023

LEAP can now accept “Healthy Benefits” or “S3” debit cards issued by insurance providers as payment for food on its mobile market, making it one of the first small-scale retailers to participate in Virginia – or nationwide.

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LEAP Offers ServSafe Certification

Posted on
June 20, 2023

LEAP is now offering ServSafe Certification monthly as a way to help food producers increase their skills and employability.

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A Celebration of The LEAP Hub

Posted on
June 10, 2023

LEAP officially dedicates its new building in the West End neighborhood -- The LEAP Hub

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West End Farmers Market Moves to a New Location in May 2023

Posted on
April 25, 2023

With its move, the West End Farmers Market is expanding to include more farmers and food vendors.

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Powered by the Sun

Posted on
February 18, 2023

LEAP installs a large solar array on the roof of The LEAP Hub.

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Sen. Tim Kaine Tours The LEAP Hub

Posted on
February 1, 2023

Afterward, he hosted a coffee for Roanoke's young leaders in LEAP's Gathering Place.

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A New Home and a New Adventure for LEAP

Posted on
January 27, 2022

An expanded food hub, a farmers market just outside the door, a community gathering area, a small retail space selling fresh food in the West End, office space upstairs, room to park delivery vehicles, and the potential to positively impact a neighborhood we care deeply about. This is what 1027 Patterson Avenue means to LEAP.

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Redesigning Morningside Community Garden

Posted on
September 27, 2023

Morningside Community Garden Discovery Walk: Number 1

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Get to Know the Plants in Our Perennial Herb Bed

Posted on
September 27, 2023

Morningside Community Garden Discovery Walk: Number 2

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How LEAP's Community Gardens Work

Posted on
September 26, 2023

Morningside Community Garden Discovery Walk: Number 3

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Thoughts on Luffa Gourds and Gardening

Posted on
September 26, 2023

Morningside Community Garden Discovery Walk: Number 4

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Growing a Food Forest

Posted on
September 26, 2023

Morningside Community Garden Discovery Walk: Number 5

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Creating Compost in the Garden

Posted on
September 26, 2023

Morningside Community Garden Discovery Walk: Number 6

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How to Volunteer in LEAP's Community Gardens

Posted on
September 26, 2023

Morningside Community Garden Discovery Walk: Number 7

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What is a Cover Crop?

Posted on
September 26, 2023

Morningside Community Garden Discovery Walk: Number 8

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How to Make the Most of Summer's Bounty

Posted on
July 24, 2023

Your freezer is your friend in these months when the veggies come fast and furiously.

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Why Create a Roanoke Foodshed Network?

Posted on
December 2, 2022

Since 2020, LEAP has been working with a suite of community partners to build a foodshed network for our region.

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The Cost of Food

Posted on
November 21, 2022

What are the hidden costs of the conventional food system?

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The Power of a Network

Posted on
November 21, 2022

What is Virginia Fresh Match? How does it connect to LEAP? Here's a quick explainer.

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New Life for 'Ugly' Produce

Posted on
September 26, 2022

Processing local, in-season produce extends its shelf life, reduces food waste, and creates more nutritious meals for everyone.

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Learn More About Local Food

Posted on
February 7, 2022

What grows in our region? What do the terms "artisan" or "naturally grown" mean? What is a CAFO? There's a wealth of information about local, sustainable food. Here are a few resources to help you dig in to this complex topic.

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Why Eat Local?

Posted on
February 7, 2022

What is "local food" and why should you go out of your way to eat it? These are foundational questions to the work LEAP does. Read on for an explanation of how local food promotes healthier people, more resilient communities, and stronger economies.

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Soil Health is Your Health

Posted on
January 27, 2022

As an inspirational farmer used to tell me, "healthy soil, makes healthy plants, makes healthy people."

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The Mushroom Connection

Edible Blue Ridge
September 2024
See Article

A Big LEAP for Affordable Food

The Roanoke Times
August 2024
See Article

Roanoke Celebrates 8th All-America City Recognition

Cardinal News
July 2024
See Article

LEAP Opens a Brick-and-Mortar Food Store

The Roanoker magazine
July 2024
See Article

Roanoke Foodshed Network Grants $17,000 to Local Organizations

The Roanoker magazine
July 2024
See Article

Commodities & Camaraderie

The Roanoker magazine
April 2024
See Article

LEAP Kitchen Seeks Food Business Start-Ups

The Roanoker magazine
February 2024
See Article

40 Under 40: Kat Johnson

The Roanoker magazine
January 2024
See Article

40 Under 40: Rachel Burks

The Roanoker magazine
January 2024
See Article

40 Under 40: Katie Struble

The Roanoker magazine
January 2024
See Article

The Roanoke Foodshed Network Grants $20,000 to Local Organizations

The Roanoker magazine
December 2023
See Article

Giving Back in Retirement

The Roanoker magazine
October 2023
See Article

From Pizza to Pretzels, Food Pop-ups Are Making Roanoke's Dining Scene Shine

Roanoke Rambler
September 2023
See Article

Elote Elebrije Owner Finds New Life in Corn

The Roanoker magazine
August 2023
See Article

LEAP's West End Farmers Market Moves to Bigger Footprint

The Roanoker magazine
April 2023
See Article

Support Local Farmers with Subscription to LEAP’s Farm Share Program

WDBJ7
March 2023
See Article

Baking Breaks Barriers

Edible Blue Ridge
March 2023
See Article

LEAP Puts ARPA Funding to Good Use

Roanoke Valley Television
February 2023
See Article

Keeping 'Ugly' Produce From Going to Waste

WDBJ7
January 2023
See Article

Studies show highly processed foods may have addictive qualities

Cardinal News
December 2022
See Article

Your 2022 Foodie Gift Guide

The Roanoker magazine
October 2022
See Article

Abandoned 1930s Trout Hatchery Reborn In Hills of Appalachia!

Mountain Roots: Exploring Appalachia
June 2022
See Article

Urban Farm Set to Grow in Roanoke Food Desert

Cardinal News
April 2022
See Article

40 Under 40: Cameron Terry

The Roanoker magazine
January 2022
See Article

Build Back Better and keep building to improve school meals

The Roanoke Times
December 2021
See Article

Prescribing tomatoes and carrots could help some Americans eat better

Politico
September 2021
See Article

Governor Northam applauds LEAP Mobile Market in providing affordable fresh groceries

WSET 13
September 2021
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Grown Here at Home: Botetourt County farm raising money for food justice

WDBJ7
August 2021
See Article

Food for All

The Roanoker magazine
April 2021
See Article

Roanoke Partnership Launches New Farm to School Program Featuring Locally Grown Produce

Roanoke Star
January 2021
See Article

40 Under 40: Maureen McNamara Best

The Roanoker magazine
January 2021
See Article

Food Justice: What is it and how can we fix it

WSLS
October 2020
See Article

LEAP and VA Cooperative Extension Receive Farm to School Grant to Get Fresh Food to Roanoke City Students

Roanoke Star
October 2020
See Article

More locally-grown food heading to schools in the Star City

WSLS
October 2020
See Article

Helping to provide food to families affected by the pandemic

WFIR
July 2020
See Article

Roanoke-based LEAP shifts online to provide local food

WVTF / Radio IQ
June 2020
See Article

Feeling freer at the farmers market

Roanoke Times
May 2020
See Article

Shifting Landscapes for Our Local Farmers

Valley Business Front
May 2020
See Article

Farmers markets switch to online orders and drive-thru pickup

WFXR
April 2020
See Article

Food Hub Spotlight: 4P Foods

Posted on
September 13, 2024

4P Foods is a Regional Food Hub based out of Warrenton, VA. Their mission is to rebuild a regenerative and equitable food system.

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Farm Spotlight: Berrier Farms

Posted on
July 11, 2024

Local apples, peaches, nectarines, and cherries are some of the most prized produce grown in Virginia's Blue Ridge. These are the specialties of Berrier Farms, one of the oldest continuous farms in the region.

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Farm Spotlight: TruFood Growery

Posted on
July 11, 2024

Tenley Weaver has long been central to local food in the Roanoke region. In 2016, she turned much of her attention away from food distribution and back to farming when she returned to her home farm, TruFood Growery.

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Food Hub Spotlight: Loca-Motive Aggregator

Posted on
September 20, 2024

Regional Food Hubs are an important link in the local food distribution chain. Loca-Motive Aggregator, run by farmer and food entrepreneur Tenley Weaver, was an early model in our region and remains an important local food partner today.

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Farm Spotlight: Wade's Orchard

Posted on
June 26, 2024

Wade's Orchard is a small-time family farm that has been in business in Woolwine, Va., since 1975. They grow apples, peaches, and 40 acres of vegetables.

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Farm Spotlight: Purple Cloud Farms

Posted on
June 14, 2024

Sharon and Danny Boles specialize in raising crops like garlic and lavender on their Christiansburg-area business. Find Purple Cloud harvests in LEAP's Farm Share.

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Farm Spotlight: Garden Variety Harvests

Posted on
June 6, 2024

Garden Variety Harvests brings beautiful vegetables to Grandin Village Farmers Market, West End Farmers Market, the LEAP Farm Share, and the LEAP Mobile Market from inside Roanoke's city limits. This urban farm is also an example of a new model of land ownership.

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Farm Spotlight: Riverstone Organic Farm

Posted on
June 26, 2024

Riverstone has approximately 15 acres of certified-organic cropland, including perennial crops and five unheated greenhouses for season extension. Riverstone also has an on-site farm store that’s open daily, year round, from 9 am to 7 pm. The store offers vegetables, meats, and food products such as preserves, granola, and frozen soups made in their certified kitchen.

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Vendor Spotlight: Asher's Coffee Beans

Posted on
May 28, 2024

Asher's small batch coffee can be found at Grandin Village Farmers Market, West End Farmers Market, and in the LEAP Farm Share.

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Kitchen Spotlight: House of Bread

Posted on
May 22, 2024

House of Bread cooks in the LEAP Kitchen and sells their bread and baked goods at a variety of venues around Roanoke, including, on occasion, West End Farmers Market.

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Farm Spotlight: Patchwork Family Farm

Posted on
May 22, 2024

Amy and Bryan Willoughby think of Patchwork Family Farm in Copper Hill, VA, as a “patchwork” of their collective skills, life experiences, and passions. Begun in 2009, the farm uses organic production methods to grow nutrient-dense, flavorful food for their community.  

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Farm Spotlight: Greenstar Farm

Posted on
August 15, 2024

Greenstar Farm raises certified organic vegetables, small fruits, and healing herbs on their two-acre farm in Blacksburg. They specialize in growing asparagus, broccoli, peas, culinary herbs, figs, concord grapes, and wild foraged mushrooms.

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Farm Spotlight: Kat the Farmer

Posted on
May 22, 2024

Kat Johnson grows salad ingredients and makes all natural salad dressings on her "farmlet" outside of Floyd, Va.

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Sponsor Spotlight: Mast General Store

Posted on
August 14, 2024

Mast General Store has been a top sponsor of LEAP since 2022.

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Kitchen Spotlight: Spice Titan

Posted on
May 23, 2024

In 2021, Matt Rose had some time on his hands. He made the most of it by starting a new business of top-quality seasoning blends. Meet Spice Titan.

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Farm Spotlight: Wingstem Farm

Posted on
May 30, 2024

Wingstem Farm raises mushrooms, bees, and chickens. Lexi Rojahn is also a fiber artist who creates beautiful crafts.

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Provencal Sauce

Late summer and early fall are great times to stir up some made-from-scratch tomato sauce. LEAP Kitchen Manager Jeff Bland recently appeared on WDBJ7's Here@Home to share his recipe for Provencal Sauce and tips to create a simple, tasty meal.

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Roasted Vegetable Gallette

What is easier than pie? A gallette! This loose-form pastry is such a friend for local food eaters. Simply stir up some dough, roast your veggies, fold it all together, and presto! Dinner.

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Thai Curry Noodles

This is one of those framework recipes, where cooks can add and subtract as they like. The basics are coconut milk, curry paste, and noodles. Everything else can be inspired by what's showing up at the farmers market.

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Garlic Parmesan Roasted Carrots

In this recipe, the carrots take center stage.

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Roasted Green Tomato Soup

Got green tomatoes? This tasty soup is the perfect way to find your way into fall.

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Creamed Spinach Stuffed Butternut Squash

This recipe is a rich and hearty way to make vegetables the center of your table.

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Roasted Winter Squash

Here's a basic roasted winter squash recipe that leans on maple syrup and cinnamon to give it its flavor. Butternut squash is a perfect fit for this, but kabocha, delicata, or acorn squash will work, as well.

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Rosemary-Salt Roasted Sunchokes

Sunchokes can be something of a mystery. Think of them as crunchy, tasty potatoes. The rosemary salt in this recipe elevates the sunchokes to a new level!

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Kale, Apple, Beet Slaw

Here's another tasty fall salad that brings the best of what the season offers to your plate.

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Maple and Rosemary Glazed Sweet Potatoes

This side dish is a tender, tasty way to boost your Vitamin A intake throughout the winter. And it couldn't be easier!

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Roasted Root Vegetables

For everyone asking what to do with all those root veggies, we give you the easiest way to prepare them. Roasting. Once they're roasted, eat as leftovers for lunch -- or even crack an egg on top for a quick breakfast.

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Roasted Squash Chowder

Easily customizable, sweet without any added sugar, creamy without any dairy, this flavorful fall soup celebrates the tastes and colors of the season.

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Pumpkin Pancakes

This is a great fall weekend breakfast when you are looking for something fun and cozy. In this recipe, you can use homemade or canned pumpkin puree.

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Homemade Pumpkin Puree

This walks you through how to turn a whole pie pumpkin into something you can eat. Once you make this puree, you can use it like pumpkin puree from a can in all of your favorite fall recipes.

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Fennel and Cabbage Slaw

Ever find yourself with cabbage, fennel, and scallions, wondering what to make? Slaw. The answer is slaw. Here's a fun recipe to try!

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Roasted Radishes

When bunches of radishes abound on farmers market tables or in your farm share, reach for this recipe. It's easy and will make you fall in love with radishes all over again.

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Greek Kale Salad

For a simple way to add green to your table, try this tasty salad, perfect for fall, winter, and early spring when kale is abundant and sweet.

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Vegan Chili (with celery, onions, peppers, and tomatoes)

Have you tasted LEAP Kitchen Manager Jeff Bland's vegan chili at the West End Farmers Market or picked up a quart from the Community Store? If you have, you know how delicious it is.

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Applesauce Cake

This recipe comes from one of LEAP's Mobile Market customers. This is her signature sweet! With a cup of raisins, a cup of walnuts, and four cups of applesauce, it's not a bad way to top off a meal.

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Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

Spring and fall are both great times to roast beets and stir them into a meal of the season's abundant greens.

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Delicata Squash Cassoulet

Delicata squash is one of the most approachable winter squashes. No need to peel. Easy to cut in half. Smaller to handle than some of its cousins. This vegan version of the classic French comfort food should satisfy your taste buds and your belly.

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Spaghetti Squash With Kale and Chickpeas

Of all the winter squashes, spaghetti squash can be the hardest to love. It doesn't really taste like squash -- or spaghetti! This recipe stops asking spaghetti squash to be something it's not and simply embraces its unique flavor and texture.

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Classic Stuffed Peppers

Peppers are everywhere in late summer. Why not make them the star of your meal? This recipe is highly adaptable. Switch out proteins, grains, cheese, and sauce, if you like.

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No Cream Fettuccine Alfredo With Seasonal Vegetables

Instead of cream, this recipe uses hummus to make the Alfredo sauce. Adapt this recipe to whatever vegetables are in season.

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Roasted Cauliflower

This recipe couldn't be more simple -- or tastier. Stir it together for a quick side dish or add the cauliflower to a grain bowl.

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Ginger Scallion Ramen Noodles

When farmers are harvesting garlic and ginger and scallions, this recipe is the one to reach for. It's simple, delicious, and lets those fresh flavors shine.

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Baba Ganoush

If June is for cucumbers and July is for tomatoes, is August for eggplant? These purple jewels of the garden make a great alternative to hummus. Baba ganoush is smooth and garlicky and lemony and delicious!

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Summer Berry Crisp

Some of the best gifts of summer are the abundant berries! This crisp can be made easily for a sweet treat at the end of a meal. Swap kinds of berries or even peaches, nectarines, or pears as the seasons shift.

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Lodi Applesauce

Lodi apples are the first apples to ripen, typically in early summer. They can be tart, but they're great for making applesauce!

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Spinach Bean Dip

Looking to add a little spinach to your snacks? This recipe is vegan, nutritious, and delicious. It's a great dip for local carrot sticks, cucumber slices, tomato wedges, or bagel chips.

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Zucchini Slice

Think quiche or egg bake. This is essentially veggies, meat, eggs, and cheese baked into a quick and easy dinner.

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Sweet Corn Pudding

When you think of eating sweet corn, the first thing that likely comes to mind is eating it on the cob with butter and salt. But here's a delicious ways to make corn the star of your next dessert!

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Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Making your own salad dressing is fun, easy, and tastes better than commercial dressings. Use this on green salads, pasta salads, as a marinade for meats or tofu.

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Roasted Strawberry Cake

This cake's sweetness comes from the strawberries, which are extra flavorful after roasting. It's great for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. A great way to enjoy these jewels of spring!

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Rhubarb Ginger Jam

This is a great way to eat rhubarb. Spread this jam on toast, add it to a dish of ice cream, or pair it with pork for a flavorful meal.

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Fava Beans with Snap Peas and Mint

If you find yourself with fresh fava beans, here's a delicious way to eat them. Fava, peas, and mint combine to make the perfect taste of spring!

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Taste of Spring Salad

With fresh herbs, lots of lettuce, and radishes as stars of the show, this salad couldn't be more seasonable. Pair it with a homemade lemon vinaigrette for a can't-be-beat side dish or meal.

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Mushroom Polenta Casserole

After you purchase your mushrooms, onions, polenta (grits), and fresh sage or dried spices from the market, stir up this dish for a quick weeknight dinner.

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Layered Ratatouille

Summer means finding the eggplants, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs this recipe calls for at your favorite farmers market. This version of ratatouille is a little bit fancy -- but so worth the extra work!

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Mulligatawny Soup

To LEAP's Kitchen Manager Jeff Bland, there is no better butternut squash soup than this Indian-inspired edition. The curry and coconut milk pack it with flavor and the rice and lentils give it a thick stew-like texture.

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Parmesan Baked Rutabaga

Ever cooked a rutabaga? This recipe calls for baking it like sliced potatoes or turnips -- perfect for a warm, cozy winter meal.

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Kohlrabi, Beet, and Apple Salad

Here's a delicious way to mix together three gems of fall: kohlrabi, beets, and apples.

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Sweet Potato Gratin

A delicious spin on a family favorite side dish, perfect for the holidays and weekend dinners.

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Balsamic Roasted Beets

If you've never been a fan of beets, this recipe might just change your mind. The roasting brings out the veggies' natural sweetness, which pairs masterfully with the vinegar.

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Sweet Potato-Kohlrabi Latkes

I grew up as the only Greek in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood. One thing we always had in common was sharing food with each other. I love latkes. They are cozy and delicious and remind me of home. I also love that this recipe uses sweet potatoes and kohlrabi! It's a fun way to spice up your winter menus.

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Mashed Rutabagas

Rutabagas are an easy swap for potatoes. High in fiber and lower in calories and carbs, they are a nice change of pace in what can feel like a long winter.

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Roasted Parsnips

Parsnips are truly one of my most favorite vegetables. I find them to be highly underrated and a much milder flavor than carrots. I throw them in soups and stews all winter. Here's a fun recipe that makes parsnips the star of the show!

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Berry and Beet Sauce

This easy sauce can stay in your fridge for up to a week and is the perfect topper for overnight oats or toast. Or try it mixed in a cocktail or even drizzled on a cheesecake or dish of ice cream.

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Spring Frittata

This is our favorite kind of recipe here at LEAP, a basic framework that allows the cook to use whatever is in season to create a delicious dinner. Spring greens, asparagus, radishes? They'd all be welcome in this easy-to-make, anytime meal.

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Garlicky Bok Choy

Or broccoli rabe or kale -- or pretty much most greens. We're big on adapting recipes here at LEAP. Basically, sauté your greens with some garlic and onion. It'll be amazing. We promise.

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Sweet and Tangy Mustard Dressing

What takes a salad to the next level? The way you dress it, of course. See below for a fun mustard dressing.

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Springtime Pasta

Spring can be such a tease. You can feel the warmth of the season coming but the food follows more slowly. This recipe is great for stirring up whatever spring veggies you can get your hands on. Keep iterating as the season offers more and more.

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Fresh Fennel Salad

This recipe might just make you fall in love with fennel. The white bulb has a mild licorice flavor with a juicy crunch. The green fronds are also edible, stronger in fennel flavor, and can be dried for later use.

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Creamy Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs

Farmers are starting to dig potatoes and summer herbs are hitting their stride -- which means this yummy potato salad is calling your name. This dish is perfect for picnics, potlucks, and backyard eating.

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Tahini-Soy Cucumber Salad

This salad makes a great side to go with tofu, chicken, or fish. Or stir up a couple veggie dishes and make your own potluck for dinner! The soy, scallions, and sesame pair beautifully with the crunch of an early summer cuke.

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Beet Hummus

This recipe is an amazing way to eat beets and might change how you feel about hummus forever. It's super easy to make and kid approved!

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Hot Cherry Pepper Poppers

Similar to a pimiento pepper, red hot cherry peppers are great pickled or eaten fresh or baked. This recipe for stuffed peppers is a fun way to enjoy them.

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Pico de Gallo

Salsa is one of those dishes that's easy to make and so much better when stirred from scratch. This recipe is one of the simplest salsas out there — and one of the best.

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Tomato-Topped Quiche

This recipe is a delicious way to turn beloved heirloom tomatoes into a filling meal. Challenge yourself to use local eggs, milk, cheese -- even flour for a completely homegrown dinner.

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Braised Root Vegetables

Here at LEAP we believe there's no better way to prepare winter veggies than to roast them. Enjoy this delicious mix of root veggies -- substituting where you need to. The fruit mixed with the veggies makes for a new twist!

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Daikon Radish Salad

Flip the script on your salad, by making daikon radishes the star of the show, not just an extra. This salad is a tasty way to put a bunch of radishes on the table all at once.

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Root Vegetable Soup

Try this versatile recipe from New York Times Cooking. It's a simple winter soup that can be made with almost any mixture of root vegetables you have on hand: carrots, parsnips, celery root, turnips, rutabaga, sweet or regular potatoes.

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Crispy Smashed Potatoes

This recipe is simple and delicious. Try tossing the potatoes in a little oil and freshly grated garlic before roasting to make this dish even more flavorful.

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Cheesy Potato Soup

This recipe is a traditional, rich potato soup perfect for winter's cold and dark days.

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Potato Leek Soup

This French classic is a great basic soup. Serve with a sandwich or salad. Or add bacon, fresh herbs, or roasted vegetables to stir up new variations, depending on what's in season.

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Summer Succotash

Try this twist on traditional succotash (lima beans and corn) by mixing together green beans, corn, okra, and tomatoes. Stir up a batch for dinner or bring it to your favorite summer potluck.

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Cucumber Fennel Quick Pickles

What to do with all that fennel (and a bounty of cucumbers too)? Why not try your hand at a batch of quick pickles? These make for a great side to everything from fish to sandwiches.

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Peach and Tomato Salad

These summer jewels ripen together and each bring so much flavor to the plate. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar, a handful of pecans, and a sprinkling of feta to really make this dish shine.

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Sesame Snow Peas

Snow pea season is so short and these crunchy treats are so good that you might never need to seek out a recipe for them. But if you do, this is a good one, capturing their sweetness and cooking them ever-so-slightly. Swap out the sesame seeds for everything bagel spice to bring a new flavor to the table.

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Oven-Baked Lentil Soup With Greens

Root vegetables and greens are mixed with lentils for a hearty, soul-warming meal. Stir up this dish when you need an easy weeknight dinner. The oven does the hard part for you!

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Vegetarian Spring Rolls

Make this recipe your spring-time go-to. It's versatile, easy to pack for lunch or a picnic, and oh-so delicious!

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Zucchini Feta Pancakes

When stacks of zucchini start piling up on farmers' tables, reach for this easy, delicious meal. Shred some squash, toss in a little feta, crack a few eggs, and there you go -- dinner.

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Sauteed Baby Turnips with Greens

In early spring, salad turnips and their greens show up on farmers market tables. Try this to make a side of every part of this tasty vegetable.

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Citrus Tahini Dressing

When the greens and the herbs and the salad fixings are at their finest, not just any salad dressing will do. This dressing brings a little sweet and the little smooth to your greens and veggies.

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Maple Cider Vinaigrette

The greens are plentiful every spring, as are radishes and sprouts and broccoli. What we all need are delicious dressings to top our seasonal salads. This is a simple, tasty vinaigrette, perfect to top all your greens.

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Bistro Salad with Roasted Vegetables

Reach for this recipe in early spring when root vegetables are still the season's staples but fresh greens and eggs are finding their way to market. Top it with locally raised bacon to shift this dish from side show to main attraction.

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Turnips Anna Livia

This tasty twist on the French classic Pommes Anna is a delicious way to eat one of our area's most bountiful winter crops. Turnips never tasted so good!

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Asparagus and Greens Soup

When you look for asparagus soup recipes, nearly all of them are pureed. Not this one. This recipe is hearty and delicious and not too complicated.

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Winter Squash Soup

LEAP Kitchen Manager Jeff Bland has been making this recipe for more than 20 years. In addition to the squash, the onions, broth, cream, and honey can all be sourced locally.

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Colcannon (Irish potatoes and cabbage)

If you aren’t familiar with this Irish dish, it might just become your new favorite way to eat cabbage. (See the notes for a turnip version, as well.) This is tasty comfort food all the way, sure to warm you on a cold winter’s night.

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