Nourishing the Community
Cooking up knowledge and health at the Library's Nutrition Lab
Meet Chef-in-Residence Glorya Fernandez
With an energy that lights up any room and an infectious passion for nutrition, Glorya Fernandez is transforming the way Boston thinks about food. As the Boston Public Library’s first-ever Chef-in-Residence, her vibrant presence is enlivening the Nutrition Lab at the Roxbury Branch as she addresses the community’s needs and fosters a healthier, more connected Boston.
Glorya’s journey is deeply personal. Influenced by a family history of breast cancer and diabetes, she attended culinary school and built an extensive network of Boston organizations focused on nutrition. She also runs her own plant-based educational meal prep program, gogobytes.com.
Her role at the Nutrition Lab, made possible by the PDB Foundation, began with community listening sessions to understand what residents wanted from the program. She’ll cover everything from grains and easy-to-store proteins, to baking and knife skills, ensuring that participants leave with practical knowledge they can apply in their daily lives.
She also enjoys blending cultural heritage with innovative cooking techniques and brings this knowledge to all her lessons. “I love helping people prepare traditional foods in unfamiliar, healthier ways,” she explains.
“The Chef-in-Residence program is drawing more and more people into the Nutrition Lab and it is exciting to see individuals come together to learn, cook, and share meals,” says Nutrition Literacy Coordinator Stephanie Chace. “Glorya’s classes are building more than just culinary skills. She’s helping to build a stronger city.”
The Nutrition Lab is just one way the BPL, as a 21st century urban public library, is innovating to meet the diverse needs of patrons of all ages and from all walks of life. Boston Public Library Fund supporters help make it all happen. Click here to learn about other life-changing programs and services donors help fund at the Library!
Crispy Quinoa & Sweet Potato Fritters
Inspired by MinimalistBaker
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa
- 2 cups shredded sweet potato (no need to peel)
- 2 Tbsp avocado or coconut oil, plus more for cooking
- 1/2 cup diced red or white onion (or sub shallot)
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 healthy pinch each of salt-free seasoning and black pepper
- 2 cups chopped greens (microgreens if available, broccoli suggested)
- 3 flaxseed eggs, (3 Tbsp of ground flaxseed w/ 9 Tbsps of water)
- 1 tsp salt-free seasoning
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp tumeric
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup gluten-free flour blend (if not gluten free, sub all-purpose flour. For grain-free, try arrowroot or potato starch)
- Sauce (such as coconut yogurt, hummus, or garlic dill sauce)
- Fresh herbs (mint, cilantro, parsley)
Instructions
- If you do not already have cooked quinoa, prepare it at this time. 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa will yield ~2 cups cooked.
- Mix 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 9 tablespoons of water in a bowl and allow to sit.
- Shred sweet potato using either the course side of a box grater or the grater attachment of a food processor.
- Heat a large pot or rimmed skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, onion, sweet potato, garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the onion and sweet potato are tender and fragrant.
- Chop and separate microgreens.
- To a large mixing bowl add sautéed vegetables, cooked and cooled quinoa, greens, seasonings and stir. The, add flaxseed eggs and stir. Lastly, add gluten-free flour and stir until combined. You should have a slightly tacky, but moldable mixture. Add more gluten-free flour as needed if too wet to handle.
- Form into thin (roughly 1/4 inch thick) patties the size of the palm of your hand. In the meantime, heat a large, rimmed skillet (we prefer cast iron).
- Once hot, add a little oil to coat the pan and add enough fritters to comfortable fit without crowding. Pan fry until golden-brown (~4 minutes on each side).
- Optional: For even crispier fritters, continue baking in a 400-degree F (204- degrees C) oven for 10-15 minutes.
- Serve hot with garnishes of choice, such as lemon juice, dairy-free yogurt, hummus, garlic dill sauce, or fresh herbs (all optional). Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, in a 350-defree F (176-defree C) oven, or in the microwave until hot. If frozen, thaw before reheating.