Spotlight on LOCAL Quelcy Kogel: Author & Food Stylist The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook

Spotlight on LOCAL Quelcy Kogel: Author & Food Stylist The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook

Local author, Quelcy Kogel, shares why she, a bread-loving, pastry addict, wrote The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook, and why she hopes her book will lead you to the bulk aisle over and over again.

I love to cook and bake for others and to invite friends and their friends to join me in my dining room, and I always volunteer to bring a dessert to family functions. What I don’t love is watching someone feel excluded because they can’t eat the dessert everyone else is enjoying. Gluten allergies and sensitivities are on the rise, so whether you have to avoid gluten, love someone who does, or just want to host a more inclusive gathering this holiday season, I created The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook with sharing in mind. There is so much to be gained through gathering around a table, conversing and sharing.

The other motivating factor for the book was health. There are now many gluten-free products on the market daily (even my shampoo is gluten-free), and the marketing buzz wants us to believe these items are healthier. However, when you take the time to read these labels, the product is often filled with preservatives, starches and binders that can be just as difficult to digest as gluten, or the nutritional equivalent of white bread.

In no way do I want to mislead you: I eat gluten. My grandmother and mother’s balance of grace and hospitality inspired me to experiment in the kitchen and to share my table. But it is also because of these women that I love bread. Regina Kogel can bake, and Sedonia Wagner before her could also throw around some dough. (My sister Stacy and I even “choreographed” a celebratory dance for my mom’s kolache baking!) I slung dough in a European-style bread bakery, and I believe in the health benefits of fermentation and sourdough bread, but I also believe a recipe can be gluten-free, healthy and satisfying to all.

The book celebrates the gluten-free, whole grains, from amaranth to wild rice. They’re flavorful and nuanced, often steeped in ancient histories, and they’re wholesome. But it’s not all granola and Birkenstock's (though I love both). Journeying through the book, we’re going to fry foods for a new twist on tacos, but we’re going to use heart-healthy oils. We’re going to indulge in dessert, but we’re going to use natural sweeteners, and we’re going to use less of them. I’m a big believer in using the most natural version of an ingredient and enjoying it fully. This is the peace I have found with food.

My recipes are about more than buckwheat, more than millet. The collection is about living with nature, with the seasons, with respect for well-worn cutting boards and collecting flavors along the journey. My kitchen is an ode to the slow, intentional sort of endeavors. My site (www.WithTheGrains.com) and the book are about sharing my time, and my attention for the tiniest details, with those I love. Now I want to share with you, and by extension, equip you to share with those you love.

Go-To Multigrain Hot Cereal This hearty mix also forms the base of the Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Muffins & Roasted Beet Breakfast Patties in The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook. As an added bonus, if you buy bigger quantities of these grains, your pantry will be stocked and ready to try so many more of the subsequent recipes in this book.

Makes 15 servings

INGREDIENTS Big Batch Cereal Mix: • 1 cup amaranth • 1 cup buckwheat groats • 1 cup millet • 1 cup rolled oats • 1 cup quinoa • 1 cup flax seeds • 1 cup sunflower seeds • ½ cup chia seeds

Single Serving of Hot Cereal: • ½ cup multigrain cereal blend • 1½ cups water

Go-to Multigrain Hot Cereal

this recipe and more in "The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook" by Quelcy Kogel

PREPARATION For the big batch: 1. Combine everything in an airtight glass container.

For a single serving: 1. Combine the water and the cereal mix in a saucepan over medium-high heat. 2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. 3. Uncover and stir, and continue to simmer uncovered until the cereal mix is thickened and the water has been absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes more. 4. Top with your favorite flavorings, serve warm and enjoy!

Some of my favorite flavors: • Apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom • Walnuts and a touch of brown sugar • Blueberries and lemon zest • Cranberries, pears and honey • Full-fat coconut milk and bananas

Want to give a thoughtful gift this holiday? Seal this cereal in a pretty glass jar, add some twine, attach the instructions and voila!

Cranberry & Goat Cheese Swirled Sheet Pan Pancake

Makes 12 servings

Cranberry & Goat Cheese Swirled Sheet Pan Pancake

this recipe and more in "The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook" by Quelcy Kogel

INGREDIENTS • 6 tbsp melted butter, divided • 2 cups buttermilk • 2 large eggs • 2 tsp pure almond extract • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract • 4 tbsp (½ stick) melted unsalted butter, divided • 1¼ cups millet flour • 1 cup buckwheat flour • 2 tsp baking powder • 1 tsp baking soda • 1 tsp kosher salt • ¾ cup goat cheese, at room temperature • ¼ cup whole milk • 2 tbsp powdered sugar • 1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce • Maple syrup, to serve

PREPARATION 1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line an 11x17-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Coat the parchment paper and sides of the pan with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Set aside. 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and 2 tablespoons melted butter in a medium bowl until combined. 3. Sift the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a separate mixing bowl, and whisk gently to combine. Add the liquid mixture and stir until just combined (do not overmix). 4. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking sheet, smoothing into an even layer with a spatula. 5. In the stand mixer, whisk the goat cheese, milk and powdered sugar until completely smooth. Spoon dollops of the goat cheese mixture evenly over pancake batter. Add dollops of the cranberry sauce, then use a butter knife or a skewer to make a swirl pattern. 6. Bake until the pancake is lightly golden and springs back in the center when poked, 11 to 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and heat the broiler to high. Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter onto the pancake. Broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes, rotating halfway. 7. Cut into 12 slices, and serve warm with a generous supply of maple syrup.

This oven-baked sheet pan pancake eliminates flipping stresses, and instead of feeling like a line cook, you’ll be able to join your guests at the table. Everyone can enjoy hot, hearty cakes at the same time.