Indrani Perera

poet, publisher & mentor

Tag: recipe

Gluten and Dairy Free Oat Scones

The oven is doing double time round here. Cooking dinners and baking tasty treats. My latest creation is gluten and dairy free savoury scones based on this recipe. I switched out the wheat flour for oat and used soda water instead of the lemonade to turn it from savoury to sweet. It was so simple that I can't believe I haven't made scones before.

I ate these with some red chilli tapenade the Lovely G scored at the supermarket. The kids had theirs with butter and jam. Mmmmmm, tasty!

Gluten and Dairy Free Oat Scones

3 1/2 cups oat flour, sifted

1 cup coconut cream, runny

1 cup soda (or carbonated) water

1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

pinch of salt

Pre heat oven to 210 C (190 C fan forced).

Line a baking tray.

Sift the flour into a large bowl.

Make a well in the centre and add the water, coconut cream and apple cider vinegar.

With a butter knife, mix it into a rough dough.

Spoon the dough out on to the tray (it’s going to be super sticky).

Flatten the tops a little with wet fingers.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

July 4, 2023
Rosemary and Olive Buckwheat Muffins

It’s baking season and time to fire up the oven!

I’ve been baking these muffins for a few years now but when I went to find the recipe this morning, I realised I hadn’t posted it here. I haven’t baked these since last winter and I couldn't remember the quantities. A brief panic ensued while I searched for the recipe which luckily I eventually found.

Now I'm posting it here so you can share in the goodness of these simple and scrumptious buckwheat muffins and I won't ever have to worry about forgetting the recipe.

Wheat is not the only grain. If you can’t eat gluten, I highly recommend buckwheat. You can use it to make pancakes as well as bake bread and muffins. Even if you do eat gluten, it’s nice to mix things up a little and broaden your food intake and grain choice.

As usual, this recipe is dairy free, gluten free and also sugar free. It also contains eggs which are a great source of protein.

Rosemary and Olive Buckwheat Muffins (makes 36)

300g buckwheat

2 large eggs

500ml filtered water

1 tsp salt

black olives, pitted and cut in half

fresh rosemary, chopped

Pre heat your oven to 180°C (357 F).

Grease a muffin tray with olive oil. I like to use the mini, shallow trays for these muffins.

For this recipe you will need three trays or bake the muffins in rounds.

Grind the buckwheat into flour using a spice/coffee grinder.

Add it to a large mixing bowl with the salt.

Crack an egg into the measuring jug and add half the filtered water.

Whisk until combined. Gradually whisk the egg mixture into the flour in the bowl.

Repeat for the second egg and the remaining water.

Add the chopped rosemary and stir well.

Pour the muffin batter (it will be quite runny) into the prepared muffin trays.

Add olives to each muffin.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with homemade hummus.

May 21, 2023
Easy Peasy Sugar Free Banana Biscuits

My go-to baking treat of recent times has been this Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. Only problem is, it contains sugar and the girls and l have gone sugar free.

The good news is once you haven't eaten sugar for a while, you start to appreciate the sweetness in everyday food like peas or corn. And then of course, there's fruit. Who needs sugar when you've got fruit?

These biscuits use bananas as the sweetener and as well as being sugar free, they're also dairy free, gluten free and vegan. That's right there's no flour, no butter and no eggs. Even better, there's only three ingredients so they're super easy to bake.

Easy Peasy Sugar Free Banana Biscuits

3 large bananas

1 ½ cups of oats

1 cup peanut butter (whichever way you like it – crunchy or smooth)

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

Line a tray with baking paper.

Mash the bananas in a large bowl.

Stir in the oats and then the peanut butter.

Dollop spoonfuls on to the tray.

Wet your fingers and flatten the surface of your bikkies.

Pop in the oven for 12-15 minutes.

When done, cool on a wire rack.

Do you best not to devour them all in an afternoon!

August 15, 2022
Sauerkraut Recipe

I can't believe how easy this recipe is. And I've been paying $15 a jar for sauerkraut to heal my gut! I can't eat dairy so I need to get my probiotics somehow. Luckily I love sauerkraut, must be my German heritage. I used these recipes for inspiration. And a big shout-out to Kate for inspiring me with her homemade kim chi.

Sauerkraut Recipe

1 large savoy cabbage, cut into quarters

1 tbsp pink himalayan salt / quarter

1/2 – 1tsp caraway seeds / quarter

4 clean glass jars

Remove the outer, wilted leaves.

Set aside a couple of large leaves.

Cut your cabbage into quarters – cut out the thick, white ribs and discard.

Chop one quarter finely and place in a large bowl.

Sprinkle 1tbsp salt over the top.

With your hands, massage the salt into the cabbage for five minutes or until it reduces in size and produces liquid.

Spoon your cabbage and the liquid into the clean glass jar and press it firmly down.

Fold a piece of cabbage leaf on top and press down so the cut cabbage is beneath the liquid. This prevents it getting mouldy and makes sure it ferments.

Place the lid loosely on top so liquid can bubble out as it ferments.

Repeat for the remaining three quarters.

Put the jars on to a plate and leave somewhere warm. The top of the fridge is ideal.

Wait for up to six weeks – I lasted three days with this, my first batch!

FireKraut Recipe

as above plus:

2 cayenne peppers

To make firekraut add one small, whole cayenne pepper to your jar.

Make the kraut as above, chop the second cayenne pepper finely and add to the cabbage just before putting it in the jar.

I made these variations:

Black lids - 1 tbsp salt each, 1/2 tsp caraway seeds in one, none in the other

Silver lid – 1 tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp caraway seeds

Funny shape – 1 tbsp salt, 1 chopped cayenne pepper, 1 whole pepper, 1 tsp caraway seeds

My favourite is the sauerkraut with caraway seeds. I haven't been game to try the fire kraut – it smells really spicy!

June 3, 2018
Sauerkraut Recipe

I can't believe how easy this recipe is. And I've been paying $15 a jar for sauerkraut to heal my gut! I can't eat dairy so I need to get my probiotics somehow. Luckily I love sauerkraut, must be my German heritage. I used these recipes for inspiration. And a big shout-out to Kate for inspiring me with her homemade kim chi.

Sauerkraut Recipe

1 large savoy cabbage, cut into quarters

1 tbsp pink himalayan salt / quarter

1/2 – 1tsp caraway seeds / quarter

4 clean glass jars

Remove the outer, wilted leaves.

Set aside a couple of large leaves.

Cut your cabbage into quarters – cut out the thick, white ribs and discard.

Chop one quarter finely and place in a large bowl.

Sprinkle 1tbsp salt over the top.

With your hands, massage the salt into the cabbage for five minutes or until it reduces in size and produces liquid.

Spoon your cabbage and the liquid into the clean glass jar and press it firmly down.

Fold a piece of cabbage leaf on top and press down so the cut cabbage is beneath the liquid. This prevents it getting mouldy and makes sure it ferments.

Place the lid loosely on top so liquid can bubble out as it ferments.

Repeat for the remaining three quarters.

Put the jars on to a plate and leave somewhere warm. The top of the fridge is ideal.

Wait for up to six weeks – I lasted three days with this, my first batch!

FireKraut Recipe

as above plus:

2 cayenne peppers

To make firekraut add one small, whole cayenne pepper to your jar.

Make the kraut as above, chop the second cayenne pepper finely and add to the cabbage just before putting it in the jar.

I made these variations:

Black lids - 1 tbsp salt each, 1/2 tsp caraway seeds in one, none in the other

Silver lid – 1 tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp caraway seeds

Funny shape – 1 tbsp salt, 1 chopped cayenne pepper, 1 whole pepper, 1 tsp caraway seeds

My favourite is the sauerkraut with caraway seeds. I haven't been game to try the fire kraut – it smells really spicy!

June 3, 2018
Nut Loaf

This recipe is a current favourite and my go-to for when I need to bring a dish to share. It's vegetarian, gluten and dairy free which suits most diets and is very tasty.

I'm trying to eat less meat but still make sure I'm getting enough protein in my diet so I have energy for making and baking. This recipe is great because it has protein from the nuts, quinoa and eggs making it a great lunch or dinner.

Nut Loaf

1 cup quinoa

1 cup raw almonds

3 large eggs

1 tin cooked lentils

1 onion

1 garlic clove

1tsp turmeric

2 celery stalks

2 large zucchini (aka courgettes)

splash of olive oil

Line a loaf tin with baking paper.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF).

Cook the quinoa using the evaporation method. Put 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Boil until all the water has evaporated. Put the lid on and let sit for 10 minutes until the quinoa gets all fluffy.

While the quinoa is cooking, use a spice grinder to grind the almonds into almond meal.

In a large bowl whisk the eggs together. Add the almond meal and tin of lentils and stir well.

In a large frying pan gently fry the onion, garlic and turmeric until soft.

While the onion is frying, grate the zucchini and chop the celery into small pieces. Add the grated zucchini and celery to the pan and fry until soft.

Add the veggies, cooled quinoa and a splash of oil to the bowl with the almond mixture and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the lined loaf tin.

Bake for 40-50 minutes.

Cool in the pan.

Tip out of the pan and cut into slices. It gets crumbly when it's warm but it's so yummy!

November 20, 2017
Nut Loaf

This recipe is a current favourite and my go-to for when I need to bring a dish to share. It's vegetarian, gluten and dairy free which suits most diets and is very tasty.

I'm trying to eat less meat but still make sure I'm getting enough protein in my diet so I have energy for making and baking. This recipe is great because it has protein from the nuts, quinoa and eggs making it a great lunch or dinner.

Nut Loaf

1 cup quinoa

1 cup raw almonds

3 large eggs

1 tin cooked lentils

1 onion

1 garlic clove

1tsp turmeric

2 celery stalks

2 large zucchini (aka courgettes)

splash of olive oil

Line a loaf tin with baking paper.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF).

Cook the quinoa using the evaporation method. Put 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Boil until all the water has evaporated. Put the lid on and let sit for 10 minutes until the quinoa gets all fluffy.

While the quinoa is cooking, use a spice grinder to grind the almonds into almond meal.

In a large bowl whisk the eggs together. Add the almond meal and tin of lentils and stir well.

In a large frying pan gently fry the onion, garlic and turmeric until soft.

While the onion is frying, grate the zucchini and chop the celery into small pieces. Add the grated zucchini and celery to the pan and fry until soft.

Add the veggies, cooled quinoa and a splash of oil to the bowl with the almond mixture and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the lined loaf tin.

Bake for 40-50 minutes.

Cool in the pan.

Tip out of the pan and cut into slices. It gets crumbly when it's warm but it's so yummy!

November 20, 2017