Quinoa Salad with Broccoli, Apples and Grapes

This recipe is an adaptation of a beautiful salad recipe that my sister, Jan, makes. I altered it slightly to fit our menu when I had my gluten free catering business. Then with a homemakers exchange on the horizon, bunches of fresh coriander and mint on hand, along with the majority of other ingredients, changed it up yet again.

While the salad takes a little time to prep, it does keep well in the fridge for a few days, so is be a great option for that special gathering, or for lunches during the week.

I made double quantity (approx 3kg) which filled 5 x 1 litre bowls, with a little left for one or two lunches for me.

Quantity: 8 (Approximately 1.5 litre bowl)

Author: sbaskitchen

Ingredients

110 g quinoa
200 ml water
400 g broccoli florets
1 can of chickpeas or 250g dried chickpeas cooked
1 corn cobs
60 g snow peas julienned
1 Royal Gala apples cut into julienne
1 cup seedless red grapes quartered or halved
1 spring onions finely chopped
3/4 cup coriander leaves loosely packed
3/4 cup fresh mint loosely packed, shredded
20 g goji berries or dried cranberries
35 g slivered almonds
20 g sesame seeds
20 g sunflower seeds
20 g pepitas

FOR THE DRESSING:

1/2 lemon rind zested and juiced
1/2 orange rind zested and juiced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sumac
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes or to taste
1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Instructions

Cook the quinoa
Quickly blanch the broccoli and then cool in iced water, drain and set aside.
Cook the corn and then remove the kernels from the corn cobs and set aside.
Toast the seeds and almonds in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring to ensure that they do not burn.
Place all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl and toss to combine.
Place all of the dressing ingredients into a jar and shake well.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to dress well.
Serve on a large platter sprinkled with a little extra sumac.

Quinoa Salad

If you have a moment, I would love to hear your thoughts on what you see on
this page – just pop a note in the comments box below.
With many thanks and kindness,
Julie.

A Feast Fit for Christmas

Cooking with SBA’s Kitchen

The next session is scheduled for:

Date: Sunday, 6 December2026
Time: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Venue: Gormandale Community House, 32-34 Main Street,, Gormandale, VIC, 3873
Cost: (Pease contact Gormandale Community House Cost includes recipes and all ingredients, and lunch on the day.)
Bookings: please contact Gormandale Community House
03 5197 7264
gormandalech2@bigpond.com
Max Participants: 6 participants
(All food will be gluten free)

Date: Tuesday 8 December 2026
Time: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Venue: Paynesville Neighbourhood Centre (PNC)
Bookings: Paynesville Neighbourhood Centre (PNC) phone: 5156 0214 or email: info@pnc.vic.edu.au
Max Participants: 8 participants

Sample Menu
Stuffed Mini Capsicum Wreath
Orange & Sherry Baked Salmon with Crispy Kale
Chicken, Bacon & Avocado Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Fresh & Zesty Quinoa Salad
Beetroot, Pea & Herb Salad
Traditional Christmas Trifle
Fruit Salad(All food will be gluten free)

A delicious Christmas Meal that won’t break the bank!

In this fun session work together to create a selection of festive dishes that come together to provide a vibrant, delicious meal to share as we finish the session.

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A little more detail…

On the day:
※ Participants will be provided with ingredients, instructions and guidance as they prepare the various dishes on the day.
※ We will enjoy a delicious festive meal as we sit, chat and relax to finish off the session
※ All food will be gluten free.

What you will take home:
※ Notes and recipes for the dishes made on the day.
※ New ideas for your Christmas table.
※ A share of any leftovers from the lunch (containers provided).
※ Maybe a new friendship with other’s who attend on the day.

More Information:
I prefer not to call this a cooking class, but more of a hands-on cooking and knowledge sharing session, where those attending learn and share from my experience. I am not a trained chef, just taught and guided by my experiences, and driven by my love of cooking, sharing, and celebrating with food.

Health and Safety:
※ If you have any dietary restrictions, please contact me prior to booking as I like to make sure that everyone can enjoy the food prepared on the day.
※ Closed shoes must be worn on the day.

Learn ||| Cook ||| Eat ||| Chat

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me using the Contact Page.

Mini Capsicum Stuffed with Ricotta and Fresh Herbs

I used to see the packs of brightly coloured mini capsicums and wonder what I could do with them. This recipe is the perfect way to use them, creating delicious finger food, picnic food, lunch box treats

Category: Appetizer, Brunch, Entree, Finger Food, Lunch Box, Snacks, Starter

Style: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword: Capsicum, Ricotta

Quantity: 12 pieces

Author: sbaskitchen

Ingredients

6 mini capsicum
6 tsp basil pesto
6 cherry tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

FOR THE FILLING

100 g fresh ricotta cheese
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
4 tbsp sorrel finely chopped
1 small egg, beaten
½ tsp sea salt
⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 190° C.
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Cut mini capsicums in half lengthwise, leaving stalks intact, remove the seeds, and lay each half on the prepared baking tray.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan cheese, herbs, salt and pepper.
Fill capsicum halves with the ricotta mixture, smear half a teaspoon of basil pesto over each and top with a cherry tomato half.
Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper
Bake for 20 minutes.

Light Rye-Style Sourdough (Gluten Free)

Light Rye-Style Sourdough

My gluten free sourdough journey began as one of frustration, of reading recipes that read like "War and Peace" they went for pages and pages, and they never worked! I'd get inspired, get my starter going, prepare and bake two or three loaves, then put my notes away and give up, they were awful. Then one day I pulled out all of my notes, poured over them, making adjustments to the ingredients here and there, and simplifying the whole process. I have now been making gluten free sourdough for a few years, and sharing my recipes and knowledge for almost as long.

Category: Baking, Bread

Style: Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword: Gluten Free Sourdough, Rye-style, Sourdough

Quantity: 1 loaf

Author: sbaskitchen

Ingredients

THE OVERNIGHT FERMENT

240 g sourdough starter
160 g water
105 g brown rice flour

PSYLLIUM HUSK GEL

30 g psyllium husk
250 g water
20 g honey

DRY INGREDIENTS

125 g gluten free flour blend (refer notes)
125 g rye-style flour blend (gf) (refer notes)
1 tsp sea salt
Brown rice flour for dusting.

Instructions

THE NIGHT BEFORE

Combine the sourdough starter, water and brown rice flour together in a bowl and mix well to achieve a smooth batter. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside on the bench for 8 hours or overnight.
Place the seeds and water into a basin, cover with plastic wrap and leave on the bench for 8 hours or overnight.

TO MAKE THE LOAF

The following morning line a tin with baking paper (refer to notes).
Whisk together the psyllium husk, water and molasses and set it aside for 5 to 10 minutes, until it becomes gelatinous.
Drain the seeds and put into a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients, then the sourdough starter and the psyllium husk gel. Using a wooden spoon, mix until the dough comes together, then use your hands to work the dough until it is smooth - it will be a little sticky.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly, shaping it to fit into the loaf tin.
Carefully place the dough into the lined loaf tin, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and set aside in a draft free warm place for 3 to 4 hours (if it is warmer you can reduce the time to 2 to 3 hours).
Preheat the oven to 240˚C.
Remove the plastic wrap, lightly dust the top of the loaf with brown rice flour or buckwheat flour, and then, using a razor blade or tip of a sharp knife, score the dough. Place the loaf on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 200˚C and continue to bake for an additional 40 minutes.
Remove the loaf from the oven and after removing it from the tin, place it directly onto a rack and allow to cool completely before cutting.

Notes

Gluten Free Four Blend Recipe
Gluten Free Rye-Style Flour Blend (gf) Recipe
I bake my loaves either in a lined loaf tin, or as a boule, where I line a family size pie dish with baking paper, and set the shaped boule on the paper to rise.
You can mix the dough in a stand mixer if you have one, though I find that it's not worth the hastle of getting it out and putting it away.
Do not be tempted to cut the bread before it is completely cool, in fact it is better cut the following day.
The crumb can be a little damp to begin with, but it is delicious. I think the biggest issue is cleaning the knife after cutting two or three slices. It becomes a little dryer after a day or so.
Wrap the bread in a tea towel and store at room temperature. It will keep for 4 days or so.

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If you have a moment, I would love to hear your thoughts on what you see on
this page – just pop a note in the comments box below.
With many thanks and kindness,
Julie.

Pumpkin & Spice – Bright, aromatic and cozy!

Cooking with SBA’s Kitchen

The next session is scheduled for:

Date: Tuesday 5 May 2026
Time: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Venue: Gormandale Community House
Cost: $60.00 per person (Cost includes recipes and all ingredients, plus a light lunch on the day.)
Bookings: please contact Gormandale Community House
03 5197 7264
gormandalech2@bigpond.com
Max Participants: 6

Sample Menu
Pumpkin Mutabal
Keralan Style Pumpkin, Bean & Coconut Curry Soup
Butternut Pumpkin and Bacon Tart
Lebanese inspired Lamb, Pumpkin & Rice
Roast Tomato and Pumpkin Salad with Spinach and Pinenuts and a Pesto Dressing
Pumpkin Streusel Cake – Gluten Free with Mascarpone Whipped Cream

(All food will be gluten free)

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Perfect dishes that bring warmth and colour to the table as the colder months close in.

Colourful, bright and packed full of flavour, the thought of pumpkin paired with spices, immediately conjures up images of cooler months and cozy nights.

In this session you will work together to create a warm, comforting feast, of pumpkin dishes from around the world, to share as we sit, relax and chat, as we finish the session.

A little more detail…

On the day:
※ Participants will be provided with advice, ingredients, instructions and guidance as they prepare the various s preserves and dishes on the day.
※ We will finish the session with a light meal prepared on the day, using some home canned goodies from my larder!
※ Questions are encouraged and welcome.
※ All food will be gluten free.

What you will take home:
※ Recipes for the dishes made on the day
※ Containers will be provided so that participants can take home any leftovers to share with family and/or friends.
※ Maybe a new friendship?

Session Duration:
The session will run for approximately 4 hours.

Health and Safety
※ If you have any dietary restrictions, please contact me prior to booking as I like to make sure that everyone can enjoy the food prepared on the day.
※ Closed shoes must be worn on the day.