Sometimes one just wants finger food, and pikelets topped with whipped cream, a drizzle of maple syrup and maybe some berries just hits the spot. So simple to make too!

Method: Use the Healthy Pancakes recipe, except up the xanthum gum to 1/2 tsp, and swap the oat flour for buckwheat flour (this second part is optional).

Melt some butter in a non-stick frying pan, and add a spoonful of the mixture at a time, forming 3 or so separate pikelets in the pan at a time. Cook until brown on the bottom, and which time the first bubble or two should have burst on the top, and then carefully flip over and brown on the other side. Move to a plate, add toppings and devour! (Or keep in the fridge and use as needed).

It seems to simple to be true - brown bread with four ingredients, 2 minutes prep time, no rising and 40 mins to cook. Well, it is true - this simple, tasty bread is quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:
2 parts rolled oats (I used an empty 1kg yoghurt tub to measure mine, filling it once)
1 part unsweetened natural yoghurt (I used 500g)*
pinch salt
2 level tsp baking soda

Method:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Press into a non-stick loaf tin, or a loaf tin oiled and lined with baking paper. Bake at 180C for 40-45 mins, until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before cutting as needed. Store in a sealed plastic bag.

*For a dairy-free alternative, use 2 tsp baking powder instead of soda, and almond or coconut milk instead of yoghurt. Baking soda requires yoghurt or cultured buttermilk to work.
*Yoghurt is the most expensive ingredient in this loaf - making your own will bring the cost down considerably.

For those dealing with different multiple food allergies it their family like I am, I thought it might be useful to show and example of a fairly simple meal that provides what each person needs. Our whole family is gluten and sugar free. On top of that, I cannot tolerate salicylates or high-carbs, and my daughter cannot tolerate amines and glutamates. Since we all don't need to avoid ALL three of those all the time, sometimes it's nice to have as much variety as possible while still meeting the different needs.

I've been making our own gravy from scratch for a long time, however, with my daughter's renewed sensitivity to amines and glutamates, I can't use rice flour or soy sauce in it for her. So this week when I roasted some chicken, I tried a modified version, which turned out well. This version has no gluten or additives, no glutamates, and is low in amines and salicylates.

Ingredients:
Liquid from chicken that has been baked/roasted in a closed container - about 3-4 cups
3 heaped dessertspoons buckwheat flour
Salt
1-2 tsp dried chives or parsley

Method:
Pour chicken liquids into a medium saucepan. Place buckwheat flour in a mug, and add some of the chicken liquids, mixing to a smooth, runny mixture. Place saucepan over medium heat, add flour mixture slowly, whisking to ensure no lumps. Add other ingredients, and cook over medium heat until hot and thickened.

A simple but tasty meatloaf free of salicylates, amines (assuming mince is fresh) and glutamates. For those without intolerances, it can be served with a tomato sauce, such as my sugar-free Garden Sauce.

"Failsafe" refers to foods that have no additives and are low in amines, glutamates and salicylates. This meat loaf recipe can be easily adapted by adding other foods to it if you don't have intolerance issues.

Ingredients:
1 kg beef mince
1/2 cup rolled oats (chopped not whole)
Piece of white leek stem, sufficient to be equivalent to 1 onion, finely chopped
2 tsp dried chives
2-3 TBSP finely chopped fresh parsley (or 1 TBSP dried)
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 180C/350 F and grease a loaf tin
2) Place all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix thoroughly, using your hands at the last to ensure thoroughly "gooshed" together
3) Press mixture evenly into loaf tin
4) Bake for 1 hour, until well cooked
5) Pour off excess fat if desired - I pour it into a bowl and leave it to set, then feed it to the chooks or dogs
6) Turn out onto chopping board and slice.

Serve with mashed potatoes & suitable vegetables, or rice and vegetables, depending on your tolerances.

Notes:
*Onions and garlic contain low levels of amines and moderate salicylates, unsuitable for a sensitive person or during elimination. Leeks are much lower in both, and are a good substitute for onions in most recipes. The white stalk can be used instead of onion, and the green leaves can be used as a vegetable, or instead of spring onions.
* Parsley and chives contain the lowest salicylate and amine levels of all tested herbs, and are considered safe for most people
* Rolled oats are a substitute for breadcrumbs - they have no amines or salicylates and do not contain gluten. Celiacs should use specifically gluten-free ones, if tolerated. Other options include breadcrumbs (we don't use them as we're wheat and gluten free, and the gluten-free breadcrumbs usually contain rice and/or corn which are high in amines and/or salicylates), almond meal (salicylates) or steamed cauliflower that has been chopped to crumbs in a food processor (amines and salicylates)
* Those without any sensitivities could add spices such as curry powder (1/4 tsp), and other herbs such as oregano and thyme (1-2 tsp each) and serve with a tomato sauce.
* For the mince to be safely low in amines, it needs to be preferably less than 2 weeks from slaughter, bought and used the same day or frozen for less than 4 weeks. (Amines increase as proteins age). Most cheaper mince in the supermarkets were vacuum packed, and could be sold "fresh" up to 3 months old. These must be assumed to be very high in amines. Find a butcher who makes his own the day the carcass comes in, and buy from him on that day. Mad Butcher is often a good source.