kitchen scale

I am in love with my new kitchen scale - a retro styled Anna Gare Lucy Mechanical Scale 5kg/20g in the vintage white and blue colour.

I am quite a lucky girl when it comes to kitchenware as my mum works in the kitchenware section of David Jones (for those of you not in Australia, David Jones is one of the large department stores here). I had been researching all the different types of kitchen scales, both digital and mechanical, trying to evaluate the best functioning and most aesthecially pleasing product.

My mum soon informed me that some digital scales are "designed" to last a specific amount of time. My best gauge of whether to buy a product, is to ask my mum how often that product gets returned in their store. As it turns out, digital scales are returned more often than mechanical scales. In addition, mechanical scales are cheaper than digital scales - or at least cheaper than the ones worth buying as I hear the really cheaper digital ones aren't very good. I purchased this Anna Gare one for $49.95.

It now sits in my kitchen, performing its task as would be expected, whilst looking pretty. Highly recommended!

pork + pineapple salad

Serves 4

Poppy cooks...

1. Cook
   2 cups brown basmati rice and leave to cool (best to cook rice earlier in day or night before).
   
   
2. In a large frying pan, saute
   shallot, finely sliced, 
   2 cups red or green cabbage, shredded and
   1/4 pineapple, cut into pieces in
   olive oil until onion is slightly browned.
   
   
3. Add cold rice,
   punnet cherry tomatoes, halved and season with
   gluten free soy sauce and
   cracked black pepper to taste. Toss for 3 minutes and set aside.
   
   
4. Season
   pork fillet with
   celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper and cook in frying pan.
   
   
5. Slice pork and serve on bed of fried rice.

pumpkin soup

At Poppy Loves Pear, we are not only about tasty and healthy food, but also easy food. We live in an age where everyone is time poor, so we need to work smart as much as working hard.

I love pumpkin soup, and stumbled across this La Zuppa Roasted Pumpkin soup which has no nasties in it and tastes beautiful. I could make pumpkin soup myself, but this product saves me the time and mess. Simply pour into a saucepan and bring to the boil on the stovetop and it is done!

As the label says, it has no artificial additives, is gluten free and dairy free. The ingredients list is simply: water, 38% pumpkin, potato, onion and salt. It is fast food, but it is healthy and tasty fast food. It is a great pantry staple to draw upon for those stressful days when cooking is the last thing you have the head-space to do.

I find this to be a great lunch time meal when I have no time to cook. It serves 2, and I usually accompany it with 2 slices of toasted gluten-free bread (I will give you my top tips for gluten-free bread in another blog post) and with cracked black pepper and pepitas sprinkled on top.

I buy La Zuppa from Farmer Jacks in Claremont or Subiaco. Here is the La Zuppa website for more information: http://lazuppa.com.au

lamb quinoa

Serves 3

Method

1. Cook
   2 onions, halved and thinly sliced with
   olive oil in a large frying pan until soft and golden.
   
   
2. Add
   500g lamb mince and cook until well browned.
   
   
3. Stir in
   4 garlic cloves, minced and
   1 tablespoon ground cumin for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
   
   
4. Stir in
   1 cup quinoa,
   red capsicum, finely diced,
   1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce,
   chilli powder, to taste (optional),
   pinch of celtic sea salt and
   2 cups filtered water.
   
   
5. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes, until quinoa is almost cooked (add extra water if necessary).
   
   
6. Stir in
   1 cup frozen peas,
   2 tablespoons currants and
   sprig parsley, chopped.
   
   
7. Serve once peas are cooked and all the liquid is absorbed with a
   lemon wedge.

Notes
The fresh lemon juice really makes this dish pop. If you like chilli, feel free to slice extra red chillies and put on top as a garnish, or you can even try it with coconut yoghurt to counter-balance the hot chilli!

This is a great dish that uses pantry and freezer staples, so is great when you have run out of fresh ingredients and don't have time to go to the markets or shops. AND...it's a one-pot-wonder!!!

passionfruit, coconut + chia cake

Serves 8

Wet ingredients

2 eggs

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup rice milk

1/4 cup honey

1.5 tablespoons nuttelex

1/3 cup passionfruit pulp

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt

Dry ingredients

1 cups gluten-free self-raising flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup fine desiccated coconut

1/4 cup ground chia seeds

Method

1. Prepare 18cm round cake tin by greasing with coconut oil
2. Preheat oven to 180°C
3. In a food processor or hand-blender, mix wet ingredients until well combined and smooth at medium-high speed
4. Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix gently to combine
6. Spoon mixture into a cake tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean
7. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving

Notes
You can sprinkle extra desiccated coconut or passionfruit pulp for decoration. It also tastes great served with vanilla coconut ice cream. 

The cake pictured above was baked using double the quantities of ingredients to serve 12 larger pieces. I found that the centre of the cake didn't cook as well being a very moist mixture. That is why this cake recipe is also great for making muffins...

Does Poppy want a passionfruit, coconut + chia muffin? Sleepy face with ears pulled back in confusion.

carrot cake

Serves 12

Poppy bakes...

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 20cm round cake tin lightly with oil, and line with baking paper.
   
   
2. Roughly stir together
   1 cup gluten free self-raising flour,
   1/2 cup gluten free plain flour,
   1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda and
   1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon into a large mixing bowl.
   
   
3. In a separate medium mixing bowl whisk together
   1/2 cup coconut sugar,
   3/4 cup olive oil,
   1/2 cup raw honey,
   3 eggs and
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
   
   
4. Peel and grate
   300g (approximately 3) carrots and set aside.
   
   
5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and combine with a wooden spoon.
   
   
6. Stir in grated carrot.
   
   
7. Pour mixture into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour.
   
   
8. Allow to cool before removing from cake tin

If you want to 'fancy' this cake up, finish with this amazing buttercream frosting...

1. Place
   120g coconut sugar into Thermomix and mill 20 seconds / speed 10.
   
   
2. Insert butterfly whisk; then add
   250g nuttelex,
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and
   60g rice milk and mix 3 minutes / speed 3.
   
   
3. Spread over top of cake (you might find you have more than you need) and decorate with a sprinkling of
   activated buckwheat.

quick spaghetti

Similar to my previous post on gluten-free pizza, gluten-free pasta is a great pantry staple that you can whip up very easily and quickly for lunch, or for dinner when you don't feel like cooking anything too labour intensive.

Pictured is some gluten free spaghetti with asparagus, semi-dried tomatoes and seaweed sprinkled on top.

After boiling your pasta, you can add anything that is in your fridge and pantry: tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, any vegetables in your fridge or freezer, tinned tuna or salmon, fresh or dried herbs etc.

gluten-free pizza

Serves 1

Ingredients

gluten-free pizza base

organic + sugar free tomato paste

Topping suggestions

sliced onion, caramelised

garlic

avocado

roast pumpkin

roast capsicum

grilled eggplant

zucchini

olives

herbs (fresh or dried)

coconut yoghurt

Method

1. Spread tomato paste over pizza base
2. Add desired toppings
3. Bake in oven and drizzle with coconut yoghurt before serving

Notes
There are a variety of gluten free pizza bases available on the market - I quite like Bodhi Bakeries Wheat Free Pizza Bases available online which I find serve 1 person per pizza base.

This is a great option for a quick lunch, of for those nights you don't feel like cooking. It is also a great way of using up any left-over vegetables in your fridge. Be creative with your flavour combinations!

Are there any other brands of pizza bases you have tried that you would recommend?

tofu paella

Serves 6

Poppy cooks…

1. Add1 tablespoon coconut oil and
   onion, diced to a rice cooker and stir occasionally for 5 minutes.
   
   
2. Stir through
   red capsicum, diced for a further 3 minutes.
   
   
3. Add
   2 garlic cloves, minced,
   2 cups arborio rice,
   500ml vegetable stock,
   1.5 cups hot water,
   tin of diced tomato,
   1/4 teaspoon saffron,
   1 teaspoon dried thyme,
   1 teaspoon sweet paprika,
   1 teaspoon celtic sea salt and
   1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, stirring occasionally until rice cooker has finished cooking.
   
   
4. Stir through
   1 cup peas and
   350g silken tofu, chopped and leave in the rice cooker to warm through before serving.

Notes
Some rice cookers need a certain weight before they will turn on - simply apply a bit of pressure to the bowl if your rice cooker won't turn on with just the onion in it to begin with. My easy rice cooker version can also be replicated in a large pan. If preferred, firm tofu can be used by cutting into cubes and frying off prior to the method described above.

kale + tomato spaghetti

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 packet gluten-free spaghetti

2 tablespoons olive oil

red onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bunch kale, chopped

1 packet cherry tomatoes, halved

pepitas

Method

1. Bring 2 litres of water to the boil in a large pot. Add gluten free spaghetti and gently stir to prevent spaghetti sticking together
2. Remove from the heat once spaghetti is al dente and drain water
3. In a non-stick frying pan, heat oil
4. Add onion and garlic and stir until brown
5. Add kale and toss until wilted
6. Add tomatoes and toss until softened
7. Add kale mixture to spaghetti, combine and serve with pepitas on top

Notes
Feel free to grate some parmesan cheese on top to serve as pictured above if you are not following a dairy free diet

oven roasted chickpeas

Serves 1-6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil

400g can of organic chickpeas

1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt

OPTIONS:

pepper

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon coconut sugar

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C
2. Place coconut oil in a medium or large sized baking dish. If necessary, place in oven until coconut oil is melted
3. Rinse and drain chickpeas and soak up extra moisture with a kitchen towel
4. Place chickpeas in baking dish with coconut oil
5. Toss through chosen seasoning and spices
6. Back in the oven for 30 minutes or until they start popping and are crunchy

Notes
This is a great guilt-free protein packed snack! It is a good idea to bake them in a deep dish rather than on a baking tray, as when they pop they can make a mess of your oven

vegetarian nasi goreng

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup rice

4 eggs

2 red onions

2 red chillies

3 cloves of garlic

1 red capsicum

1 carrot

2 spring onions, sliced diagonally

coriander

Method

1. Cook rice in advance and stand to cool
2. Scramble eggs and set aside
3. Add one onion, half a chilli & garlic to a food processor to make a paste
4. Heat oil in a wok and fry paste for 3 minutes or until fragrant
5. Add thinly sliced onion, red chillies, yellow capsicum & carrot for another 3 minutes
6. Stir through rice, eggs and season with celtic sea salt & pepper
7. Toss through spring onions and coriander

Notes
This dish, as well as any other fried rice dishes, work best with left over rice or rice that has been cooked in advance and allowed to cool.

moroccan lamb soup

Serves 4

An excellent winter warmer that is hearty and filling. Feel free to accompany with gluten-free bread or make your own toasted gluten-free herb bread.

Poppy cooks…

1. Boil
   1/2 cup quinoa in
   1 cup of hot filtered water until all the water is absorbed and then set aside.
   
   
2. In a large pot over medium heat, place
   2 tablespoons coconut oil,
   2 cloves garlic, minced,
   1/2 teaspoon ground coriander,
   1.5 teaspoons ground cumin and
   3/4 teaspoon turmeric. Stir for 1-2 minutes.
   
   
3. Add 2 lamb shanks and toss to coat with spices until lightly browned on all sides.
   
   
4. Add
   2 purple carrots, sliced,
   2 orange carrots, sliced, 
   1/2 red capsicum, diced,
   1 cup pumpkin, diced,
   400g tin diced tomatoes,
   500ml gluten-free vegetable stock,
   celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste and bring to the boil.
   
   
5. Add
   1 cup hot filtered water, reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 2.5 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Add more water if required.
   
   
6. Remove shanks, shred meat and add back to the pot.
   
   
7. Add quinoa into the pot and stir through.

chocolate + strawberry cake

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 tablespoons gluten free self raising flour

4 tablespoons coconut sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

3 tablespoons rice milk

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 egg

punnet strawberries

coconut ice cream

Method

1. Combine all ingredients (except strawberries and ice cream) and whisk well with a fork
2. Cut strawberries into bite-size pieces and add
3. Pour into a mini cake tin, small oven-proof bowl or 2 ramekins (or you can mix it in the bowl you plan to cook it in)
4. Bake in a fan forced oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes
5. Serve with your choice of coconut ice cream and strawberries

Notes
You can double, triple or quadruple this recipe to make a larger cake. I like being able to make a single serve cake for my husband and I for a one-off bit of indulgence. You can also cook this cake in the microwave by cooking on high for 1.5 - 3 minutes. Pictured below is an organic coconut ice cream I have come across called Coco Luscious...

pumpkin + fish risotto

Serves 5

Poppy cooks...

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
   
   
2. Dice
   butternut pumpkin into 1cm squares, place in a baking tray and coat with
   olive oil and bake until the pumpkin starts to get a little colour.
   
   
3. In the meantime, heat
   3 tablespoons coconut oil in a cast iron casserole dish.
   
   
4. Add
   onion, diced and
   2 cups arborio rice, tossing to coat in coconut oil.
   
   
5. Add
   5 cups filtered water and
   2 teaspoons celtic sea salt.
   
   
6. Once half the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stir through
   6 mushrooms, sliced,
   handful spinach, sliced,
   2 white fish fillets, chopped.
   
   
7. Occasionally stir the risotto, and when all the liquid is absorbed, add
   3 tablespoons parsley, chopped and roasted pumpkin.
   
   
8. Serve risotto into bowls topped with a sprinkle of 
   chia seeds,
   crispy bacon and
   parmesan cheese.

The beginning...

After spending some time setting up my blog, it is well and truly live! I wanted to create a recipe blog to help other people who might share the same experiences as me when it came to eating well.

In 2011, my skin specialist suggested I remove all gluten, dairy and processed sugar from my diet in an effort to help my body overcome the acne condition I had. I found this extremely challenging at first - not only did I have cravings for sugar and pastry, but so many products at the shops contained sugar, and when they didn't, they were twice the price. And everything tasted quite bland! I lost some weight to begin with, probably because I didn't know what I could eat.

Things got easier with time. I now have a repertoire of ingredients and recipes to draw from. I feel a lot healthier and a lot less bloated. I don't suffer from stomach aches anymore either, which used to be a daily occurrence. I have also found an excellent naturopath who has given me invaluable guidance on what is best for me.

I never shop at Coles or Woolworths (for political reasons as much as health reasons), but buy organic produce as much as I can from our local markets and independent grocers.

These recipes are not only loved by me, but also by my husband who hasn't restricted his diet, but will eat all of these recipes without feeling like he is eating healthy. It's true - healthy food can be tasty too! My use of herbs and spices has certainly grown since my diet overhaul.

I also run my own business with my husband - so it goes without saying that as a small business owner, we are extremely time poor. That made eating well even harder! That is why this recipe blog includes recipes that I have tried and tested myself, and are easy for enough for anyone to try.

Oh, and did I mention I have a nut allergy? So this is a nut free environment too.

Over time, I will keep adding more recipes. Whether they are old time favourites of mine, or new ones I discover.

P.S. Why is this blog called "Poppy loves pear"? My husband and I currently have one fur child, an 8 year old West Highland Terrier named Poppy. This dog will do absolutely anything for some pear! We even managed to train her into dinging a reception bell whenever she wanted to go outside or come back inside using pear.