guacamole

 Poppy cooks...

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl add
   2 tablespoons onion, finely diced,
   1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt,
   2 tablespoons coriander leaves, minced; and mash together with a fork.
   
   
   
2. Add
   2 avocados to mixture and mash together.
   
   
   
3. Add
   1/2 lime, juiced and
   1 roma tomato, finely chopped; and stir together.
   

lasagne

Serves 4

This is a favourite of mine and Ella and is a family crowd pleaser. I love this reduced dairy version as we seem to be able to tolerate ghee and cheese in small doses.


Poppy cooks...

1. In a large pot add
   onion, diced,
   3 cloves of garlic, minced,
   1/2 teaspoon dried basil,
   1 teaspoon dried oregano,
   1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary,
   400g tin diced tomato,
   carrot, diced,
   3 celery stalks, diced,
   1/2 zucchini, diced,
   red capsicum, diced,
   500g mince (beef, pork, chicken, lamb or turkey),
   6 button mushrooms, sliced,
   100g tomato paste,
   1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar,
   1 teaspoon honey,
   1.5 teaspoons celtic sea salt,
   pepper to taste with
   2 tablespoons ghee, cooking on medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   
   
2. In a small saucepan add
   750g rice milk,
   3 eggs,
   45g ghee,
   1.5 teaspoon dried onion powder,
   1.5 teaspoon garlic powder,
   0.75 teaspoon honey,
   1.5 teaspoon celtic sea salt and
   55g tapioca flour, stirring with a whisk until it thickens.
   
   
3. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
   
   
4. Grease a large lasagne dish with ghee and cover bottom with some of the bolognese sauce.
   
   
5. Place a layer of
   gluten free lasagne sheets on bottom of dish (I soak mine in water for just a few seconds to stop them curling), cover with half the bolognese sauce and a third of the white sauce.
   
   
6. Place a second layer of lasagne sheets, the remaining bolognese sauce and the second third of white sauce on top.
   
   
7. Place a third layer of lasagne sheets and the remaining third of white sauce on top. Sprinkle some
   grated cheese on top and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
   
   
8. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

spinach + ricotta cannelloni

Serves 4-6

Poppy cooks...

1. Place
   360-400g spinach and
   olive oil in a large pot with the lid on over low heat, stirring occasionally until spinach has cooked down. Set aside in a bowl to cool.
   
   
2. Place
   onion, diced in same pot with
   olive oil until onion softens.
   
   
3. Add
   2x 400g tins of diced tomatoes,
   2 cloves garlic, minced,
   bay leaf,
   15g basil and
   zest of 1/2 lemon and bring to a simmer for about 20 minutes.
   
   
4. Squeeze liquid out of spinach, chop, then return to liquid in bowl. Add
   egg, beaten,
   2 teaspoons parmesan cheese, grated,
   250g ricotta.
   
   
5. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
   
   
6. Place
   250g gluten-free cannelloni (approximately 18 tubes) in an oven proof dish and then fill the tubes with the spinach mixture.
   
   
7. Cover the cannelloni with the tomato sauce mixture and slice
   250g mozzarella balls and place on top.
   
   
8. Place in the oven for 40 minutes.

gnocchi + pork ragu

Serves 6

Poppy cooks…

1. Place
   1kg de-boned pork leg,
   2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped,
   400g tin of diced tomatoes,
   2 tablespoons tomato paste,
   2 cups filtered water,
   4 garlic cloves, peeled,
   2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce,
   tablespoon of dried mixed herbs,
   2 teaspoons smoked paprika, (you can use sweet paprika too, depending on the smokiness level you prefer)
   2 tablespoons coconut sugar,
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt and
   1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper into a large pot on medium heat for 4 hours or until the pork is soft and pulls apart easily.
   
   
2. Place
   1kg nadine potatoes and
   1/2 head of garlic (skin left on) on a baking tray in a 180ºC oven for 1 hour or until they are easily pierced by a skewer.
   
   
3. Allow the potatoes to cool slightly, then halve and scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl.
   
   
4. Add the roasted garlic, skin removed, then mash until smooth.
   
   
5. Add
   2 egg yolks and combine.
   
   
6. Add
   1.5 cups gluten-free plain flour, half a cup at a time to the potato mixture, mixing together to form a dough, but be careful to not overwork the dough.
   
   
7. Prepare a lightly floured surface, then roll handfuls of the dough into long strips. Cut strips into gnocchi pieces and place on a floured tray. Using a fork, make indents in the gnocchi to absorb the ragu sauce later.
   
   
8. When the pork is soft, remove from the sauce, shred the meat and place back into the sauce.
   
   
9. Bring a separate pot of
   filtered water with
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt to the boil, add gnocchi and remove as soon as they rise to the surface - approximately 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into the pork ragu. Then serve!

The pulled pork can also be cooked in a slow cooker...I cook it on medium for 5 hours, then remove the lid and cook on high for half an hour to reduce the sauce while I shred the meat.

As an alternative, the pulled pork is perfect with my apple coleslaw, served in hard tacos!

baked eggs in tomato kale

Serves 4

Poppy cooks…

1. In a large deep frying pan, heat a swig of
   olive oil over medium heat, then add
   onion, diced,
   2 carrots, finely diced,
   celery stick, finely diced and
   3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped, stirring frequently until browned.
   
   
2. Stir through
   1 clove of garlic, minced,
   sprig of rosemary and
   2 sprigs thyme for one minute.
   
   
3. Add
   bunch kale, finely chopped and cook until the kale has softened.
   
   
4. Add
   1 tablespoon tomato paste,
   tin of diced tomatoes and
   celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper, to taste, simmering for 8 minutes.
   
   
5. Make four wells and crack
   4 eggs into each of the wells, either covering the pan or placing the pan in the oven until the egg whites are cooked.

lamb stew

Serves 5

Poppy cooks…

1. Heat a drizzle of
   olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven.
   
   
2. Season
   700g lamb shoulder, diced with
   celtic sea salt and brown in batches, then set aside.
   
   
3. Add to the pot
   onion, diced,
   3 carrots, chopped and
   2 cloves garlic, minced and cook until the vegetables soften.
   
   
4. Add
   tin diced tomatoes,
   500ml beef stock,
   2 sprigs thyme,
   1 sprig rosemary and the lamb, bringing to a boil then reducing to a simmer before placing the lid on for 2 hours.
   
   
5. Stir through
   1.5 cups butternut pumpkin, cubed and cook for another 20 minutes or under the pumpkin is cooked.

osso bucco

Serves 4

Poppy cooks…

1. Heat
   olive oil in a large pan / french oven and brown
   4 osso bucco cuts on each side, and then set aside.
   
   
2. Saute
   2 carrots, finely chopped and
   3 celery sticks, finely chopped in olive oil for 2 minutes.
   
   
3. Place osso bucco on top of vegetables in a single layer.
   
   
4. In a separate bowl combine
   1 cup dry white wine,
   410g tin diced tomato,
   1 tablespoon tomato puree,
   celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper.
   
   
5. Pour over osso bucco - if the meat is not covered, add extra wine until it is submerged in liquid.
   
   
6. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and leave covered for 1 hour.
   
   
7. Remove the lid and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the meet is falling off the bone.
   
   
8. Cook
   2 cups rice.
   
   
9. To make the gremolata, combine
   zest of 1 lemon,
   2 tablespoons parsley, chopped and
   garlic clove, minced.
   
   
10. Serve rice, topped with vegetables, osso bucco and sprinkled with gremolata.

beef sausage cassoulet

Serves 4

Ingredients

packet of Peppercorn Food Company Extra Lean Beef Sausages

onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 potatoes, diced

410g tin of crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon organic tomato paste

500ml organic chicken stock

400g tin of cannellini beans

1/2 bunch thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

Fresh thyme

Method

1. Cook sausages and set aside
2. In a large pot, saute onion and garlic
3. Add potatoes, tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, cannellini beans, thyme and bay leaves. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes
4. Remove lid, add sausages and simmer for a further 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is reduced

Notes
Depending on the type of sausages you use, season with celtic sea salt and pepper to taste before serving.

cauliflower paella

Serves 4

Ingredients

onion, diced

red capsicum, diced

3 celery stalks, chopped

1/2 cauliflower, diced in food processor

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 teaspoons smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3/4 cup hot filtered water

1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt

bay leaf

cracked black pepper

1/2 cup artichokes, diced

400g tin diced tomato

1/4 cup olives, sliced

juice of 1 lime

parsley, for garnish

Method

1. Saute onion in olive oil
2. Add capsicum and celery until softened
3. Add cauliflower and stir for 3 minutes
4. Add garlic, paprika, turmeric, cayenne pepper, water, bay leaf, salt, pepper, artichokes, tomato and olives
5. Bring to the boil, and reduce to a simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed
6. Serve with lime and parsley

Notes
A paella without rice?! Who knew cauliflower was such a great rice substitute. This vegetable-packed meal tastes even better the next day! I love to heat it up in the oven to caramelise it further until the top is slightly crunchy.

chicken risotto

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g chicken tenderloins, chopped into bite-size pieces

olive oil

celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper

onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 cups arborio rice

500ml chicken stock

1 cup hot water

tin of diced tomato

1 cup sliced green beans

2 tablespoons basil leaves, sliced

Method

1. Cook chicken in rice cooker with oil and seasoning. Remove and place in a separate bowl
2. Cook onion and garlic in rice cooker. Add additional oil if necessary
3. Add rice and toss to coat with oil
4. Add stock, water and tomato. Stir and cover with lid
5. When most of the liquid is absorbed (but before the rice cooker turns itself off) add beans and stir through
6. When the rice cooker turns itself off stir through chicken and basil leaves

Notes
If you don't have a rice cooker, the same method can be used on a cooktop or in the oven. If you don't have fresh green beans, frozen green beans work just as well, or even peas. Feel free to grate fresh parmesan cheese if you aren't avoiding dairy.

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

chicken shepherd's pie

Serves 4

This version of shepherd's pie can be made using any white meat, whether chicken, turkey or pork. You can make it in separate ramekins or a single pie dish. For anyone not following a dairy free diet, feel free to add cheese to the top of the mashed potato before grilling.

Poppy cooks...

1. Peel and dice
   800g potatoes, then place in boiling water until soft. Mash up with
   1 tablespoon nuttelex (or butter) and
   1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt and set aside.
   
   
2. In a large pot, saute an
   large onion, diced,
   2 carrots, diced and
   2 celery stalks, diced with
   olive oil until the onion lightly browns.
   
   
3. Stir through
   3 garlic cloves, minced,
   3-4 squash, diced and
   1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, and cook for 1 minute.
   
   
4. Add
   600g free-range chicken (or turkey) mince and break up with a wooden spoon, cooking until the chicken is no longer pink.
   
   
5. Stir through
   handful spinach,
   400g tin of sugar-free diced tomatoes and
   2 tablespoons organic sugar-free tomato paste, simmering until there is very little liquid left.
   
   
6. Stir through
   1.25 cup peas and season with
   celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper.
   
   
7. Spoon mixture into 4 ramekins or a single baking dish and top with mashed potato.
   
   
8. Place under a grill until the potato browns.