paleo macaroni and cheese

Serves 4

For a non-paleo version that the kids will love, substitute the cauliflower (so, substitute the whole of step 1) for some brown rice pasta.

Poppy cooks…

1. Saute
   1.5 cauliflower, cut into florets in
   2 tablespoons nuttelex,
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt and
   1/4 cup filtered hot water until cauliflower is cooked and lightly caramelised, then set aside and keep warm.
   
   
2. Saute
   2 tablespoons nuttelex,
   3 squash, diced,
   carrot, diced,
   onion, diced,
   3 garlic cloves, minced,
   3/4 teaspoon ground mustard and
   1 teaspoon celtic sea salt.
   
   
3. Add
   165ml tin coconut cream and simmer until the coconut cream is slightly reduced.
   
   
4. Place in a blender and puree until smooth.
   
   
5. Add an
   egg yolk and blend well.
   
   
6. Return sauce to the pan, then add a
   bag of spinach and stir through until spinach is slightly wilted.
   
   
7. Add
   cracked black pepper to taste.
   
   
8. Serve cauliflower florets topped with sauce.

chocolate + avocado mousse cake

Serves 12

Poppy bakes…

1. Line a cake tin with baking paper.
   
   
2. Mix together
   1 cup gluten free self raising flour,
   3 tablespoons cacao powder and
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt.
   
   
3. Beat in
   2 eggs,
   4 tablespoons coconut oil,
   6 tablespoons maple syrup,
   3 tablespoons rice milk and
   teaspoon vanilla extract.
   
   
4. Pour into cake tin and bake at 185ºC for 25 minutes, then allow to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge to chill.
   
   
5. Blend
   2 avocados,
   4 tablespoons cacao powder,
   1.5 tablespoons coconut cream,
   6 tablespoons coconut oil,
   4 tablespoons maple syrup and
   tablespoon vanilla extract.
   
   
6. Pour mousse on top of cold cake and set in the fridge.

trout + goat cheese pasta

Serves 2

Poppy cooks…

1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and prepare a steamer by lining with wet baking paper and then placing a
   coral trout fillet on top of the baking paper (salmon can also be used as well).
   
2. Once the water comes to the boil, add
   125g buckwheat pasta and place the steamer insert on top with fish.
   
3. Once fish is cooked and flakes apart, remove and flake the fillet then set aside.
   
4. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and rinse with warm water.
   
5. Return pasta to the saucepan and add
   2 egg yolks,
   1/4 lemon, zest and juice,
   pinch of celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper.
   
   
6. Saute
   2 handfuls baby spinach.
   
7. Gently stir through spinach, flaked trout,
   2 tablespoons chives, chopped,
   2 teaspoons salted baby capers, rinsed and
   2 tablespoons olive oil into pasta.
   
8. Garnish with
   60g goat cheese, crumbled.

creamy zucchini pasta bake

Serves 4

Poppy cooks…

1. Saute
   zucchini, diced,
   2 carrots, diced,
   handful green beans, chopped,
   1 cup purple cabbage, diced,
   4 garlic cloves, minced,
   pinch of italian herbs (such as marjoram, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme), celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper in
   olive oil, then set aside.
   
   
   
2. To make sauce heat
   1 tablespoon nuttelex and
   2 tablespoons olive oil in a small saucepan, then add
   4 tablespoons brown rice flour or buckwheat flour and stir with a whisk to form a paste.
   
   
   
3. Slowly add
   2 cups rice milk, followed by
   1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes,
   1 teaspoon garlic powder,
   1 teaspoon celtic sea salt,
   1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg,
   1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar and
   1 teaspoon dijon mustard, stirring on low heat until it thickens.
   
   
   
4. Cook
   500g buckwheat pasta or brown rice penne in accordance with packet instructions.
   
   
   
5. Drain the pasta then combine in a baking dish with zucchini, 
   1/2 cup semi sun-dried tomatoes, quartered, sauce and sprinkle with
   chives, chopped.
   
   
   
6. Bake in a 180ºC oven for 20 minutes or until it starts to crisp on top.

sago jelly

Serves 2

Poppy cooks…

1. Add
   4 tablespoons tapioca pearls to a small saucepan of boiling water, stirring continuously so they do not stick to the bottom until the tapioca turns clear (approximately 15 minutes).
   
   
2. Drain tapioca pearls in a fine mesh sieve under cold running water.
   
   
3. Return tapioca pearls to saucepan and mix through
   2 tablespoons coconut cream,
   2 tablespoons filtered water,
   1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract and
   1 tablespoon rice malt syrup.
   
   
4. Pour mixture into serving ramekins or glasses and set in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
   
   
5. Serve topped with
   mango cheek, diced and
   toasted desiccated coconut sprinkled on top.

turkey + vegetable buckwheat pasta

Serves 6

Poppy cooks…

1. Saute
   onion, diced and
   4 garlic cloves, minced in
   olive oil.
   
   
2. Add
   3 carrot, diced,
   2 red capsicum, diced,
   2 zucchini, diced,
   1/2 cup semi sun-dried tomatoes, quartered and sauté until vegetables are softened then set aside. Feel free to add more olive oil if necessary. You can also use any seasonal or left over vegetables you might have.
   
   
3. Cook
   500g turkey mince until browned then add vegetables back in with
   700g passata,
   3 teaspoons dried oregano,
   1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes,
   handful basil leaves, torn,
   celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste and allow to simmer while cooking the pasta.
   
   
4. Cook
   500g buckwheat spiral pasta according to packet instructions.
   
   
5. Add pasta to sauce, combine, then serve with
   parmesan cheese (optional).

vegetable stir fry with mango tahini sauce

Serves 4

Poppy cooks…

1. Cook
   2 cups jasmine rice in a rice cooker.
   
   
2. Make sauce by blending
   mango,
   1 tablespoon ginger, grated,
   1 tablespoon tahini,
   1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar,
   1 tablespoon tamari sauce and
   1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
   
   
3. In a large frying pan or work, heat
   1/2 tablespoon coconut oil then add
   onion, thinly sliced,
   2 garlic cloves, minced,
   3 cups red cabbage, finely sliced,
   2 cups celery, finely sliced,
   2 cups sweet potato, finely sliced and
   2 tablespoons filtered water, stirring until the vegetables are cooked.
   
   
4. Serve rice, topped with vegetables, drizzle mango tahini sauce over the top and sprinkle with
   black sesame seeds.

apple coleslaw

Serves 6

Poppy cooks…

1. In a mixing bowl, combine
   2 cups green cabbage, finely sliced,
   1.5 cups red cabbage, finely sliced,
   carrot, julienned and
   granny smith apple, julienned.
   
   
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together
   3 tablespoons mayonnaise,
   2 tablespoons olive oil,
   1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar,
   1 tablespoon lemon juice,
   2 teaspoons poppy seeds,
   celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste.
   
   
3. Pour dressing over coleslaw and serve.

Ella's birth story

One of the happiest moments of our lives was finding
out we were pregnant (not sure if Poppy was quite as 
excited)

Poppy breaking the news to our family

34 weeks pregnant - I loved being pregnant!

At Crown Metropol for our 2nd wedding anniversary
since we couldn't travel. This stint in the pool left me
with the impression that I wouldn't be having a water
birth…was I right?

The day before the action

The very first hint at our baby's arrival was when I woke at around 02:30 on 23 December with what felt like a stomach cramp. It wasn't anything major, so I promptly went back to sleep and didn't think much about it. Our baby's estimated arrival date wasn't until 31 December 2014, though we had had our bags packed and ready from about 34 weeks, just in case the baby decided to make an early entrance, which we were both certain of. We were actually slightly anxious that the baby would come before the 37 week mark, as this would preclude as from birthing at the Family Birth Centre. Lucky for us, the 37 week mark came and went and we were able to breathe a sigh of relief and fully enjoy the last moments of pregnancy.

The next morning, which was Christmas Eve and we were exactly 39 weeks, I woke again at around 01:30 and 03:30 with stomach cramps. They were still nothing major, but certainly left me feeling a little nauseous so I didn't get a very good night's sleep. When I did finally wake up, I didn't feel too well. When my mum rang me in the morning at 08:50, I mentioned to her that I thought I might be experiencing Braxton Hicks. I wasn't certain if it was Braxton Hicks as I had obviously never experienced them before, but knew even if they were Braxton Hicks they could potentially last weeks.

I went about my day as per normal, interrupted by moments of pause as I felt a cramp come and go. In addition, I baked a cake, got my husband, Simon, to run some errands for me as I didn't feel up to it and was getting ready to head to the Brisbane Hotel to meet up with some friends. It was quite a hot day, and I didn't really feel in the mood for walking to the pub. I told Simon that maybe I should be sensible and stay home in case the baby decided to come that night. The last thing I wanted was to be exhausted from walking in the heat and socialising. Lucky for that decision!

As the day progressed the cramps didn't subside, so I decided to call our wonderful doula, Vicki Hobbs, for some advice. I had tried various positions to get through the Braxton Hicks and found the most comfortable was kneeling on my yoga mat in front of the sofa in our study so that I could lean on the sofa with my elbows to support my head.  Vicki then rang me back at 15:01 and we were both uncertain as to whether it was Braxton Hicks or perhaps early labour I was experiencing. She emailed me some information on Braxton Hicks, and I felt that it was perhaps just Braxton Hicks and nothing to worry about.

Simon gave me a call at 16:40 to say he was on his way home from The Brisbane, and I remember telling him I had had some more intense Braxton Hicks episodes since I had last seen him. I had planned to make some bliss balls (click here for recipe) in the afternoon to bring to the birth centre for energy, but because I kept being interrupted by what I thought was Braxton Hicks and starting to feel tired, I asked Simon to make them for me. In hindsight, I had probably progressed from Braxton Hicks to early or middle labour at this stage, but I have no concrete way of knowing. By this time, I was kneeling on the bed or on the floor when they would come and breathing through them; visualising the vertical muscles of the uterus pulling the circular bands of the uterus upwards and allowing my cervix to thin and open. The surge breathing and visualisation helped the surges pass very quickly and I felt 100% fine in between surges.

Simon also helped to make dinner as I wasn't up to it. It was quite late to be cooking dinner but our dinner time had been thrown out by my not feeling well. To help me through the surges, we had turned off the lights and instead had candles set up around the house, wild orange and peppermint essential oil in the diffuser to help me relax and our hypnobirthing CDs playing. Simon was still cooking dinner at 20:30 when I decided to call Vicki as I didn't feel I was coping very well with the intensity of the surges, doubting that I could carry on if the intensity increased any more. Even though I didn't acknowledge it at the time, in hindsight I'm pretty sure I was in established labour at this point. Whilst on the phone with Vicki, I had a surge and she was magically able to calmly talk me through it. What an amazing difference a calm voice can have on the intensity of a surge! Vicki told me she was going to bed early in case I needed her through the night, and to keep her posted.

I felt horrible for Simon as he was trying to juggle supporting me, cooking dinner, looking after Poppy (our dog) and himself. I didn't end up eating my dinner, but between surges, kept pleading with him to eat his. By this point, I knew in my gut he had to eat and eat quickly!

At 21:35 Simon rang my dad asking if he and my mum could come over to collect our dog. We had pre-arranged for them to look after her overnight whenever I went into labour.

At 21:48 I asked Simon to contact our amazing naturopath to ask when I should start taking the birthing herbal she had prepared for me. She responded by saying that if my surges were strong or my water had broken, that I should start taking it. My previous instructions for taking the birthing herbal was in doses of 5ml spaced depending on how I felt, for example, I could take it every 2 hours, but I wasn't to exceed 20ml in a single day. To hint at how things progressed, I only had the chance to take one dose.

At 22:46 my mum and dad arrived to collect Poppy. They thankfully didn't come in, but I could hear their voices. By this stage, I was labouring on the bed and instinctively started birth breathing, being quite vocal with each surge.

I then moved to the toilet to labour and noticed my bloody show. That was the first moment I 100% realised that things were getting real and we were having a baby. It was quite an emotional moment for Simon and I with this realisation; we were both so happy at the thought of finally meeting our baby. I then moved back to the kneeling position in our study leaning on the sofa. The next surge saw my water break in an incredible fashion with a large gush of fluid soaking my underwear and the pillow I was kneeling on.

At 23:09 SImon decided to call our midwife, Rose, at the birth centre. Rose actually had Christmas off, so he spoke to Janine who asked how far apart my surges were, and told Simon that we needed to start gathering our things to drive to the birth centre.

At 23:16 Simon called Vicki, who had luckily managed to sneak in a couple hours of sleep, asking her to come. Between them, they decided it would be best for her to meet us at the birth centre as I think everyone knew that there wasn't much time left.

At 23:36 Simon rang through to the birth centre, and spoke to the attending midwife, Lee. She had been prompted by Janine of our arrival but she wouldn't be able to get to the birth centre until midnight. The timing couldn't have worked out better though, as it wasn't until midnight that we left home for the birth centre. This was probably because it took some convincing to get me in the car. By this stage, I was very vocal with each surge, as my body naturally nudged the baby down and I could feel the head. I pleaded with Simon to stay at home since I could feel the head, and was dreading getting into the car where I couldn't kneel. I even asked for him to call an ambulance as I thought I could at least stand or kneel in it (this wouldn't have been the case as they make you lie down and automatically bring you to the hospital and not the birth centre). Thankfully Simon convinced me to get into the car and I stood in the footwell behind the driver's seat with my bum pressed against the driver's seat and my arms resting on the rear headrests. I didn't feel things slowing down as I was still being very vocal through each surge and could feel the head crowning with each surge. Afterwards, Simon told me he could tell I was going through a surge as I pressed hard against his seat and he sensed the urgency, going through the last few sets of red traffic lights with the hazard warning lights on - I was, of course, totally oblivious to any of this as I was actually worried that I would give birth in the car.

When we arrived at the birth centre at around 00:15 I was so relieved to see Vicki already waiting for us at the door. I climbed out of the car and she gave me the best hug I have ever had as I immediately felt assured that everything would be fine. I immediately asked where I needed to go because I could tell I didn't have much time. As quickly as I could, I walked into my birthing suite, and was greeted by a beautifully set up room with the bed prepared, a mat on the ground at the foot of the bed with a bean bag in front, dim lighting and the birthing pool being filled in the adjacent room. I swiftly stripped off my clothes and resumed the birthing position I was in at home and in the car - on all fours propped up by the bean bag. Vicki tells me that I had a very distinct purple line at this point - I wish I had seen it!

Lee was on the task checking the baby's heartbeat as I vocalised my way through each surge and then the head was out! 

A very blurry picture of my baby's head!!!

I felt exhausted by this point and took a moment to recover. But I didn't have long when Lee said I had to push. Even though we had prepared for birth with the hypnobirthing method avoiding the word push, instead using the term of "breathing down the baby", it didn't freak me out, and I knew what I had to do. I summoned all the energy I could and vocalised the last few birth breathes and I could feel my baby's shoulders, body, legs and umbilical cord slip out. The utter relief that I had birthed my baby was followed by a reassuring cry and then my baby was fed between my legs onto the birth mat. Funnily enough, my response was "how do I pick it up!"

Lee told us afterward that she was worried I didn't hear her telling me to push, or that I was perhaps ignoring her instruction because of the terminology she used since I was a hypnobirthing mother as I didn't respond. In actual fact, I heard her perfectly and was so focused on my own body and finding the strength to push that I simply didn't say anything. Throughout the whole labour I was so calm and focused on going with my body, that to everyone else I perhaps seemed to be in a trance (when I wasn't vocalising my way through birth breathing!)

After picking my baby up, I turned over to lie on the birth mat propped up by the bean bag with Simon still supporting my head. Lee asked Simon if he wanted to cut the cord, but as he was supporting my head, he said it was fine for Lee to do it.

First skin-to-skin with my peaceful baby

I found it interesting to experience this first moment of meeting my baby as I expected to immediately be in love with it. But I was extremely exhausted from the labour and birth process, even though it was so short, that I hardly paid that much attention to the baby. Having said that, I certainly was in awe of the baby we had just delivered. Lee then asked if it was a boy or a girl; in the speedy delivery, no one had yet seen! In my hazy state, I had a look and we discovered it was a girl!!! Despite many strangers weighing in during our pregnancy with adamant opinion that I was carrying a boy due to how low and forward my belly was, Simon and I knew in our gut it was going to be a girl.

Ella Kimberley Jacobs was born at 00:22 on Christmas morning 2014 in what was an absolutely amazing hypnobirth; the first Christmas baby at King Edward Memorial Hospital. She was 3.155kg (just under 7 pounds) and 49cm long.

I was then encouraged to bring our new baby towards my breast and she latched on immediately.

Such a smart cookie, latching on immediately

Not long after, I birthed the placenta, which was placed in the fridge for collection by our placenta encapsulation specialist in the morning.

I then moved to the bed and was checked over. To be honest, this was probably the most uncomfortable part of the whole labour and birthing process, being poked and prodded after birth! But everything was fine…I had lost very little blood and only had a 1st degree tear which was actually caused by Ella's shoulders and not her head. I attribute this to the speed with which I had to birth her body due to her decreasing heart rate, which we learned after the birth. Lee also told us the next day that this was one of the cleanest births she had attended; Ella had very little vernix left, I had already released most of the amniotic fluid at home when my water broke and there was very little blood loss. The messiest thing was probably the way Ella poo'd on everyone when she came into the world, haha. I loved the way Ella was already so clean - to me it indicated that she was perfectly ready to be born and I am so grateful that she didn't need to be induced. Simon remarked that it was typical that she was born so clean as I am an absolute clean freak.

The three of us then settled into bed for a sleep to recover. Simon and I didn't fall asleep straight away as we admired our little creation.

After a sleep, breakfast and a check over by the paediatrician, we arrived home at around 9:30am. We cleaned up the house, and were able to make Christmas lunch at my parent's house.

Our first family photo taken just after Christmas lunch
at my parent's house

Our midwife, Rose, and our placenta encapsulation specialist, Jane Stanley from Birtherapy, both commented that we would be perfect candidates for a home birth for our next baby considering the ease and speed with which we had Ella. I love this idea as I actually wanted a home birth for Ella but as our house extensions aren't complete and we didn't really know what to expect with our first baby, we thought the birth centre was perfect for us as it was like a home away from home with the security of the main hospital being down the corridor.

Resting in dad's arms after Christmas lunch

It was an absolute dream birth, and Ella has been a dream baby. She feeds marvellously, is very calm and sleeps really well too. In a strange way, Simon and I have felt that life hasn't changed very much…we have been able to continue as we were, catching up with friends over the holiday period, doing our usual house chores and going shopping etc. Just that now, we have another family member who comes with us everywhere we go. We have been in awe of this beautiful little girl, trying to pick whose features she has inherited and our love for her is growing every day.

xoxo

Our beautiful keepsake from our placenta
encapsulation specialist made of Ella's umbilical cord.
She said the placenta was beautifully drained from
the delayed cord clamping

Sleeping beauty on day 5

Peacefully satisfied after a feed on day 11

 We have been surprised at how active and inquisitive
Ella is already. This is her on day 11 and she is
already lifting her head, smiling, interested in light
and wanting to play in the mornings

First day at work

Summer baby!

On a final note, If I had one tip for anyone expecting, it would be to relax and not worry about the birth. The more you can educate yourself, understand the process, relax and enjoy the birth, the smoother it will be. The hard part (for us, anyway) started week 2 after birth. If you and your partner can, take the first 6 weeks off after birth to focus on your new baby. Rally as much support and help around you, especially in the form of people who can help cook, look after you and help settle your baby between feeds.

Create a positive mindset and remember that as a woman, your body is perfectly designed for birth.