Anzac biscuits

1.  In your Thermomix bowl mix
   160g gluten free plain flour,
   80g coconut sugar,
   100g rolled oats,
   70g desiccated coconut, and
   1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt for 10sec/speed 3.
   
   
2. In a small dish mix
   1/2 teaspoon baking soda and
   2 tablespoons boiling water.
   
   
3. Add this and
   130g coconut oil (slightly melted) and
   1 tablespoon honey to the Thermomix bowl and mix 10 sec/speed 3 or until combined.
   
   
4. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
   
   
5. Form mixture into cookies about 5mm thick on a lined baking tray.
   
   
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes then allow to cool on the trays until nice and crisp.

caramelised onion

 Poppy cooks...

1. Place
   2 tablespoons ghee,
   500g red onion, sliced,
   2 tablespoons honey,
   2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar,
   1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt into the Thermomix bowl and cook 10 mins/Varoma/reverse/speed soft.
   
   
   
2. Scrape down sides of bowl and cook a further 10 mins/Varoma/reverse/speed soft with measuring cup removed.
   
   
   
3. Store in sterilised jars in the fridge.

chutney

A great fridge staple that can keep for up to 4 weeks and is perfect in toasted cheese sandwiches.

Poppy cooks...

1. In a medium saucepan add
   250g red onions, thinly sliced,
   500g mixed-colour tomatoes, chopped,
   red chilli, finely chopped,
   75ml apple cider vinegar,
   140g coconut sugar,
   celtic sea salt and pepper and simmer for 1 hour or until jam-like.
   
   
2. Leave to cool then transfer to sterilised jars to keep in the fridge.

broccoli salad

Serves 3-4

Poppy cooks...

1. Place
   250g broccoli, cut into large florets,
   red capsicum, quartered,
   apple, quartered,
   15g buckwheat groats,
   25g olive oil,
   15g balsamic vinegar,
   1 teaspoon raw honey,
   1.5 teaspoons dijon mustard,
   1 teaspoon celtic sea salt and
   1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper in your thermomix or food processor on speed 4 for 5 seconds.

popcorn

Poppy cooks...

1. Heat
   1.5 tablespoons coconut oil in a large pot with a lid on medium heat.
   
   
2. Test whether the oil is hot enough by placing one corn kernel in the oil to see if it pops. If not, wait until it does.
   
   
3. Add
   1/4 cup popping corn and
   1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt, tossing in pot to coat corn kernels in oil and salt.
   
   
4. Periodically shake pot to keep the corn kernels from burning and leave the lid slightly ajar to allow the steam to escape to prevent chewy popcorn.
   
   
5. Once all the corn has popped, turn off the heat and stir through
   1 tablespoon nuttelex until melted.

cauliflower pizza base

Poppy cooks...

Makes 12 small or 2 large

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC.
   
   
2. Blitz
   500g cauliflower, roughly chopped for 5 sec/speed 4.5. You can also sneak in some broccoli with 400g cauliflower and 100g broccoli if you prefer.
   
   
3. Add
   2 eggs,
   75g buffalo mozzarella cheese, shredded, (or bio cheese for a dairy-free version)
   75g bio cheese, grated (or tasty cheese),
   celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper (optional) and mix 20 sec/speed 4.
   
   
4. Press into pizza base shape on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

In true toddler fashion, Ella loves the mini versions of these healthy pizza bases without any toppings. To be fair, the mini versions are much firmer and easier to eat. Depending on her mood, she'll have them topped with avocado, my home made chutney or ham and pineapple; but feel free to put anything you like on top. 

frittata

Serves 24

A great easy dish to get a decent serve of vegetables into your (or your child's) diet. Whilst this is a Thermomix recipe, a food processor would do exactly the same job.

Poppy cooks...

1. Preheat oven to 170ºC and either line two small slice trays with baking paper, or oil two pie dishes (or one of each!).
   
   
2. Place
   onion, chopped and
   2 cloves of garlic, peeled in mixing bowl and chop 3 seconds / speed 7.
   
   
3. Scrape down bowl, add
   splash olive oil and saute 2 minutes / varoma / speed 2.
   
   
4. Add
   2 carrots, chopped,
   zucchini, chopped,
   small sweet potato and chop 5 seconds / speed 5.
   
   
5. Add
   400g corn kernels,
   100g bio cheese, grated,
   1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard,
   180g gluten free self raising flour,
   6 eggs,
   1 teaspoon baking powder,
   celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper and mix 20 seconds / reverse / speed 4.
   
   
6. Pour mixture into slice tins or pie dishes.
   
   
7. Sprinkle
   pepitas and
   sunflower seeds over the top.
   
   
8. Place in oven for 50 minutes or until golden brown.

mushroom + cauliflower penne

Serves 2-3

Poppy cooks...

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil.
   
   
2. In the meantime, saute
   3 cloves garlic, finely sliced,
   15g thyme in
   1 tablespoon olive oil until golden.
   
   
3. Add
   300g mushrooms, sliced and
   350g cauliflower, riced (i.e. pulsed in a food processor until it turns into fluffy rice), cover with a lid and cook until softened for about 10 minutes.
   
   
4. By this point, the large pot of water should be boiling. Add
   250g brown rice penne and cook according to instructions.
   
   
5. Stir into the mixture
   120g ricotta,
   1 teaspoon celtic sea salt and
   1/2 lemon, juiced.
   
   
6. Drain penne and add to mixture with
   25g parmesan cheese and
   15g flat-leaf parsley, chopped.
   
   
7. Serve with a little extra celtic sea salt, lemon juice, grated parmesan and/or parsley to taste.

raw broccoli salad

Serves 4

This is a variation on a Thermomix classic to make it dairy free. Love this recipe for its speed and healthiness.

Poppy cooks...

1. Place
   250g broccoli, cut into florets,
   100g carrot, cut into pieces,
   95g apple, quartered,
   1/4 red onion,
   100g coconut yoghurt,
   1/2  lemon, juiced,
   pinch of celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper and chop 8 seconds / speed 4.
   
   
2. Scrape down sides of bowl and chop 3 seconds / speed 4.

mexican bowl

Serves 4

This dish is so quick and easy, and can all be done using just one pan, so less washing up! Feel free to add jalapeños if you like extra heat, or to omit the chilli powder and cumin like I do when cooking this for my toddler. This is quite a light meal, so great for summer. If you would like to bulk it up, then you can try accompanying it with grilled meat, gluten free flat bread or some sweet potato chips.

Poppy cooks...

1. Heat
   1 tablespoon coconut oil in a large pan and saute
   2 garlic cloves, minced.
   
   
2. Add
   1.25 cups quinoa,
   tin diced tomatoes,
   1.25 cups vegetable stock,
   tin black beans, drained and rinsed,
   1.25 cups frozen peas*,
   1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (optional),
   1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional),
   celtic sea salt and cracker black pepper to taste; bringing to the boil and reducing to a simmer with a lid on until quinoa cooked.
   
   
3. Serve topped with
   avocado,
   lime wedge and
   coriander.
   

* The more traditional option here is corn, but we are currently eliminating corn from our diet for health reasons. Feel free to google the pros and cons of corn.

chocolate + date brownies

Serves 20

Poppy bakes...

1. Preheat oven to 190ºC.
   
   
2. Line slice tray with baking paper.
   
   
3. Break
   160g 70% dark chocolate (I use Loving Earth) into mixing bowl and mill 10seconds / speed 9.
   
   
4. Add
   150g dates (approximately 9-10), pitted and diced into mixing bowl and chop 15 seconds / speed 10. (I find that if I don't dice them, depending on the brand of date, that my thermomix struggles to chop them and ends up heating up the chocolate which makes it very hard to mix together.)
   
   
5. Add
   180g coconut oil and cook 5 minutes / 60ºC / speed 2.
   
   
6. Add
   30g coconut flour,
   4 eggs,
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract,
   1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt and mix 20 seconds / speed 8.
   
   
7. Scrape down sides and mix for another 10 seconds / speed 6.
   
   
8. Scrape mixture into slice tray and bake for 15 minutes or until just firm before it burns.
   
   
9. Remove from oven, cool, cut into squares and keep in the fridge.

tofu + mango salsa

Serves 4

Poppy cooks…

1. Cook
   1 cup basmati rice in a rice cooker.
   
   
2. In the meantime, make the optional sauce first by whisking together
   tablespoon tahini,
   tablespoon apple cider vinegar,
   tablespoon tamari sauce,
   tablespoon olive oil,
   teaspoon agave syrup and
   wedge of lime, juiced, then set aside.
   
   
3. Saute
   2 cups green cabbage, finely sliced in
   olive oil seasoned with
   celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper.
   
   
4. Add rice, toss together and serve onto plates.
   
   
5. To make tofu marinade, in a large mixing bowl dissolve
   4 teaspoons cornflour in
   2 tablespoon olive oil and
   2 tablespoon tamari sauce.
   
   
6. Add
   2 packets firm tofu, diced to marinade, tossing to coat, then cook in a frying pan until the tofu is slightly crispy and the marinade is sticky and reduced.
   
   
7. While the tofu is cooking, prepare the mango salsa by combining
   2 mangos, finely diced,
   red capsicum, finely diced,
   1/2 bunch chives, chopped,
   handful coriander, chopped and
   1/4 lime, juiced. Serve salsa on top of cabbage rice.
   
   
8. When tofu is cooked, place on top of salsa, drizzle sauce over each dish and garnish with
   fried shallots.

lentil ragu with cauliflower mash

Serves 4

Poppy cooks...

1. The day before you make this dish, soak
   1/2 cup puy lentils in
   filtered water.
   
   
2. Add to a pan
   onion, finely diced,
   carrot, finely diced,
   celery stick, finely diced,
   2 garlic cloves, minced,
   2 sprigs thyme,
   sprig rosemary,
   bay leaf with
   olive oil on medium heat.
   
   
3. Once the onion is translucent, add drained lentils and
   3 tablespoons tomato paste, cooking for 10 minutes.
   
   
4. Add
   tin crushed tomato,
   1.5 cups filtered water,
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt,
   cracked black pepper, to taste,
   1/4 teaspoon nutmeg,
   pinch of cinnamon, turning heat down and simmering (if ragu looks dry, add more filtered water at any point).
   
   
5. In a large pot, saute
   2 garlic cloves, sliced in
   3 tablespoons olive oil and
   sprig thyme.
   
   
6. Add
   cauliflower, cut into small florets coating in oil for 5 minutes then add
   1/2 cup filtered water and put a lid on pot until cauliflower is soft (add more filtered water if needed at any point).
   
   
7. Add
   1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar to ragu and stir.
   
   
8. Put cauliflower in thermomix with
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt and blend on speed 5, scraping bowl down and mixing as necessary to get an even consistency.
   
   
9. Serve
   handful rocket onto each plate, cauliflower mash next to that, then spoon ragu on top, and finish with
   flax seed oil, drizzled and
   cracked black pepper.

roast potatoes

Poppy bakes...

1. Preheat oven to 190ºC.
   
   
2. Add
   1.5kg Royal Blue potatoes, peeled, chopped, rinsed to a large saucepan.
   
   
3. Cover with
   filtered water and
   pinch of celtic sea salt; and parboil for 8 minutes.
   
   
4. Drain into a colander to steam dry for 3 minutes.
   
   
5. Shake colander to fluff up potatoes and place on a baking tray.
   
   
6. Drizzle
   coconut oil over and season with 
   celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper, toss to coat and roast for 30 minutes. (You can pause before roasting and pop in fridge until ready to cook).
   
   
7. Using a potato masher, squash each potato.
   
   
8. In a small bowl stir together
   3 tablespoons coconut oil,
   bulb of garlic, smashed,
   splash of red wine vinegar and
   bunch of rosemary and pour over potatoes, putting back in the oven for another 40 minutes.

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.

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).

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.

gingerbread cookies (paleo version)

Makes 16

Poppy bakes…

1. If you are unable to buy sunflower seed flour, you may want to start by milling sunflower seeds in a thermomix to create the sunflower seed flour required at step 8.
   
   
2. Soak
   5 dates in warm water until soft (a minimum of 30 minutes).
   
   
3. Blend dates until smooth to form a paste.
   
   
4. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, heat up
   1/3 cup manuka honey,
   1.5 tablespoons ground ginger,
   1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon,
   1/3 teaspoon ground nutmeg and date paste until the edges begin to bubble slightly.
   
   
5. Remove saucepan from the heat and stir through
   3 tablespoons coconut oil until combined.
   
   
6. Add
   1/2 teaspoon baking soda,
   1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt, and slowly add
   1.75 cups sunflower seed flour.
   
   
7. Allow mixture to cool or place in the fridge.
   
   
8. Roll out dough between two pieces of baking paper to desired thickness, then cut into desired shapes.
   
   
9. Bake in a 180ºC oven for approximately 10 minutes or until they brown.
   
   
10. Allow to cool before eating.