fake fried rice with fake honey chicken

Serves 4

I was amazed when I first cooked this dish as it immediately reminded me of being a child because it tasted exactly like my mother's cooking. Without compromising on taste, this version of fried rice with sticky honey chicken is so much healthier than the traditional version - you have to try it to believe it!

Poppy cooks…

1. In a large pot combine
   1/4 cup apple cider vinegar,
   1/4 cup coconut amino sauce,
   2 cloves garlic, minced,
   1.5 teaspoons manuka honey,
   4 black peppercorns and
   2 bay leaves.
   
   
2. Add
   500g chicken thighs to the pot and add enough 
   chicken stock until the chicken is submerged. Place in the fridge to marinade for at least 3 hours.
   
   
3. Whilst the chicken is marinading, cook the fried rice. Begin by scrambling
   4 eggs with a pinch of
   celtic sea salt and pepper, then set aside.
   
   
4. In a wok or large frying pan on high heat, sauté an
   onion, diced,
   4 cloves garlic, minced and
   2 carrots, peeled and diced until onion is golden and carrots are softened, then set aside.
   
   
5. Pulse
   1/2 cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles rice. Then sauté in work with oil until the cauliflower browns slightly.
   
   
6. Add carrot mixture back into the wok, along with
   2 tablespoons coconut amino sauce and
   1/4 teaspoon tamari sauce.
   
   
7. Then add
   1/2 cup frozen peas and stir until peas are cooked, then set aside and keep warm while you cook the chicken.
   
   
8. Place the pot with the marinaded chicken on high heat to bring it to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pot.
   
   
9. Reduce the remaining sauce until it forms a thick and sticky consistency, then add the chicken back in to heat up before serving.
   
   
10. Just before serving, combine the scrambled egg into the fried rice.

mongolian beef

Serves 2

Poppy cooks…

1. Cook
   1 cup jasmine rice in a rice cooker with
   bunch of asian greens in the steamer tray on top.
   
   
2. In a frying pan saute
   4 cloves garlic, minced,
   3/4 teaspoon dried ginger and
   1/8 teaspoon dried chilli flakes.
   
   
3. Add
   3 tablespoons coconut aminos,
   1 teaspoon chicken stock paste (or 3 tablespoons chicken stock) and
   1.5 tablespoons manuka honey stirring frequently until the honey dissolves and the sauce thickens slightly.
   
   
4. Add
   500g stir fry beef and toss until cooked.
   
   
5. Stir through
   3 spring onions, sliced diagonally and serve on steamed rice with steamed greens to the side.

lamb, rosemary + orange cassoulet

Serves 4

This is my first recipe using certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils in cooking. My naturopath introduced me to dōTERRA and I have been blown away by the power of these essential oils in all areas of holistic health. I will have to write more about them another time, but this recipe uses dōTERRA's lavender oil which you can substitute with fresh or dried lavender.

Poppy cooks…

1. In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat up some
   olive oil and brown
   700g lamb, diced with
   celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper.
   
   
2. Add
   onion, diced,
   3 carrots, chopped,
   3 celery sticks, chopped and cook for 5 minutes.
   
   
3. Add
   3 garlic cloves, minced,
   orange zest and juice,
   2 sprigs rosemary,
   1 drop of dōTERRA lavender oil,
   2 cups pinot noir,
   2 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, covered for 2 hours (or up to 5 hours if you have the time to make the lamb meat really tender), stirring occasionally. If the dish starts looking dry, add more stock; or if there is too much liquid, remove the lid.
   
   
4. Before serving add
   1 tin cannellini beans and stir through.

mápó dòufu

Serves 4

Poppy cooks…

1. Cook
   2 cups brown basmati rice.
   
   
2. Before putting on the heat, in a wok combine
   1 egg, lightly beaten,
   1 tablespoon cornflour,
   1/2 teaspoon ground five spice,
   1 tablespoon spring onion, finely chopped,
   1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar,
   1/4 teaspoon olive oil and
   1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt.
   
   
3. Add in
   500g free range pork mince, mixing to coat pork in marinade; then cook pork mixture on a high heat.
   
   
4. Add
   red capsicum, finely diced,
   handful green beans, finely chopped,
   1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes,
   1 tablespoon garlic, minced,
   1 tablespoon ginger, minced,
   2.5 teaspoons coconut sugar and combine.
   
   
5. Add
   1 cup chicken stock,
   2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce and
   2 tablespoons coconut amino sauce, reducing the heat if it starts to spit.
   
   
6. In a small dish, dissolve
   2 teaspoons cornflour in
   2 teaspoons filtered water and add to the pot and stir through.
   
   
7. Add
   4 spring onions, finely sliced, and
   2 packets of firm tofu, cubed until most (but not all) of the liquid is absorbed.
   
   
8. Serve on cooked rice with extra
   spring onions, sliced on top.

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.

sausage, vegetable + bean stew

Serves 4

Poppy cooks...

1. Cook
   1 packet of sausages and set aside.
   
   
   
2. In a large pot, saute
   1 onion, diced in
   olive oil.
   
   
   
3. Add
   300g carrots, cut into bite sized pieces,
   300g potatoes, cut into bit sized pieces,
   1 tablespoon garlic, sliced,
   1 teaspoon cumin,
   1 400g tin of cannellini beans,
   500ml chicken stock,
   1 cup water and
   1 bay leaf; and bring to the boil.
   
   
   
4. Reduce to a simmer; then add
   2 cups pumpkin, cut into bite sized pieces,
   2 tablespoons parsley, chopped and sliced sausages.
   
   
   
5. Cook until vegetables are tender and season with
   black pepper.
   
   
   
6. Remove bay leaf before serving and garnish with extra parsley.

Notes
If you have a large dutch oven, you can cook the sausages in it and use it for the remainder of the recipe, which will incorporate the flavours from the cooked sausages into the dish. It also makes this a one-pot-wonder!

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.