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.
   

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.

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.

moroccan roast salad

Serves 2

Poppy cooks...

1. Preheat oven to 190ºC.
   
   
2. Place
   5 carrots, sliced into discs,
   1.5 tablespoons raw honey,
   1 tablespoon olive oil and
   pinch of celtic sea salt on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes or until slightly caramelised.
   
   
3. In a freezer bag marinade chicken by combining
   500g chicken tenderloins,
   2 teaspoons ground sweet paprika,
   2 teaspoons ground coriander,
   2 teaspoons olive oil and
   pinch of celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper.
   
   
4. While carrots are still baking, make salsa verde by blending
   handful parsley,
   1/4 lemon, juiced,
   1.5 tablespoons olive oil,
   1.5 tablespoons filtered water,
   pinch of celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper in a small blender to ensure a smooth consistency.
   
5. Once the carrots are cooked, combine with
   two large handfuls of spinach,
   2 sprigs of parsley, minced,
   1/4 lemon, juiced.
   
   
6. Pan fry chicken until cooked, adding a little olive oil if necessary.
   
   
7. Serve carrot salad, place sliced or shredded chicken on top, then sprinkle
   2 teaspoons currants and
   2 teaspoons pepitas over each serve and drizzle with salsa verde.

butter chicken

Serves 4

We have nicknamed this dish butter chicken in our household as the consistency of the sauce reminds us of it. It is by no means a traditional butter chicken dish as we can't eat nuts and don't eat dairy in our house - just a little disclaimer so you don't have different expectations of this dish, haha.

Poppy cooks...

1. Cook
   2 cups of basmati rice and set aside.
   
   
2. Saute
   onion, diced in
   coconut oil.
   
   
3. Add
   4 garlic cloves, minced and
   2 teaspoons ginger, grated.
   
   
4. Add
   2 teaspoons garam masala,
   2 teaspoons ground cumin and
   1 teaspoon ground turmeric, stirring until fragrant.
   
   
5. Add
   400ml coconut cream and
   8 tablespoons tomato paste and bring to the boil.
   
   
6. Add
   500g chicken tenderloins, diced until cooked, stirring occasionally.
   
   
7. Add
   broccoli, cut into florets and
   1 cup corn kernels.
   
   
8. Add
   1 teaspoon cornflour and incorporate.
   
   
9. Season with
   2 teaspoons celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper.

As a summer version, omit the broccoli and corn but make a side salad of shredded cabbage, mango, cucumber and coriander. If you have young kids or toddlers, you can also omit the celtic sea salt and it still tastes amazing!

kedgeree

Serves 6

Poppy cooks...

1. Soak
   1 cup puy lentils for at least an hour, then drain.
   
   
2. In a saucepan, boil
   4 eggs with
   2 fillets salmon in a steamer insert above. Once the salmon is cooked through, flake; and once the eggs are cooked, cut into quarters; then set all aside.
   
   
3. Saute
   2 onions, sliced to your desired level of caramelisation, then set aside.
   
   
4. Melt
   2 tablespoons coconut oil in a large pan, then add
   1.5 cups basmati rice, lentils,
   2 bay leaves,
   4 garlic cloves, minced,
   knob of ginger, grated,
   sprinkle of chilli powder to your liking,
   1 teaspoon ground turmeric,
   2 teaspoons ground cumin,
   2 teaspoons ground coriander and stir until fragrant.
   
   
5. Add
   3 cups filtered water and bring to the boil then reduce heat to low and cover, cooking until the rice and lentils are done.
   
   
6. Stir through
   bag spinach, then add fish, eggs, onions and
   bunch parsley, chopped.
   
   
7. Serve with a
   wedge of lemon.

sweet potato quinoa patties with avocado sauce

Serves 4

Poppy cooks…

1. Make avocado sauce by blending
   1 large avocado,
   1/4 cup olive oil,
   1/4 cup filtered water,
   couple sprigs of coriander,
   2 garlic cloves,
   juice of 1/2 lime and
   celtic sea salt, to taste then place in the fridge.
   
   
2. Boil
   1/2 cup quinoa in
   1 cup filtered water until all the water is absorbed and set aside.
   
   
3. Insert butterfly whisk into thermomix.
   
   
4. Place
   1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1cm pieces,
   pinch of celtic sea salt, and enough
   filtered water to cover the sweet potato and cook for 25 minutes/95ºC/speed 1, placing simmering basket instead of measuring cup onto mixing bowl lid.
   
   
5. Remove butterly whisk, drain water, insert measuring cup and mash for 30 seconds/speed 4.
   
   
6. In a mixing bowl, combine, cooked quinoa, mashed sweet potato,
   1/2 small red onion, diced,
   tin of black beans, drained,
   1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper,
   celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste.
   
   
7. Form patties and bake in a 190ºC oven for 15 minutes.
   
   
8. Flip patties over and bake for a further 15 minutes.
   
   
9. Serve on a
   mesclun salad with the avocado sauce drizzled over the top.

healthy char kway teow

Serves 4

Poppy cooks…

1. Lightly beat
   5 eggs with a fork, pour into a lined brownie tray and cook in a 180ºC oven until done.
   
   
2. In a wok on high heat, saute
   red capsicum, thinly sliced,
   yellow capsicum, thinly sliced,
   3 garlic cloves, minced,
   carrot, finely julienned,
   1/2 zucchini, julienned in
   butter until cooked and slightly softened.
   
   
3. In the meantime, in a large pot, boil 
   400g thick rice noodles in accordance with packet instructions, then drain.
   
   
4. Return noodles to pot, then add
   2 handfuls of spinach, sliced,
   2 sprigs of coriander, minced, oven cooked eggs, sliced and stir fried veggies.
   
   
5. In a small mixing bowl, stir together
   3 teaspoons coconut sugar,
   4 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce,
   6 tablespoons coconut amino sauce, and
   2 tablespoon olive oil and pour into pot.
   
   
6. Stir together on high heat until ready and serve with
   black and/or white sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

honey tofu with fried quinoa

Serves 3

Poppy cooks…

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together
   1/2 tablespoon olive oil,
   1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce,
   1 tablespoon coconut amino sauce,
   2 tablespoons manuka honey and
   juice of 1/4 lime.
   
   
2. Add
   packet firm tofu, cubed into mixture and marinade for at least half an hour.
   
   
3. In a deep frying pan on medium heat, fry
   1 cup quinoa until it crackles and becomes aromatic then set aside.
   
   
4. In a rice cooker, add
   onion, diced to the pan with
   olive oil and cook until lightly browned.
   
   
5. Add
   green chilli, deseeded and chopped and
   2 cloves garlic, minced and cook for 1 minute.
   
   
6. Add
   500ml vegetable stock and quinoa and cook until all the stock is absorbed.
   
   
7. While the quinoa is cooking, steam some
   asian greens in the steamer insert.
   
   
8. Also while the quinoa is cooking, cook the marinated tofu in a frying pan; cooking until the sauce caramelises, tossing frequently to coat the tofu.
   
   
9. Stir
   juice of 1/4 lime,
   4 spring onions, sliced diagonally,
   handful coriander, chopped and
   1/4 cup pepitas through the quinoa mixture.
   
   
10. Serve the tofu on top of the quinoa and sprinkle with
    sesame seeds, with the asian greens to the side.
    

prawn summer salad

Serves 4

Poppy cooks…

1. Dice
   300g sweet potato and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with
   olive oil  and season with
   celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper and roast in a 180ºC oven for 30 minutes.
   
2. On a serving platter or divided amongst 4 dinner plates, place
   2 cups iceberg lettuce, sliced,
   mango, diced,
   100g snow peas, sliced diagonally,
   1/2 cup red cabbage, sliced,
   avocado, diced and roasted sweet potato.
   
3. In a frying plan combine
   1 tablespoon olive oil,
   2 teaspoon lime juice,
   red chilli, finely chopped,
   bunch coriander, chopped,
   300g prawns, deveined and cook until the prawn flesh is no longer translucent.
   
4. Serve the prawns on top of the salad.

egg + beetroot open sandwich

Serves 4

Whenever cooking with beetroot, I like to buy "Love Beets" beetroot which is already cooked and peeled into 250g portions. There are no preservatives, just 100% real beetroot, but it saves a lot of time and mess!

This recipe is great for lunch, or you can use smaller squares of toasted bread to make an interesting canapé when entertaining. You can even ditch the bread all together for a straight up salad.

Speaking of gluten free bread, my favourite so far is Lifestyle Bakery's Soft 'n Light Chia + Quinoa Bread - it is packed full of goodness and super tasty. As the name alludes to, it is light and fluffy unlike many other gluten free breads which are either really dense and strangely sweet in an attempt to disguise the bland taste with sweeteners.

Poppy cooks…

1. In a medium bowl, combine
   250g beetroot, cooked, peeled and diced,
   5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped,
   zest of 1/2 an orange,
   1 teaspoon ground cumin,
   3 tablespoons Norganic mayonnaise,
   1 tablespoons coriander, chopped and
   1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt.
   
   
2. Serve on toasted
   gluten free bread.

vegan tortillas

Serves 12

Poppy cooks...

1. Cook
   1/4 cup red quinoa in
   3/4 cup hot filtered water and set aside.
   
   
2. In a large saucepan cook
   onion, diced and
   sweet potato, diced in
   olive oil until sweet potatoes are tender.
   
   
3. Add
   2 cloves garlic, minced and saute for 30 seconds.
   
   
4. Add cooked quinoa and cook for 5 minutes (don't worry if the quinoa gets crispy).
   
   
5. Add
   3/4 cup hot filtered water,
   410g tin diced tomato,
   1/4 teaspoon chilli powder,
   1 teaspoon smoked paprika,
   1 teaspoon ground cumin,
   1 teaspoon coconut sugar, and
   1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper bringing to the boil then reducing to a simmer for 5-10 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
   
   
6. Remove from the heat and stir through
   400g tin of black beans, drained and rinsed,
   1/4 cup coriander, chopped and
   juice of 1 lime.
   
   
7. To make the salsa, combine in a mixing bowl
   arils from 1 pomegranate,
   1/2 cup dried cranberries and
   zest and juice of 1 lime.
   
   
8. In a non-stock frying pan, heat up
   12 white corn tortillas as per packet instructions.
   
   
9. To assemble, spoon quinoa mixture down the centre of a tortilla, top with
   avocado, diced and finish with the salsa.

asian style salmon

Serves 2

A super easy Asian dish that you can easily multiply depending on how many serves you want to make. 

Poppy cooks…

1. Line a baking dish with foil and place
   2 salmon fillets, skin side down, in the baking dish.
   
   
2. Cover the fish with
   2 spring onions, diagonally sliced,
   1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced,
   2 garlic cloves, minced,
   knob of ginger, minced, and
   2 teaspoons sesame seeds.
   
   
3. Pour juice of
   1/4 lime,
   1.5 tablespoons tamari sauce and
   1 tablespoon coconut amino sauce over the ingredients.
   
   
4. Cover and bake in a 180˚C oven for 25 minutes.
   
   
5. While the fish is in the oven cook
   1 cup jasmine rice in a rice cooker, with a bunch of
   asian greens, chopped in the steamer tray.
   
   
6. Plate up rice, followed by greens, place salmon fillet on top, drizzle remaining sauce over the whole dish and garnish with fresh
   coriander.

noodle stir fry

Serves 4

Poppy cooks...

1. Blend
   juice of 1 lime,
   1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper,
   3/4 teaspoon ground ginger,
   4 tablespoons tamari sauce,
   2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar,
   3 tablespoons manuka honey and
   5 medjool dates, pitted in a food processor until dates are fully broken down and set aside.
   
   
2. In a wok or non-stick frying pan scramble
   4 eggs, whisked with a drop of olive oil and set aside.
   
   
3. In the same wok/pan, heat
   olive oil over medium heat before adding
   500g chicken tenderloins, diced with
   celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper for 3 minutes.
   
   
4. Add
   onion, thinly sliced and
   5 garlic cloves, minced until chicken is fully cooked and onion is browned. Drain any excess liquid.
   
   
5. Stir through
   1 packet of konjac or rice noodles, prepared according to instructions on packet,
   3 baby zucchini, julienned,
   2 carrots, julienned and
   2 spring onions, diagonally sliced tossing until ingredients start to stick to the pan.
   
   
6. Pour sauce over ingredients and stir to combine. Cook until sauce is absorbed/reduced.
   
   
7. Before serving, stir through egg and
   1/2 cup coriander, chopped.
   
   
8. Serve with
   lime wedge and garnish with
   coriander.

Notes
If you like spicy food, just increase the amount of cayenne pepper in the sauce. And if you aren't allergic to nuts like I am, then top this dish with some toasted cashews.

thai beef salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa

1 cup hot filtered water

500g fillet steak

1/4 red onion, finely diced

2 spring onions, sliced diagonally

red capsicum, finely sliced

handful bean sprouts

125g green beans, sliced diagonally

lebanese cucumber, chopped

green chilli, finely sliced

1 cup coriander, chopped

50ml tamari sauce

juice of 1 lime

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Method

1. Cook green beans
2. Cook quinoa in filtered hot water
3. Grill steak with seasoning until medium rare. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before slicing into thin pieces
4. Combine onion, spring onion, capsicum, bean sprouts, beans, cucumber, chilli, coriander, quinoa and steak in a large serving bowl
5. Mix together tamari sauce, lime juice and garlic to make dressing and pour over salad

Notes
Feel free to use more red onion if you like red onion, or try adding a red chilli too if you like really spicy food.

yoghurt chicken with a broccolini, beetroot + seed salad

Serves 4

Ingredients: chicken

1/4 cup coriander, finely chopped

1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped

garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

1 cup coconut yoghurt

500g free-range chicken tenderloins

Ingredients: salad

250g broccolini, diagonally cut into 5cm lengths

250g cooked beetroot, chopped

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon pepitas

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

gluten-free soy sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper

small handful chives, chopped

Method

1. Combine chicken ingredients (except the chicken) in a bowl. Add chicken and thoroughly coat in mixture and allow to marinade for as long as you like
2. Blanch broccolini
3. Combine seeds in a bowl and mix together with a dash of soy sauce
4. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning
5. Serve broccolini and beetroot with seeds sprinkled and lemon dressing drizzled on top
6. Grill chicken on both sides until cooked

Notes
You can bulk up this meal with a small bowl of jasmine rice. Any leftovers can be turned into wraps for lunch the next day too!

jerk chicken with pineapple

Serves 6

You can adjust the heat of this one pot wonder by either de-seeding all the chillies or leaving them whole. You can also use any cut of chicken you prefer, or even roast a whole chicken!

Poppy cooks...

1. To make the marinade, place
   2 red chillies, 1 deseeded,
   3 garlic cloves,
   handful coriander,
   handful parsley,
   2 sprigs thyme,
   1 lime, zest and juice,
   3 tablespoons coconut sugar,
   1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
   1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg,
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt,
   1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper and
   1.5 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor and pulse until combined.
   
   
2. Poor the marinade into a plastic freezer bag, then add
   1kg chicken thigh fillets and massage the marinade into the chicken. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
   
   
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a roasting pan with foil.
   
   
4. Scatter chicken in roasting pan and roast for 40 minutes until golden.
   
   
5. While the chicken is cooking, cook
   3 cups jasmine rice in
   6 cups filtered water.
   
   
6. Blanch
   2 cups green beans, sliced diagonally in hot filtered water.
   
   
7. 10 minutes before the chicken is finished, add
   2 cups pineapple, cut into pieces to the roasting pan.
   
   
8. Serve rice topped with chicken. Add green beans to roasting pan and toss with roasting juices before serving pineapple and green beans.

kaffir lime chicken with cucumber + mango salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups jasmine rice

16 kaffir lime leaves, centre vein removed, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

60ml (1/3 cup) lime juice (or juice from 1 fresh lime)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lebanese cucumbers, halved lengthways, thinly sliced diagonally

mango, sliced

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup coriander

160ml (2/3 cup) coconut cream

500g chicken tenderloins, chopped (or pork)

Preparing the salad

Method

1. Cook rice
2. Combine 16 lime leaves, garlic, lime juice & oil in mixing bowl. Add chicken, coat, cover & place in fridge to marinade for 4-6 hours
3. Place cucumber, mango, onion & coriander in large bowl to make salad & toss
4. Drain chicken and cook in a non-stick frying pan
5. Serve rice, top with salad & chicken, and spoon over coconut cream to serve

The finished product!

Notes
Kaffir lime leaves can be quite hard to cut, so feel free to use kitchen scissors instead!