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.

salmon + potato rosti

Makes 24

Another great recipe for kids and adults!

Poppy cooks...

1. In a non-stick frying pan with
   coconut oil, saute
   onion, finely diced and
   2 purple/red potatoes, grated with excess moisture squeezed out, and then allow to cool in a mixing bowl.
   
   
2. While the above is cooling, make the optional avocado sauce by blending
   avocado,
   1/8 cup olive oil,
   1/4 cup filtered water,
   couple sprigs of coriander, finely chopped,
   1/2 lime, juiced and
   celtic sea salt, to taste. I then pour it into a squeeze bottle and place in the fridge.
   
   
3. Returning to the rosti, combine potato mixture with
   200g tin salmon,
   1 egg and
   2 tablespoons gluten free plain flour.
   
   
4. Press into patties of your preferred size (I use a cookie cutter to get all of them to be the exact same time) and fry in batches with a little
   coconut oil
   until golden.
   
   
5. To serve, I squeeze a dollop of the avocado sauce onto each rosti.

home-made potato nuggets

Serves 2

A great side for adults, or for kid's meals! Just allow one potato per serve.

Poppy cooks…

1. Wash and peel
   2 potatoes and boil in
   filtered water until cooked, then drain.
   
   
2. Grate potatoes, drain excess moisture, add
   celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper then form into nuggets shapes.
   
   
3. Place in a frying pan with a little
   olive oil, continually turning until golden all around.

You can also use sweet potato and/or oven bake the nuggets instead of pan-frying.

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!

orange + beef stew on creamy mash

Serves 4

Poppy cooks…

1. Between 12 to 24 hours before you plan to cook this meal, put
   500-600g organic diced beef in a large pot or french oven and season with
   celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper.
   
   
2. Add
   750ml red wine (1 bottle),
   3 sprigs fresh thyme,
   2 bay leaves,
   5 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks,
   half an orange cut into wedges,
   onion, cut into rings, and
   2 garlic cloves, sliced. Place in the fridge to marinate.
   
   
3. When you are ready to start cooking, heat some
   olive oil in a frying pan, remove the beef from the marinade and brown on all sides, then set aside.
   
   
4. Place pot with marinade on the cooktop and bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer.
   
   
5. Add chuck steak back into the pot with
   170g tomato paste and
   2.5 cups of hot filtered water and leave to cook on low with the lid on for 2 hours or until meat is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid for approximately another 30 minutes for the liquid to reduce to form a thick sauce.
   
   
6. In a separate pot, boil
   1.5 kg royal blue potatoes, peeled and diced until they crumble with no resistance when pierced with a fork. Drain water and mash with
   tablespoon nuttelex and
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt.
   
   
7. Serve mashed potato topped with stew mixture, making sure to discard the bay leaves and orange peels.

beetroot + potato salad

Serves 4

Poppy cooks...

1. Boil
   500g (approximately 3) royal blue potatoes, peeled and chopped in a pot of filtered water with a pinch of
   celtic sea salt until tender, then allow to cool.
   
   
2. To make dressing, whisk together
   2.5 tablespoons mayonnaise,
   3 sprigs tarragon, finely chopped,
   1 garlic clove, crushed,
   2 teaspoons capers (approximately 9), finely chopped,
   1.5 tablespoons white wine vinegar,
   1.5 tablespoons oil and a pinch of
   celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper; and keep in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
   
   
3. Prepare
   150g radish (approximately 3), finely sliced and
   250g beetroot, cooked, peeled and diced.
   
   
4. To serve, add dressing to potatoes and toss, place in serving bowl, top with radishes and beetroot in layers and garnish with some extra
   tarragon.

Notes
As I have mentioned in previous posts, Love Beets produce pre-cooked and pre-peeled beetroots with no preservatives or added nasties - a great time saver! They are available at most IGAs in the fresh vegetable section.

salmon with a summer salsa

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/4 red onion, finely diced

green chilli, seeds removed and finely diced

red capsicum, finely diced

mango, cubed

avocado, cubed

lemon juice

4 potatoes, cubed

hot filtered water

celtic sea salt

nuttelex

4 salmon fillets

Method

1. Toss red onion, chilli, capsicum, mango, avocado and a squeeze of lemon juice together in a salad bowl and set aside
2. In a pot, add potato with enough water to immerse potato. Cook until tender, drain and mash
3. Add nuttelex and salt to mashed potatoes to taste
4. Cook salmon skin side down first until crispy, then turn over until cooked through
5. Divide mashed potato amongst serving plates, place salmon fillets on top followed by salsa. Garnish with micro herbs

Notes
This is a perfect dish for the warmer months. For a lighter meal, you can omit the mashed potato. Another alternative is to swap the mashed potato for mashed cauliflower.

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.

french beef stew

Serves 9

Poppy cooks...

1. In a slow cooker place 
   500g organic diced beef,
   2 onions, cut into chunks,
   5 celery stalks, cut into chunks,
   600g carrots, cut into chunks,
   600g potatoes, cut into chunks,
   100ml tomato paste,
   750ml filtered water,
   150ml dry cooking sherry (or 40ml red wine vinegar and 110ml extra water),
   4 teaspoons coconut sugar,
   3 teaspoons celtic sea salt,
   cracked black pepper, to taste,
   3 teaspoons dried basil and set on medium for 5 hours.
   
   
   
2. 250g green beans, chopped and
   3 tablespoons of tapioca pearls, to slow cooker and set on medium for another 2 hours.
   
   
   
3. Cook
   6 cups rice using whichever method you prefer.
   
   
   
4. Serve stew on top of rice.

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!

potato + cauliflower hash

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 potatoes, diced

1/2 cauliflower, cut into small florets

40g (small handful) gluten-free spaghetti

onion, chopped

2 teaspoons mixed herbs

4 eggs

Method

1. Roast diced potatoes with olive oil, celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper for 40 minutes, or until crispy and golden
2. Blanch cauliflower until it begins to soften
3. Bring a small pot of water to the boil and cook spaghetti until al dente
4. In a large frying pan, cook onion until golden
5. Add cauliflower, spaghetti, roasted potato and mixed herbs.  Combine
6. Make 4 slight indents and crack an egg into each indent
7. Cover and cook until eggs are cooked to your preference (I like the yolk to still be runny)

Notes

This is a great dish on its own, or accompany with sausages or steak. My favourite sausages are Peppercorn's Extra Lean Chicken Sausages which have a fresh lime flavour, are gluten free and contain no artificial flavours or colours! I buy them from Farmer Jacks in  Claremont or Subiaco. Even the container is guilt-free being 100% biodegradable and compostable!

http://www.peppercornfood.com.au/Products/Sausage_Range/Extra_Lean_Chicken_Sausages.php

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.