fritters

 Poppy cooks...

1. Place
   500g zucchini, roughly chopped,
   300g sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped,
   carrot, peeled and roughly chopped with
   1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt in Thermomix bowl 7sec/speed 7.
   
   
   
2. Tip mixture into a fine mesh sieve over a bowl to drain for 15 minutes.
   
   
   
3. After discarding liquid, place mixture into mixing bowl, then add
   3 eggs and
   1/2 cup gluten free plain flour.
   
   
   
4. Mix together and then cook on a sandwich press (or frying pan) lightly coated with
   coconut oil until brown.

lasagne

Serves 4

This is a favourite of mine and Ella and is a family crowd pleaser. I love this reduced dairy version as we seem to be able to tolerate ghee and cheese in small doses.


Poppy cooks...

1. In a large pot add
   onion, diced,
   3 cloves of garlic, minced,
   1/2 teaspoon dried basil,
   1 teaspoon dried oregano,
   1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary,
   400g tin diced tomato,
   carrot, diced,
   3 celery stalks, diced,
   1/2 zucchini, diced,
   red capsicum, diced,
   500g mince (beef, pork, chicken, lamb or turkey),
   6 button mushrooms, sliced,
   100g tomato paste,
   1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar,
   1 teaspoon honey,
   1.5 teaspoons celtic sea salt,
   pepper to taste with
   2 tablespoons ghee, cooking on medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   
   
2. In a small saucepan add
   750g rice milk,
   3 eggs,
   45g ghee,
   1.5 teaspoon dried onion powder,
   1.5 teaspoon garlic powder,
   0.75 teaspoon honey,
   1.5 teaspoon celtic sea salt and
   55g tapioca flour, stirring with a whisk until it thickens.
   
   
3. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
   
   
4. Grease a large lasagne dish with ghee and cover bottom with some of the bolognese sauce.
   
   
5. Place a layer of
   gluten free lasagne sheets on bottom of dish (I soak mine in water for just a few seconds to stop them curling), cover with half the bolognese sauce and a third of the white sauce.
   
   
6. Place a second layer of lasagne sheets, the remaining bolognese sauce and the second third of white sauce on top.
   
   
7. Place a third layer of lasagne sheets and the remaining third of white sauce on top. Sprinkle some
   grated cheese on top and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
   
   
8. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

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.

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.

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
   olive oil 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.

mixed berry, carrot + zucchini cupcakes

Makes 12

Poppy bakes…

1. Heat oven to 190ºC.
   
   
2. In a bowl whisk together
   1 cup coconut sugar,
   1 cup olive oil,
   2 eggs and
   1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract.
   
   
3. Add and whisk together
   3/4 cup carrot, finely grated,
   3/4 cup zucchini, finely grated and
   1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries.
   
   
4. Add and whisk together
   3/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt, and
   3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
   
   
5. Add
   2 cups gluten free self raising flour and gently fold into mixture without over mixing.
   
   
6. Divide batter among moulds and bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

zucchini + carrot cake

Serves 10

An easy recipe that doesn't require the use of an electric mixer. Also a great way of sneaking in some extra vegetables in the guise of something sweet.

Poppy bakes…

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
   
   
2. In a mixing bowl gently stir together
   250g gluten-free self-raising flour,
   2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and
   1 teaspoon mixed spice.
   
   
3. In a small mixing bowl stir together
   1/2 cup olive oil,
   1 cup coconut sugar,
   1 egg and
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
   
   
4. Grate
   1 small carrot and
   1 small zucchini, around 160g combined.
   
   
5. Add the wet ingredients from step 3 to the dry ingredients from step 2 and mix together using a spatula until well combined. Then add the carrot and zucchini and mix together until well combined.
   
   
6. Place the mixture in a lined cake tin and bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

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.

broccoli + zucchini bake

Serves 4

Ingredients

red onion, diced

broccoli, cut into small florets

2 zucchini, sliced

celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper

crushed chilli flakes

hot filtered water

1/2 cup rice milk

4 free-range organic eggs

ground nutmeg

handful basil, chopped

Method

1. Saute onions in a frying pan with olive oil until softened
2. Add broccoli and zucchini, season lightly and add a pinch of crushed chilli flakes to taste. Add a dash of hot filtered water to the pan to soften the vegetables, and add more as necessary
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, pinch of celtic sea salt and a pinch of ground nutmeg until fluffy
4. Stir basil through egg mixture
5. When vegetables are softened and slightly browned, place in a baking dish and pour egg mixture over the top
6. Bake in a 180°C oven for about 30 minutes

Notes
If you are not following a dairy or lactose free diet, then sprinkle with cheese before placing in the oven.