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.

Thermomix version...

1. Place
   onion, cut into chunks,
   3 cloves of garlic,
   1/2 teaspoon dried basil,
   1 teaspoon dried oregano,
   1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary in Thermomix bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 5.
   
   
   
2. Add
   400g tin diced tomato,
   carrot, cut into chunks,
   3 celery stalks, cut into chunks,
   1/2 zucchini, cut into chunks,
   red capsicum, cut into chunks, and chop 8 sec/speed 5.
   
   
   
3. Add
   500g beef mince and break up 3 sec/speed 5.
   
   
   
4. Add
   50g ghee,
   6 button mushrooms, chopped,
   100g tomato paste,
   1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar,
   1 teaspoon honey,
   1.5 teaspoons celtic sea salt,
   pepper to taste and cook 25 mins/Varoma/rev/speed soft.
   
   
   
5. Transfer bolognese to a dish and make white sauce by adding
   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 to Thermomix bowl and cook 7 min/90C/speed 4.
   
   
6. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
   
   
7. Cover a large lasagne dish with a think layer of the bolognese sauce.
   
   
8. Place a layer of
   gluten free lasagne sheets, cover with half the bolognese sauce and a quarter of the white sauce.
   
   
9. Place a second layer of lasagne sheets, the remaining bolognese sauce and the second quarter of white sauce on top.
   
   
10. Place a third layer of lasagne sheets and the remaining white sauce on top. Sprinkle some
    grated cheese (optional) on top and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. If necessary, you can grill the top a bit longer to make it more crispy and golden.
    
    
11. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

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.

oat bliss balls

Makes 20

Poppy bakes...

1. Soak
   8 medjool dates in boiling water for 10 minutes.
   
   
2. In a food processor, blend
   90g rolled oats,
   80g desiccated coconut,
   2 tablespoons cacao powder,
   1 teaspoon ground cinnamon until fine.
   
   
3. Add pitted dates,
   2 tablespoons raw honey,
   1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and blend until combined.
   
   
4. Roll into balls and coat with desiccated coconut.

apple + blueberry crumble

Serves 4-6

Poppy bakes...

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
   
2. In a quiche dish, toss together
   3 smaller apples (or 2.5 larger ones), diced,
   1 cup blueberries and
   0.75 teaspoons ground cinnamon.
   
3. In a Thermomix, make custard by cooking
   egg,
   250g rice milk,
   25g raw honey,
   0.5 teaspoons vanilla extract,
   15g corn flour for 6 minutes (try 5 minutes) / 90ºC / speed 4.
   
4. Pour custard over fruit.
   
5. Without washing out Thermomix bowl, add
   65g gluten-free self-raising flour,
   35g gluten free oats,
   20g activated buckwheat,
   20g coconut sugar and
   50g butter and mix for 5 seconds / speed 5.
   
6. Sprinkle crumble over custard and bake for 30 minutes.

honey chicken

Serves 2

Poppy cooks...

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC.
   
   
2. In a freezer bag combine
   1 tablespoon tomato paste / sauce,
   2 tablespoons coconut amino sauce,
   2 teaspoons raw honey,
   clove garlic, minced and
   400g chicken (you can use drumsticks, thighs, tenderloins) and leave to marinade for 20 minutes.
   
   
3. Place in an ovenproof dish and bake for 35 minutes for drumsticks, 30 minutes for tenderloins. I love to serve this with green veggies and coconut brown rice.

Banana, oat + chocolate pancakes

Serves 2

We love this as an afternoon snack, but if you impartial to a sweet breakfast, then go right ahead!

Poppy cooks...

1. In a small mixing bowl combine
   small banana, mashed,
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract,
   6 tablespoons rice milk,
   1/4 cup gluten-free flour,
   1/4 cup quick cooking oats,
   1 teaspoon baking powder,
   2 teaspoons coconut sugar,
   1/4 teaspoon reishi,
   1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt and
   35g (8 squares) dark chocolate.
   
   
2. In a non-stick pan, melt a little
   coconut oil and spoon a quarter of the mixture to form a pancake. Flip once the first side is cooked.
   
   
3. Once the pancakes are all cooked, top with
   coconut yoghurt and
   fresh fruit.

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.