Cauli-power: meet PomPom Paddock

25th March 2023 | Eativity editors

We could all use a few more vegies in our diet. Sure, you could munch on carrot sticks, but there is a far tastier (and far less boring) way – use a PomPom Paddock vegetable flour mix to bake delicious goodies that also happen to be good for you. Win-win!

PomPom Paddock cauliflower flour mix is the perfect fix for those of us who want to up our daily vegie intake. It’s also ideal for gluten-intolerant folk who still want to enjoy the good things in life, and long-suffering parents of picky eaters. The mix is the ideal cup-for-cup substitute for plain flour that’s packed with magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, protein and fibre. Plus it contains no gluten (and is approved by Coeliac Australia). It’s also free from wheat, dairy, soy, GMOs, artificial preservatives, flavours and colours.

PomPom Paddock

An easier way to veg

PomPom Paddock was created by Sydney-based Lorraine Sarayeldin. She was inspired by her young daughter’s love of cauliflower, which she adorably called “pom poms”. At first Sarayeldin began making cauliflower rice and pizza bases for her daughter, but then realised that there could be an easier way. Rather than spending hours grating endless cauliflowers, why not create a cauliflower flour mix?

“I thought, let’s take from that and add the light-heartedness and the playfulness of the pom pom along with celebrating what comes from the paddock, or the earth, and that’s how I got to the name of PomPom Paddock,” she says.

Working with a food technologist, Sarayeldin spent several years perfecting her formula before launching PomPom Paddock in October 2019.

The product is a combination of dehydrated cauliflower combined with quinoa flour, psyllium husk, brown rice flour, tapioca and sorghum to help it rise.

“We put just the right amount of cauliflower in there so it’s not overpowering,” Sarayeldin says. “We wanted it to act just like a plain flour, but be full of nutrients. Because I could see most gluten-free flours were devoid of any nutrients.

“It’s like a one-stop-shop for gluten-free flour. You don’t need to mix it with anything. All the ratios are in there for you, so it’s a straight cup-for-cup plain flour replacement.”

Lorraine Sarayeldin was inspired to make PomPom Paddock by her daughter
Lorraine Sarayeldin was inspired to make PomPom Paddock by her daughter.

Go sweet or savoury

Because it’s a plain flour replacement, you can use PomPom Paddock to make just about anything – from muffins, doughnuts, biscuits and cakes to pizza bases, tacos, dumplings, fritters, waffles and pancakes. You name it, PomPom Paddock fans have made it. You’ll find some recipes below, and also on the PomPom Paddock website. But basically, you can use the flour mix in any recipe that calls for plain flour.

“You can make anything sweet or savoury because it takes on any flavour profile you add to it,” Sarayeldin says. “For kids, instead of making them a sandwich, you can make up a batch of savoury muffins and put them in their lunchbox. It’s more fun and easier to eat.”

It’s also incredibly nutritious. One 50-gram serve of the flour mix, which works out to about one muffin, delivers 100 percent of your recommended daily magnesium intake, up to 100 percent of your recommended potassium intake and up to 50 percent of your recommended daily intake for calcium and iron. That’s one multi-tasking muffin.

PomPom Paddock

Ham and cheddar cheese muffins

Makes 12

You’ll need:

1 full packet of PomPom Paddock cauliflower flour
3 tsp of baking powder, sifted
½ cup (150g) tomato relish or chutney
2 cups (300g) shredded ham
1 cup baby spinach leaves*, roughly chopped
1½ cups cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1½ cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
A pinch of salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. Lightly grease a muffin tray and line with paper cases.

3. Place the relish, ham, spinach, cheese, oil, milk, eggs, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix until just combined.

4. Add the cauliflower flour and baking powder. Mix until just combined, try not to over mix.

5. Divide the mix between the lined muffin tins.

6. Bake for 35 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.

7. Allow to cool in tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

*You could swap spinach for corn, or add some chives.

PomPom Paddock banana bread

PomPom Paddock banana bread

This banana bread can be served with whipped ricotta and extra maple syrup as a lovely brunch or a perfect lunchbox treat.

Serves 10-12

You’ll need:

1½ cups PomPom Paddock cauliflower flour
1½ cups mashed banana
½ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1½ cups brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 extra banana
Maple syrup for serving

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C.

2. Place mashed banana in a large bowl, add oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla, stir to combine.

3. Add the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and stir to combine.

4. Pour into a 25cm x 10cm lightly greased and lined loaf tin.

5. Slice the extra banana in half and place cut side up on top of the mixture.

6. Bake for 1 hour.

7. Brush the top with maple syrup.

8. Cool in the tin before turning out.

Recipe photography by Margaret Pahos @createcookshare