The meaning of ANZAC DAy

This post has nothing to do with food, gluten free or autism in any way, sorry to my regular readers it has something to do with a national event of remembrance, of commemoration of our army, navy and airforce men and women. It's about ANZAC Day 25th April 1915, Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Every country matter what side of the war your country fought on has a national day of remembrance. I'm writing this post to create awareness of what happened why we still remember and why it's important to me. I had 2 great grandfathers and a great uncle fight in WW1, 1 for Australia, the other for Britain. Australia was a young country we had only just become a federation in 1901, WW1 was the first time the world and Australia saw the country as a nation, not just states! Young men, some as young as 15 changed their age to follow the war propaganda and fight for the mother country, they weren't trained soldiers and had no idea what awaited for them on the other side! The war at Anzac cove was to fight for the Dardnelle Straights, a great shipping source for the Turks and the British and allied forces wanted to gain this for themselves. There was a massive mistake made by British generals in getting the correct coordinates for the Australian and New Zealand Forces to begin their dawn attack. It was only when they landed and were showered by machine gun fire did they realise something was a miss. These young men landed on that beach facing soaring cliffs with the Turks sitting on top of the hill heavily armed. The British generals were unwilling to admit a mistake had been made and the men fought on side by side being fired on, digging trenches, to gain some form of protection. The powers to be kept on ordering these men to go over the top to gain more enemy ground, the odds of returning after going over the top were very low! This campaign continued for many months! This is where the Australian spirit was born, in times of adversity we stand beside our brother, we hold him up, we keep on going, we become each others family. News started to get back home about the horrendous conditions that the ANZAC men were enduring. Australian women began making care packages to send to the soldiers, including a Biscuits made of oats that would last a long time, too still be resonably fresh by the time it reached the shores of Gallipoli. This is where the ANZAZ biscuit was born (in the next week I'll made gf ANZAC using quinoa flakes). These biscuits still remain a very popular biscuit nearly 100 years on. The ANZACS had a game they played, a gambling game called two up. Two men would play for an agreed price another would call and judge, they would toss a coin and call either heads up or tails up, the winner won the money. In Australia after ANZAC services people generally flock to pubs and Returned Servicemens Clubs to have a drink, catch up with mates and play two up. It's the only time of the year the game is permitted. Yet another tradition nearly 100 years old that still continues today! Today is not about glorifying war, it is about remembering the sacrifice that put ancestors gave for the freedom we have today. Australian men and women are still fighting today for our freedom for peace. I would like to acknowledge all the massive sacrifices of life on both sides. If these men would have meant in different circumstances they would probably be sitting down over a beer and a chat. Loss is felt on both sides and we acknowledge those losses too! So if your children are from year 1 about 7 explain to them about ANZAC day, about Galliopoli and the coming of a nation, the international acknowledgment of Australians and why it is important to remember what happened and not let history repeat itself! At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them Lest we forget. Please share with me the date of your countries national day of rememberance and why it is so important. It would be amazing if we could create an international list of days of remberance. Thankyou to all the servicemen men, women and dogs who continue to do an amazing job in all your postings over the world. Enjoy your ANZAC day Xx

GF Lemon and Passionfruit Meringue Pie

Firstly a big shout out to Jennifer from LeDelicieux for hosting this months SABS post, it's become a monthly rituatly and I greatly appreciate the work these girls put in behind the scences! Thankyou. I've meant so many food bloggers from this blog hop I look forward to it every month!

http://www.ledelicieux.com/2012/04/16/lemon-meringue-cupcakes/

Lately I've been addicted to the USA TV show Mad Men, for those of you who don't know it's set in the Advertising world in the early 1960s, it's filled with all 2012 politically and socially inappropriate things. They start drinking at 9am, sexism is rife as are affairs, smoking is a necessity, at work, at dinner, in trains, planes, hospitals, while your pregnant, the works. Of course the majority of married women are house wifes and there is the gossip and bitchiness that goes with that. My lovely friend L has leant me the seasons and I'm currently on the last disc of the 3rd seasons, I don't know what I'll do when it's finished!

Why you may be thinking am I sharing my TV viewing with you, well a recipe I found in my mothers old handwritten cookbook that is older then me (I'm 30!), that was a recipe handed down from my grandma. In a time when people drank and smoke and where all women were housewives and baked and looked pretty! Quite ironic considering the TV series I have become slightly addicted too, I had visions of my grandma quickly whipping this dish up for an unexpected dinner party. The delightful recipe I found was an almost too good to be true Lemon Meringue Pie.
Why you ask? There was no arduous stirring to make up the lemon curd, there wasn't even any requirement to use a saucepan! I was liking this recipe even more, not even for the base! Lemon isn't my favourite dessert and I wanted to wanted to add a little twist apart from it being GF, so I added a passionfruit. It was the best decision that I have ever made! The taste was nothing but divine!
The base called for 180g of plain biscuits crushed (now in the 60s, it would have been in a bag run over with a wooden spoon, sweat dripping from your forehead until the job was done). Thankfully now we have inventions like mix masters, and the gf biscuits I brought came in 2 sealed bags, I placed both bags into the mixer and mixed on medium until the were in fine pieces. I then added the additional bag. Not I used Freelicious GF biscuits which taste great but you will have to buy 2 packets as there size is 125g. The original recipe also calls for 90g of melted butter, but the base crumbled in my pie so I am going to recommend using 100g just to make sure it binds together. You then press the mixture into a pie dish and place in the fridge.

Without further ado here is the recipe:

GF Lemon and Passionfruit Meringue Pie

Ingredients:
180g plain biscuits
100g melted butter
400g can condensed milk
4 lemons
Rind 1 lemon
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
1 large or 2 small passionfruits
4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar (just under)

Method:Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Break biscuits and place in a mix master, mix into a fine pieces. Melt 100g melted butter, add to biscuits, mix together. In a pie dish using a wooden spoon push out the biscuits mixture to all edges so it is equal and there are no bumps. When completed place in the fridge to cool. Combine the condensed milk, juice of 4 lemons, the lemon rind, passionfruit and egg yolks. Place this mixture into the biscuit mixture in the pie dish. Using a hand held or free standing mixer, mix beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, add the sugar slowly (don't use the whole 1/2 cup just under is plenty). Once beaten you can pipe, but I simply used the spoon and went around the edge of the pie first with heaped tablespoons of meringue and then added to the centre of the pie.

Enjoy
xx

If you make this dish I would love to hear how what you think of it or do you have a recipe handed down from your grandma in a handwritten cookbook, theres something so precious about it. If you would like to chat to me on Twitter my name is @MMOAGFL, I'd love to hear from you.

Link with Kitchen Capers

I am pleased to announce to my readers that I will be doing a monthly guest post for the amazing blog Kitchen Capers! The first post is an introduction to myself, my experiences and my philosophy as a coeliac. Here is the link where you can find this post: http://mykitchencapers.com/thriving-as-celiac/ . Just a side note there is a slight variation in spelling of Coeliac between Australia and America but it is the same disease. Don't forget the Peoples Choice Awards are still open for voting until the 9th May 2012, just click on the vote for me badge on the right side of the blog if you would like to vote for my blog! All votes are greatly appreciated! I'm also running a competition on twitter to reach 1500 followers. To get points to enter, you can follow me on twitter, follow my blog (please Direct Message me on twitter to let me know) or re tweet about the competition! There are three pieces of custom made and designed jewelry. See if you can win these prizes! Don't forget you can follow us on Facebook under Mishaps and Mayhem of a Gluten Free Life, please like our page! I love to hear from my readers so please comment on here or on twitter or email me on mmoagflife@gmail.com Keep a close eye on this page for a delicious lemon based #SABH entry dessert! Take care Xx

Peoples Choice Awards

I'm very excited to announce that the Peoples Choice Awards for The Best Australian Blog Competition are now opened! It's an overwhelming feeling to have your blog entered into such a prestigious award.

The judges have voted and now it's your turn! Have your say, this is your chance to shout out for the blogs you love (hopefully mine, I can make you laugh, cry, give you information on the disease and help you cook!, what more can you ask for)! If my blog has helped you or a family member in any way, if you have used one of my recipes, if you can relate to some of my stories, please take a few moments and vote! I would be so grateful to my lovely readers who voted for me, you will make my day! Just click on the badge to vote, the badge underneath or to the side of the page. Voting closes on the 9th May 2012 at 5pm, the badge to vote will be at the side of my blog until voting stops. Unfortunately it is only open to Australian residents, I'm very sorry for my international readers!

I have a consolation for you, I'm currently running two competitions on Twitter. The 1st is to get to 500 followers, the 500th and a random follower win a custom designed and made piece of jewelry. The 2nd competition is related to the 1st and the person who re tweets the competition details the most wins a pair of custom designed and made earrings! I'm up to 445 followers, nearly there. Also you can chat to me on Twitter, I love tweeting to my readers! Any questions just email me the address is on the top of the page!

Guest post for Madam Bipolar on PTSD

I am very excited to announce that I have participated in a guest for Madam Bipolar, my post is on PTSD which I have written about briefly on here in the past. Here is the link to her post, please forward on to anyone you know who is suffering from PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I hope that by me sharing my story, I will help someone else who is suffering from the same condition. Please remember you can email me and share your story or ask questions privately on mmoagflife@gmail.com. I'm also on Twitter under @MMOAGFL, I'm running a competition to get to 500 followers with three pieces of jewelry the winning prices.

Here is the link for the post http://www.madambipolar.com/

Eating at functions as a Coeliac and with allergies

Going to functions, party's baby showers etc, as a coeliac isn't always as fun as it is to many other people. Of course it's lovely to be there sharing whatever the special occassion is with your friends or family. But....

When it comes to the food, if your lucky you might just get some plain chips, a few lollies too! I always bring my good old faithful Brownies and generally something else too. I've actually been to parties where I forget to bring a dinner option, not realising it was finger food and eating fruit, cheese and GF  Birthday cake I cooked! I had a toasted sandwhich when we came home, I needed to eat something more.

If I'm feeling this as an adult, I thought how hard must it be for the kids with coeliac disease or allergies. Knowing that there is all this yummy food coming around and you have to poliety say no every time you get offered something delicious. I generally tell people why so they don't think I'm being rude, and people nod with half understanding looks. Sometimes you even get the clever duck who likes to tell you everything about your disease, most of its wrong. Even if you are in the worst pms mood, you have to refrain and nod you head and walk away.

But honestly what do you say to your child who can't eat all the fun food at parties. Do you have to do what I do know, but on a larger scale and bring a plate of gf or whatever their allergy is free food so they too can splerge and have a bit of fun.

It's not the hosts fault, nor responsibility to provide food for you when you have allergies or a disease. I offer and ensure people have food due to personal experience.

But parents what do you do when your child gets the invite for a party? a Maccas party? Do you take a plate of food but with more goodies, do you fill them up before or do you decline the invite?

Adults, what is your strategy do you take a plate of food like me, or do you fill up before??

I can't wait to hear everyone's tips and what they do! It's hard enough as an adult, never lone a child!