GF Chocolate Fudge Brownies

I thought this recipe was the perfect last minute Valentines Day Treat for your loved one, its quick easy and only takes about 25 minutes from preparation to eating. This is something you can grab the list of ingredients that you need on your way home from work and quickly make these, even after dinner. Serve with either a lovely cup of nice tea, some ice cream or your favourite liqueur, whatever tickles your fancy. A big Happy Valentines Day to you all, even just treat yourself, no Bridget Jones moment though, be strong and a proud single person!

After flicking  through my cakes and desserts sections I couldn't believe that I hadn't included one of my all time favourite GF recipes. It was also one of the first things that I began to cook after I received my diagnosis.

Unfortunately I cannot claim the fame and say these are of my creation, as much as I may like to, but these delicious brownies were found on www.taste.com.au, I couldn't get the direct link, but just look under GF chocolate Fudge brownies and they are the first recipe. The best thing about these brownies is they are so quick and easy to cook, it is literally sift the dry ingredients, make a well add some butter and eggs and mix together and within less then 20 minutes you have delicious, warm melt in your mouth brownies.

Those who are coeliacs know that going to functions is rather disappointing as there is maybe one or two if you are lucky types of food you can eat. I soon learnt to bring my own cake etc, wherever we went. These brownies were the easiest and quickest to cook and everyone loved them. I have to make sure I set a few pieces aside for myself before they are all gone. The cake is moist and filled with delicious chocolate goodness.

After I had surgery last year, my husband took over the cooking role. These brownies were the first cake etc that he had ever cooked. I still remember him coming into me in the bedroom asking if this package was the correct ingredients. I was so proud of him, when our guests arrived to wish me well and my hubby could serve up his own homemade brownies. He was as pleased as punch.

Now it has become almost like a fight to see who gets to cook the brownies. It's always nice to receive compliments about your cooking and not many people believe me at first, when I tell them my hubsand cooked them!

After nearly two years of sharing these delicious delights to myself, I will share with my readers these wonderful brownies. I guarantee everyone will gobble them up, telling you just how nice they are, with their mouths stuffed full of brownies. You will feel very satisfied at your achievements. Even if you aren't an accomplished baker, put that packet mix down and give this a try, you won't look back again!

Gluten Free Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Ingredients
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup plain gf flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten (just use a fork)
150g butter, melted

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit. Grease a slab tin and line with baking paper. Sift flours, baking powder and cocoa into a large bowl. Add sugar and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre. Add eggs (whisk first) and melted butter to flour mixture. Using a metal spoon, mix until just smooth. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 mins, or until the skewer comes out with crumbs clinging to it. Remove from oven, allow to cool in pan. Remove from pan and cut into squares. These are delicious with a nice cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate. You can also eat them with ice cream and chocolate topping! (not recommend all the time!), or as I said for a special occassion with your favourite liqueor or glass of wine.

Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter @MMOAGFL or on Facebook under Mishaps and Mayhem of a Gluten Free Life. I recently wrote a guest post for Lifestyle Elements http://lifestyleelements.com.au/?p=1910 where I share my story of being a Coeliac.

Remember food bloggers this months #SABH theme is Love at First Bite, entries open on the 20th February and close on the 27th February. This month it is hosted by Nic writer of the blog Dining with a Stud,click on the link to enter http://www.diningwithastud.com/

I hope you enjoy these delicious brownies as much as I do, as have many of my friends and family!

My story from misdiagnose to the correct GF diagnosis

This week I'm very excited to announce that my first guest post was published on Life Style Elements http://lifestyleelements.com.au/?p=1910, the post shared my story of living as a coeliac. I thought I'd include this link for my non twitter followers.

I've been debating this week about which post to publish, I've decided on giving a brief overview and support organisations that can help with the various conditions I have or have been told I had in the past.

I'll start from the beginning, my first diagnosis by my old GP was IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome, there are lots of symptoms of this disease which are very simialar to Coeliac disease. The main symptoms are Abdominal pain, fullness, gas, bloating, constipation and dirreahoea that have been present for 3 days for the past 3 months. Very similar to coeliac disese! Easy to see why a doctor who is not up to date on coeliac disease, or doesn't ask the correct question you can be misdiagnosed. Here is the link to the website I received the information on IBS http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001292/.

The second condition I have and have suffered from for many years is endometrosis, a condition that my mother also suffered from. This condition is a women's disease and is based around our monthly cycle, causing severe and debilitating pain each month, heavy periods, bloating, gas, changes in bowel movements and much more. Unless you are seeing a Gynecologist who is well versed on the condition you are often passed off as having 'women's problems', here is the website where I got alot of information from http://www.endometriosis.org.au/about-endometriosis/symptoms. The scary thing with this condition is it can lead to low fertility which I also suffer from, a great doctor, who focuses on the condition and has experience in IVF, is the dr you want to see, here is the link to my dr http://www.gdreid.com.au/.

My other big symptom was anemia, which can also be a symptom of endometrosis. I suffered quite severely with anemia, when I finally got a blood test my levels where 4, and my bone storage and normal iron. Iron helps red blood cells transfer oxygen to the brain and body, thus making the sufferer very tired. I would have to lie down at work, I was unable to function, pale, dizzy and generally found it hard to concentrate! Here is a great website for more information about anemia http://www.hepcaustralia.com.au/symptoms-news/what-is-anemia-reporting-symptoms-and-finding-a-cause. I ended up having a session of iron injections, which helped but was referred to my gyno to answer why my iron was so low. Thankfully my great dr could see these
levels weren't from heavy periods and gave me a referral for a gastrologist! With a family
history of bowel cancer an endoscopy and colonscopy. A biopsy sample taken from my small bowel which resulted in a diagnosis of coeliac disease! The only way to control this disease is following a strict gluten free diet!

Coeliac disease is a heredity disease, as you must have 1-2 genes to have the disease. An early diagnosis is essential to causing as minimal damage as possible! If you notice any of the symptoms, please see your doctor and ask about tests. There is a blood teat, but the only conclusive way to diagnose the disease is by a biopsy from a colonscopy. I would highly recommend seeing a nutriontist, as coeliac disease can warrant you in Australia to a health care plan and a number of visits with a nutrionist at a reduced rate! I find cooking GF easy by each week, I've developed more confidence and have successfully modified a number of
recipes. My whole family cook GF for me and I know the questions to ask when eating out! It's not always guaranteed by works more than not! I find going to friends and families events hard at times, and always make sure I bring a GF dish or fill up on GF food before hand! I highly recommend that you visit the neatest GF expo coming to your state this year, they are free and filled with an abudance of information and food, I was blown away by the contact I made and information I found! For more information on this disease read this website http://www.coeliac.org.au/ and if your an Australian resident join this great association.

I hope that me sharing my personal story has given you the courage to contact your doctor about any of the symptoms. I know talking about these things can be embarrassing at tines, it is so important and can be life saving. I'd love to hear your story or thoughts about my personal post!

GF Museli Biscuits

Firstly I have to say how excited I am to reach 5000 readers since starting this blog. It totally blows my mind! When I first started writing, I honestly thought it would be read by a small number of people, I remember calling my husband and mum each time someone from a new country read my blog! It's also nice to chat to your friends or people you told of the blog and they know what you wrote about!

From starting out in my kitchen, telling my story to the world, I have expanded my blog and plan on this year making it bigger and better than last year. Since then I have particiapted and loved doing it in #SABH Blog Hops, I've joined Twitter, made some wonderful friends, who I can't believe how honestly caring and helpful they are! My posts have been featured in other blogs, I was successful in writing an article as life as a coeliac that will feature in an online website, I have reviewed an e book and had my first ever competition. I thought about changing to a different hoster, but I'm going to revamp, maybe with some help, make my blog more user friendly and encourage people to not just read but follow or get an email link of my blog.

I want my readers to share in my excitment and the next post I will be announcing a competition!

But this post is the recipe, of some delicious museli biscuits that I spoke about in the previous post, how to pack a healthy lunch box. I want people to know that this is a really easy recipe, it is healthy, wholesome and tasty. I know it is easy to buy pre packaged food for your children or yourself but taking a few minutes of your time to make these delicious healthy biscuits, put them in your childrens lunchbox, take them to work, have as a snack, with a nice cup of tea. They are simply delicious!

I honestly think we need to get past the packet mix, love affair we have at the moment, along with frozen, pre packaged biscuits and foods. Have you looked at all the numbers on these products? Often they are chemicals, toxic things that we are putting into our bodies. I know what it's like to be busy, working and trying to run a household (I'm not a mum, but I know plenty). I challenge you to make these biscuits or my healthy banana muffins, they are a staple in my household, I know I can have them as a treat and I know exactly what is in them, and there is no processed pre pacakged food. You can honestly taste the difference!

I can't claim all the glory for this recipe, I was flicking through the pages of Woolworths Fresh, February addidtion and I found a recipe for Museli Biscuits, it called for gluten museli and wholemeal flour. I replaced the Museli with GF museli, a Basco brand of museli, instead of wholemeal flour I used Flaxmeal. You could really taste the difference. The only sweetener in these biscuits is honey, a natural source and 1tsp of vanilla, no added sugar, all natural flavour enhancers.

I was pleasantly surprised at how nice they tasted! You could no only taste how wholesome the biscuits were, but they were tasty and healthy! Even better, I had to stop myself from eating too many. I'm certain they wouldn't have been so healthy if I ate so many. I managed to control myself, I can guarantee kids would love these. I used the museli that was in my cupboard. If you are making them from yourself or your children and they have other allergies, ensure the museli meets your individual needs.

Healthy Museli Bisuits

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of Museli
1/2 cup Flaxmeal or (brown rice flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celicus. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Combine museli, baking powder, flaxmeal or brown rice flour into a bowl. Whisk vegetable oil, honey, vanilla and egg together in a bowl or jug until well combined. Pour into the museli mixture and stir until well combined. Drop spoonfuls onto baking trays. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Note: Set the oven timer on, they cook so quickly and you don't want them to burn. You could cook these before breakfast and have them ready to put into lunchboxes by the time everyone is ready for school and work!

Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter @MMOAGFL, I'd love to hear from you, you can also follow us on Facebook under Mishaps And Mayhem Of A Gluten Free Life.

The wonderful #SABH is running the February competition starting from the 20th February to 27th February 2012! The theme this month is Love at First Bite! My mind boggles with all the things I can make. If you are a food blogger come along and join us!