Saturday night, we're all lazy, not in the mood to cook, i've only just acquired my appetite back after gastro all week...

totally uninspired and after a visit to EB decide on chicken satay wraps for dinner. sounds easy peasy.

head to our local shops (the shops where around 2 years ago one woman stabbed another woman to death in front of the chicken shop. did it in front of their young children and about 60 other witnesses, yet has been out on bail since. i don't go there after dark anymore...) and start filling a basket. well, after i dodge way too many rude and ignorant people to get in.

not sure what we have at home so in goes 3 tomatoes, 3 bananas (not for dinner, just because when G shopped last week i didn't write 'fruit' on the shopping list so he didn't buy a single piece), 1 avocado, 1 bag of mixed lettuce (because this was an easy dinner, remember?). pretty sure we have cucumbers at home. buy chicken breast - lucky to get the free range for the same price as the regular stuff marked down - $9.20 for 600g. find both regular and gluten free wraps (the regular wraps are even preservative free, yay!! the GF wraps are $5 for 4 though)

ryan won't eat chicken so also buy some lamb steaks - $9+ for 300g, but still half the price of the lamb fillets. grab some sour cream, then head off to find some satay sauce or marinade.

half an hour and help from an employee later, I cannot find a single jar of satay anything, OR anythin similar, that is gluten free. not a jar, not a bottle, not a packet, nothing.

by this point i am seriously feeling like having a big tanty and throwing my basket to the floor and storming home to sulk!!

anyway, i pull up my big girl panties and join the huge queue to pay, noting on the way the extortionate prices of the fruit ($5 for a mango, in mango season? even with the floods i know for a fact taht prices have not gone up yet, straight from another F&V supplier). get to the counter and pay and nearly die - $40 freaking dollars for ONE bag full of groceries, for one meal!!!!!!!!!!!

get home 35 minutes later, still having to prep and cook everything and yell at G that if i'd only stayed home and called our fave pizza and pasta place it would have cost the same and been ready sooner, and been a lot less freaking stressful !!!!!!!!!!!!! aaagh!!!!!!!!!!!!

and then, to top it off, all ryan would eat was the tomato and lettuce, and that was only after a good 15 minutes of whinging. i suppose i shoudl be grateful that the girls didn't complain, even if neither of them ate anything but meat, cheese and sour cream (and rora may have had a bite or two of her bloody expensive wrap...)

i am SO over cooking for my family. *sigh*

EDITED TO ADD that i cannot even believe that i didn't include why it's so bloody hard to find things to cook - not only the whole gluten free thing, but ryan is developing many "food avoidances" (typical ASD thing), rora is also becoming fussier with what she will eat. add into that the things that G will not eat and me trying to avoid dairy and it's nearly freaking impossible to feed everyone one meal. i'm totally over mince and sausages. in fact i'm over chicken too (which is really only meat g likes but r hates). i'm over spag bol, over tacos. we cna't even eat risotto anymore as rora & emelia won't eat pumpkin and r is going off rice. aaaghhh

I'm sure most of you would have heard about the recent Queensland floods. They were absolutely devestating and I spent most of that week glued to the online news and youtube footage, unable to believe the destruction not only to property but lives. There were so many heartbreaking stories that came out of it.

Anyway, inspired by other people who sew, i am in the process of making 2 girls' shirts to auction off with all proceeds donated to the Flood Appeal. I'd love it if you could check out the page I've created for it on facebook and consider bidding for one or both :) If you don't have your own facebook account please feel free to email me here and provide your details for your bid/s.

Find them here

thank you and you can now return to your usual programming!

you could easily do this in the thermomix (though TBH it took me less time to make than cleaning my dirty tmx would have lol would be creamier and smoother though...)

1 tin cannelini or other white bean, drained and rinse and placed in a bowl
1 tab olive oil
salt to taste
good sprinkle ras el hanout to taste (or any other spice blend)
1 heaped tspn tahini
1 garlic clove crushed or 1 tspn crushed garlic

mash well with a fork, mixing as you go. this makes a really thick dip / paste (use it on sandwiches etc) - if you wanted it 'dippier' add some water and mash to mix.

i had mine with seaweed rice crackers.

to thermomix put it all in the bowl, mix on speed 6 for 10 seconds, scrape down and repeat. (you might want to chop the garlic first)

This morning I made gluten free crumpets for breakfast. unfortunately they weren't really that much like crumpets but they were delicious! they also took a lot longer than i expected (i missed the bit where they sat for an hour and only saw the bits where they sat for 10 mins and 30 mins lol) but worth it - i'll knw to start earlier next time ;)

i used this recipe which was very easy to make in the thermomix...

5-10g dried yeast
10g caster sugar
120g warm milk
100g warm water
225g gluten free plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (125ml) water, extra
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda


1. Combine the yeast, sugar, milk and water in a thermomix bowl. Mix for 1 min reverse 37' for 1 minute, then leave for 10 minutes, or until foaming.

2. Add flour and salt and mix on reverse speed 3 until mixed - you may need to scrape down sides and mix again. Cover and leave for 1 hour or until mixture doubles in size.

3. Combine the extra water and bicarbonate of soda in a jug. mix dough at speed 3 and pour bicarb mix onto the lid with measuring cup in place. Cover and leave for 30 minutes to rest.

4. grease large frying pan and place on medium heat. grease egg rings and place in pan. half fill egg rings in pan and cook for 5 minutes or until bubbles rise to the surface and base is golden and top is set. Turn and cook for 1 minute or until lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack.

Aldi have been updating all their gluten free information and labelling. the great news is that there are more products actually labelled gluten free and that by making their labelling clearer they are making people who need to eat gluten free safer :)

the bad news is that MANY of the products we used to buy there are no longer gluten free, but carry a "may contain traces..." warning :(

my last list contains many products we no longer buy, such as:

• plain rice crackers
• fresh rice noodles
• baked beans ( you need to buy the cheaper brand as the other brand contains gluten)
  
• curry pastes
• lollies
• plain chips and corn chips
• aldi version of twisties

things like the rice crackers are a huge disappointment - they are a staple for rora and now i HAVE to go to another supermarket to get them! i hate shopping! lol

they still do have their gluten free range occasionally (i cannot understand the logic of actaully developing packaging etc but not having it as a permanent line) but not all the time.

there are some items that are now labelled Gluten Free such as the hot dogs. i can't remember what else! lol

some items no longer seem to be available readily such as the marshmallows or mini meringues, and I've just been told that the organic corn chips and salsa are no longer available. i'm really sad about the corn chips as they were on eof the few flavoured chips available GF without buying some special (expensive) brand :(

so while i am pleased they are looking after us it does make life more difficult at the same time!