Gluten Free Chocolate Date Cake

I've decided to go gluten free for health reasons so there will be lots and lots of tasty gluten free recipes hitting my blog.  I know I've said in the past that I am intolerant of intolerances, which makes me a big hypocrite, but I seem to feel better when I don't eat wheat.  So as much as I can... I'm aiming to avoid it.  Which means...... I will be attempting to get a bit creative in my kitchen and will share the results as I go. 

Here is my first recipe that I created.  Delicious Chocolate Date Cake.  

I use a thermomix but if you don't have one you can easily convert.  

Step 1.  Grind 250 grams of raw almonds for 4 seconds on speed 5 (I like them chunky).  If no TM then use almond meal.  Set aside.

Step 2.  Grind 100 grams of dark chocolate for 6 seconds on speed 8 or grate.  Set aside.

Step 3.  Place 300 grams of pitted dates into TM and blitz for 10 seconds on speed 9.  Add 425mL of water and cook for 10 minutes on 100degrees speed 2.  If no TM then finely chop pitted dates and boil on stove for 10 minutes.  Leave to cool for half an hour or until the TM is saying the mixture is less than 50degrees.  

Step 4.  Add 20 grams of cacao, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, chocolate mixture, ground almonds, 6 eggs and 100 grams of brown sugar.  Mix for 30 seconds on speed 4 or until combined.  

Place cake in a greased/lined tin in a moderate oven (pre-heated) and cook until cake is firm to touch.  I think mine took about 45mins to 1 hour.  

It turned out perfect!!  I used a bit of chocolate icing (just to make it a bit more naughty!!!) but I think next time I will use chocolate ganache.  The cooked dates make the cake really moist and light.  

Enjoy!!!

B xx

Mt Barney Lodge

Mt Barney Lodge has to be my favourite place to camp near Brisbane.  It is right up the road from another campsite that I have previously written about (Flanagan Reserve) but apart from sharing geographical proximity, these two campsites are polar opposites. 

Mt Barney Lodge is extremely picturesque.  From the impeccibly manicured lawns to the beautiful native trees and gardens this camp ground is visually stunning in every way.  Our caravan had an amazing view of Mt Barney (pictured to the left) 

One of the best things about Mt Barney Lodge is the programs they have for the kids.  During the holidays they run kids adventures.  Proper adventures.  Kids night walks, bush kids, lantern making, rock climbing and guided walks - to name a few. 

Last year I approached the owners to see if they would run some mid-week activities for my homeschooling friends. They were more than happy to oblige and put together an awesome program.  The kids loved their time there so much that we decided to return there this year and have plans to return again!!  

I wasn't sure that Innes and Tracey (the owners) would be able to top last years camp but amazingly they did - and then some!!! 

As it was my son Rohans' birthday while we were camping, I approached Innes about him running a 'man vs wild' themed party for my son.   We are not talking about serviettes and lolly bags with Bear Grylls face printed on them - I wanted a full on adventure that the kids would really enjoy.  

At the party, the kids were given 'ration packs' (boxes filled with party treats) and sent on their merry way with Innes and his two assistants.  Their first call of duty was to hunt for worms - a 5 year old boys' favourite activity!!!!  They then set off to find some sticks they could use as fishing rods.  After sanding their fishing rods with sand-paper fig and attaching some line and their worms, the kids all sat around the creek talking, eating lollies and fishing.  It was the perfect party for Rohan.  The kids all thoroughly enjoyed themselves and I didn't feel like I wanted to gauge out my own eyes after it was all over (as is normal for me after a kids party).  The kids did not bring home any dinner.... but there were plenty of nibbles from fish and the kids did not seem to mind too much that they didn't catch anything. 

Innes and the kids attaching the worm to the rod.

Fishing in the creek.

The kids pondering life while fishing.  













One of the best things about camping with other home-schoolers is watching the beautiful connections your children make with other home-schooled children.  Of course I was camping with some of my bestest friends, but there were also lots of other new families that we met and the kids all bonded very quickly. 

 At the bottom of the camp grounds at Mt Barney is a stunning creek.  I have included a picture of Kylah swinging from the 'tarzan' rope into the water.  Even though the nights are getting to be a bit chilly this time of year (April), the day's are beautiful and warm and perfect for swimming, hiking and adventuring.  

It really is excellent value for money. Clean amenities and beautiful surrounds - make sure you put this on the top of your list of campsites to visit!!!!

Nobel Acres

 Well we've moved.  It was a completely stressful few months but I can't really complain too much as I feel Ben and I have been VERY fortunate with our new place.

Actually I really do want to complain.  Even though I understand how truly fortunate and blessed our family is..... moving sucks!!!  SUCKS BIG TIME!!  I hated it.  I am so glad that Ben and I have everything in this property that we've ever dreamed of because I am never moving again.  Never - not - ever.  They will have to haul my dead arse out of here on a stretcher when I'm 92 because I never want to move again.  Not even to a nursing home.

When I imagined looking for a house to buy I fantasised about how exciting it would be and how much fun I would have.  As per most things, fantasy is much better than reality.  The reality was that it was tiring, stressful and I didn't sleep for two months. 

 We finally found Nobel Acres after only a  few weeks of looking (I named it that - will have to explain the name later in this post).  It had been newly renovated and the previous owners had done everything I would have wanted to do if I had the opportunity to renovate a property.  Spa bath in the 2nd bathroom, pool, fire place, ensuite with a massive shower and a shower head the size of the moon, stone bench tops.... the list goes on.  The house itself is a lot smaller than our old house so we have had to downsize our stuff considerably.  But it really feels great to chuck stuff out!!

It is a 5 acre block, which is about a half cleared, in a suburb only 25 minutes from Brisbane cbd and 10 minutes to the water.  We have big plans for our property but it all seems to be happening very slowly now that we have moved in.

I called it Nobel Acres in honor of Alfred Nobel, the brilliant chemist, inventor, innovator and engineer.  After his death, his will stated that his vast wealth was to establish the Nobel prizes.  He did this because he wanted to be remembered for something good.  And he is.  Everyone knows about the Nobel prizes.  Did you also know that Alfred Nobel was the inventor of dynamite?  Now you can see why he did not want this to be his legacy.  He did not invent dynamite or gelignite with the intention of causing harm to people.  It was meant to be a safer way for mining etc... but turns out people were equally interested in using it as a weapon as they were for mining. 

I have a huge respect for scientists and really hope that my children grow up with an understanding and passion for truth, knowledge and reason.  I'm hoping that at least 1 out of the 4 of my little angels grows up to be a scientist... actually, I hope that at least 1 wins a Nobel Prize.. or at the very least becomes a Nobel laureate. 

 So kids, no pressure.  Mummy's expectations aren't high at all.  But you all know what I'm expecting of you!!!!  You should thank your lucky starts Mummy didn't call it 'Oscar Acres' or 'Aria Acres'.  I was a heartbeat away from naming the property 'Evolutio Acres'.... but I thought it was a bit of a mouthful to say.  Evolutio is latin for Evolution... which means changing or unfolding.

 As our property is named Nobel Acres it stands to reason that our school is called 'Nobel College'.  Hehehehehe.... what chance do my kids have to do anything but pursue a Nobel Prize?!?  The school room is perfect.  The fact that the house has a room who's purpose seems to be specifically designed to be a school room is perfect.  I have put some pictures in below of how we have it set up.  I love nothing better than to sit down and listen to my children read or teach them.  It relaxes me and I find it more enjoyable to do than almost anything else. 

One of the benefits of Nobel Acres is that it seems to be in a bit of a black hole for mobile reception and television reception.  In a moment of weakness I buckled under pressure from Ben and surrendered my subscription to Foxtel.  It was really hard to leave them.  Not just emotionally......  physically too.  They kept ringing and pestering me and offering me the world to stay as one of their customers.  But I was strong and stood Ben's ground.  Then, when we moved in, I discovered that not only had I given up Foxtel - we were unable to get ANY TV reception.  Completely unheard of!!  I made a mental note to buy some kind of booster for our antenna but before I got around to doing it I discovered that I really liked not having television.  I am so much more productive when I don't spend two hours a day parked on my arse watching 'Teen Mom' or ..... dare I say it.... 'Jersey Shore'.

 As you can see from the pic to my left (well it's currently to my left - who knows where it will end up once I publish this post) we have purchased a new puppy.  I had some money set aside to put new security screens on the house and in a moment of panic decided that a German Shepard would be much better security than some flimsy screens.  So I bought a dog - as an impulse buy. 
I was really stressed at the time because Ben had been away a lot and I felt very isolated and disconnected from the world.  So I thought having Lana, our German Shepherd, around might help me feel more safe and secure when Ben is away.  She is the best impulse buy I have ever made!!!  Soooo cute and cuddly and extremely smart.  We have been training her and she learns so quickly. 

At our old house, I was so comfortable with the neighbours that if ever I needed a spider killed in the middle of the night, or a cup of sugar, or didn't feel like cooking.... I would just sing out over the fence or text and ask Liz what she was cooking (to decide if I felt like eating it).  Yes.  We were THAT comfortable with each other.  My children used to run between the two houses like we owned both of them!!  I had keys to their house and could let myself in and help myself to milk if ever I ran out and never really bothered to get a herb garden going because Liz and Rachie had an awesome one that I used to raid on a daily basis.  The neighbours on the other side of me had two little girls who got on famously with my girls and the kids used to play with each other a lot.  So living in a house with no close neighbours is a bit sad for me.  I'm a people person.  I think I'm suited to living in a tribe or village.  The other day, during a power outage, I couldn't find any matches and almost had a break down thinking about the fact that I could not just yell over the fence to borrow some from someone.  I now have a massive supply of matches (and crap loads of long life milk, and a herb garden etc) so I don't have to fall apart whenever I realise that I am missing some important ingredient or item.  Luckily we didn't move too far away from our old place so our neigbours can visit frequently (and vice versa).

 Anyway, I had better sign off now.  I'm completely exhausted and it's late. 

I'm hoping that since I don't have tv I might make the time to write some more of my blog... who knows!?!

B xx

Horn Island Communal email - My hot night on Horn

Last night, after a very uneventful week, Jacqui and I had decided to have a video night - which also promised to be uneventful.  We hired "Mr Hollunds Opus" and got take-away pizza's from the Wongai Pub. 

Unfortunately, after the movie had finished, Jacqui and I became in extremely silly moods.  We sat outside arguing over books of all things (I know we're so wild!!).  The debate was over Jacqui's reluctance to read anything even slightly literary, and instead read the same four books over and over.  I swear she's read them so many times, she can actually recite them.
Jacqui's aversion to 'all of my books' was getting under my skin.  She told me in no uncertain terms that 'she would rather have a pap smear, a mamogram and a root canal whilst having hot pokers shoved in her eyes, than read one of my books'. 
 Desperate to prove her wrong I begged her to read just one chapter of 'Memoirs of a Geisha', to prove to her that she would like them if she just gave it a chance.  I then promised her that if she read just one chapter, I would eat a whole plate of her hot food.  At this, Jacqui's eyes lit up in an evil way.
 Now for those of you who are unfamiliar with the differences between Jacqui and I (of which there are many), the number one difference is food.  This causes a lot of problems in our otherwise serene household.
I'm a meat and veges girl, anything bland and its great.  Jacqui's a hot girl.  She puts tabasco sauce on everything.  I swear to god I once saw her put some in a bowl of fruit salad and ice-cream that I gave her. 
Jacqui decided that the comic value, of watching me eat a plate full of hot food, would far outweigh the boring duty of having to read a chapter of 'Memoirs of a Geisha'.  Determined to do it Jacqui delightedly skipped into the kitchen to make me Indian rice with 1/2 a bottle of cayenne pepper and 3/4 of a bottle of tabasco sauce.  My protests, "but its 12o'clock at night!", "I'm not hungry!", "I'm on a diet!",  fell on deaf ears.  Jacqui was determined that she was going to cook the rice, and even more determined that I was going to eat it.

As Jacqui maliciously stirred the indian rice, I comforted myself by remembering that this was all for the benefit of my friend.  I could give her a whole new world filled with Geisha's, Saudi Arabian princesses and abused children called David Peltzer (a very good book called 'A child called it').  I was determined to eat the goddam rice no-matter what the cost.   After just having watched "Mr Hollund's Opus"  I think I was feeling like I had to touch her life - change it even.  The teacher in me was brimming with ideas and if eating hot rice was what  it took to make her discover the  world of the Illiad, then by George I was going to do  it. 

 I decided that the best way to tackle a bowl full of hot Indian rice was to skull it, preferably without it touching the insides of my mouth.  As she presented me with the bowl of delicious smelling rice I silently chuckled thinking 'how bad can this be?'.  I started shovelling in spoonfulls of rice with enormous gusto.
 'Not too bad!' I thought.  Two seconds after that thought, the burning started.  I was gulping down the rice, whilst running around the house frantically.  After I had finished 3/4 of the bowl I uncerimoniously smashed it on the floor and made a dash for the fridge. 

Jaqui meanwhile, was on the floor, after having fallen off her chair because she was laughing so much.  Reilly (the dog) was chasing me around barking.    As Jacqui and I don't  drink milk, the only dairy product I could find in our fridge was a 500g tub of low-fat yoghurt, which I'd bought for the diet I went on that never started.  Unfortunately the yoghurt was two weeks past it's used by date.  Nonetheless I started shovelling in the yoghurt faster than I shovelled in the rice.  I didn't stop untill I'd eaten about 400g of curdled yoghurt.

As you can guess, the next thing to happen was the regurgitation.  Fortunately, I had managed to stumble outside for that part.  Hot food going down is bad enough, but coming back up is even worse.  Especially when its mixed with off yoghurt.  Jacqui was still laughing (cruel, cruel woman) and telling me to cheer up because at least I didn't ruin my diet.  Thankfully I managed to clean myself up, have a shower, go to bed - all without killing her. 

She has promised to read a chapter of 'Memoirs of a Geisha' when we go to the beach today.  I somehow don't think my end of the deal will be as comical, with the exception of a crocodile biting her on the arse whilst she reads it (heres to hoping!).

Things on the island are going well.  4 weeks and 6 days until I return to the mainland!!!  I can't wait to see everyone.   

Miss you all!
Love Bianca

Horn Island Communal Email - mental health day

Date:  August 2002

Hi!!
Yesterday I had a mental health day (otherwise known as a sickie) and I'm feeling brilliant.  Jacqui** (who also had a mental health day) and I went to our little private beach and stayed their all day drinking Pina Colada's and soaking in the sun. 

The beach we go to is completely private and is absolutely amazing.  On one side of the beach there are all these rocks that go out about 20 meters.  If you carefully walk along them you find yourself in the middle of the ocean (slight exaggeration).  I stand on them and look at all the tiny dotted islands around me and sing at the top of my lungs while practicing my hula.  It is very Karmatic. 
 I had to be careful not to get any visible parts of my body burnt as it would not go down too well if I came to school after having a sickie with a sunburnt face.  So consequently I am sitting here with third degree burns to my stomach, back and nipples wishing to god that I could have another mental health day today.  Serves me right I guess.  What goes around comes around.

 Love  Bianca

**Not real name.  Jacqui's name has been made up to protect the identity of the person I was with!!

Blogging before there were blogs

Tonight I realised with absolute amazement that I have always been a blogger!  Even BEFORE blogs were around. 

Of course, in my day we called them diaries.... and then when the internet came along I called them 'communal emails'.  But they were basically the same thing as a blog.

A diary was a book which you used to write your thoughts, ideas and daily musings.  Most of the time people regarded their diary as a sacred book that no one was allowed to read.  But I, having suffered the humiliation of Grandma and Kristy reading MY diary full of embarrassing scribblings when I was 12, began to write my diaries in a manner that would be semi appropriate for others to read.  After finishing the book 'The Diary of Anne Frank', I began to like the idea that one day, my dusty musings could be so riveting to someone else (I have no idea how I likened my life in anyway whatsoever to Anne Franks - but the connection was made) that I further moderated my diary entries so that they would be suitable for future generations of humans to ponder over.  This meant that I spent less time making up signatures for myself if I was to marry this one, that one or that one.... and more time spent in a in-depth discussion with myself (and future generations) on why I liked that person.  I might only do the Bianca Erickson loves Paul Dawson percentage test once... instead of 60 times. 

I really don't hold my cards close to my chest at all.  In fact, it is quite normal for me to fling my cards around the room so that every Tom, Dick and Harry know my business.  I don't have anything to hide.  I have a vague memory of telling my 24 year old male boss at Franklins (when I was 19), that he would have to let me off registers a lot that day to go to the loo because I had a UTI.  I then launched into a description of what a UTI was and how I got it in the first place.  I am almost positive - beyond doubt, that he wished I had held that information a bit closer to my chest, or called in sick - I'm not sure which one.

I really like the idea that one day my kids, or maybe even my grand-kids, are going to read this blog and feel like they know me just that little bit more than they would have.  Who knows.... maybe even my great-great-great-great grand-kids will read this.   I want them to know me as I am today, and all the stories that have made me the person that I am today.

 It is for this reason, that I decided to put some of my old diary entries and communal emails on to my blog.  It is to save my grandchildren the hassle of having to work out my yahoo password so that they can sift through the thousands of emails to find the interesting communal ones.... and to save the hassle of who to leave my 29 half started diaries to in my will. 

No I'm not going to put EVERYTHING on here.  Just some stuff I think my..... what is the opposite of ancestors......  hang on I'm going to goole it... descendants (I really should have known that!!) would like to read. 

I also thought that some of you... who are a part of these stories... might get a kick out of reading them from my perspective.  I'm going to start with a few communal emails because all I have to do is copy and paste them from my yahoo account, once I work out the password, and the transcribing of the written diaries will probably never happen because we all know how good I am at sticking to something!!! 

B xx

My Epiphany - suitable for women to read only!!!

After a good 4 weeks of doing absolutely no exercise at all (not my fault - I blame the flu and Diddy being in hospital).... I bravely decided to go to the gym on Monday night for a body pump class.  I chose body pump as it really doesn't involve a lot of aerobic activity, and you can get away with being lazy by adjusting the weights you use.  I was a bit flu-ey, had 'women's problems' and was extremely tired so I wanted something nice and gentle to ease me back into exercising. 

Walking in to the room where classes are held, with a fake smile on my face, I instantly realised in horror that I hadn't read the timetable properly and I wasn't going to body pump.... but body combat!!!!!  There is a huge difference.  Body combat requires a lot more energy and there is more jumping around and kicking and pretending to punch things.  Rather than lazily standing in one spot, holding a bar with a few tiny weights on it.... I was going to have to do stuff!!!!!

As I had already said hello to people, and was met with a chorus of 'long time no see!', 'where have you been?' etc, etc...  I found myself too embarrased to leave.  Just  a few weeks ago I wouldn't consider body combat enough of a work out.  I would usually do two classes back to back so it felt wrong to declare to everyone that this class was beyond my capabilities and leave.

I begrudgingly set myself up the back of the room and cursed myself for being so stupid to not have realised. 

About 20 seconds into the first song I was into it.  My flu symptoms began to disappear, my stomach cramps subsided and the sugar induced cloud of depression that had been swarming around me began to lift.  I felt soooo good and sooo happy during the class that I decided to go for a little jog on the tredmill after class.  My head felt clear and there were endorphins being released left, right and centre.

For the first time in my life it really hit home just how important exercise is!!  I spent my highschool years handing forged notes to my poor PE teacher every lesson citing I could not participate due to 'women's problems'.  I distinctly remember staring at my PE teacher thinking he was an absolute lunatic as he would explain to me that exercise is supposed to ease period pains....  as far as I was concerned, until he grew a uterus his opinion was moot.  I would then launch into a lengthy description of why exercise made my period pain worse, and go into so much detail that the PE teacher would turn red and leave me alone.  I now feel awful.  He was right all along. 

I had also been told that exercise helped improve your mood.  I found this idea completely crazy as the thought of exercising MADE me depressed.  I'm not big on conspiracy theories, but I did think that all the people citing all these unbelievable advantages to exercise were delusional.    I had even heard some compare exercising to the big 'O'.  Whilst I'm afraid to admit I'm not quite there yet, I can definitely see some similarities in feelings at the completion of a workout to the completion of.... ahem... a different type of workout. 

Body combat was amazing.  The hour absolutely flew by and I punched and kicked the air like nobodies business.  There is something about being in a room full of sweaty women shouting 'kill, kill, kill' as you all pretend that you are warriors fighting off air people that is so therapeutic.  Every time my instructor would yell 'go, go, go' I would up the intensity instinctively.... like I had no control over my body (to be quite honest there really isn't much control anyway.... I did a lot of arm flapping and flailing as opposed to punching and kicking).  I really wish I could hire an instructor to follow me around my house yelling 'go, go, go' while I do the washing, floors, tidying etc.....

So there you have it.  I am a convert.  I now believe exercise to be essential to mental health and a cure for period pain... along with a lot of other benefits.  33 years of wrongly thinking the whole point of exercise was to morph into a stick insect was corrected in 1 enlightening hour of body combat.  Thank goodness I read the time table incorrectly!!!!!

B xx