The Easiest Gluten free Apple Crisp

Bonjour! I'm Sophia from the blog someplaceinthemidst.blogspot.com. You can come check it out if you really like awesome stuff. Anyhow, today I'm going to share a super easy recipe that my friend and I designed.

My friend is gluten free, and she and her family were staying at my house for a week, so we thought we needed to figure out a dessert recipe, because dessert is obviously the most important part of any friendship. Conveniently, my friend brought a package of gf (gluten free) mix so we threw stuff together and made the most. delicious. apple. crisp. everrrrrrrrr. So here you go: the best and easiest recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Box of Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Chocolate Cookie Mix

Ingredients to make the cookies according to recipe (butter, eggs, vanilla)

(Note: Any gluten free cookie recipe will work)

5  cups (700g) of sliced and peeled apples

1/2 cup  (100g) Brown Sugar

1 tsp (2.5g) of Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).

2. Grease 13in x 9in pan with butter or preferred greaser

3. Toss sugar and cinnamon with the apples.

4. Make cookie dough according to recipe directions.

5. Place apple mixture in the bottom of pan, sprinkle cookie dough on top.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

7. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream!

AB's guide to surviving a European Summer

AB's Guide to Surviving a European Summer

 

As most of you know, I've recently arrived home from my Europe trip! It was incredible. I learnt so much about travel, culture, food, and about myself... it was just such an amazing experience. My sister and I visited London, Prague, Venice, Rome and Paris! We spent a week in each city and there aren't words for how wonderful it was. I wasn't able to blog as much as I would have liked (due to internet and iPad issues) but I did have a great time. :)

Here are a few tips, based on my adventures, about how to experience your European adventure to the MAX!

#1. When in Italy eat GELATO at least 3 times a day! -When you're in the bigger cities, like Rome and Venice, gelato is never very far away. It's delicious, it's inexpensive, and it will cool you down on a hot summer's day. There's really no down-side (as long as you're willing to accept a bit of a holiday belly). There are also heaps of lactose free options (luckily for me).

#2. Buy yourself some suitable SANDALS - They may not be extremely fashionable, but if you can sacrifice a little pride, it will change your whole experience. You'll most probably be doing a lot of walking, and Europe in the summer can get HOT! When we were in Prague the lowest it got was 32 degrees C (and that was at 2am in the morning!). So a pair of good quality, open walking shoes will save you and make your trip so much more comfortable.

#3. Make the most of every moment - Don't rush! Try to enjoy every little thing, (even the getting lost and the language barriers). Take your time and savor every meal, every building, every experience. Don't spend your time rushing around trying to fit in as many tourist attractions as possible, because they'll just become a blur. Quality over Quantity (IMHO)

#4. Use AirBnB - This is a traveling tip for anywhere in the world, not just exclusively Europe. AirBnB is a website where people rent out their rooms/apartments/houses, for travelers. Kia and I used it for almost all of our trip, and there were some great apartments. Alot of the apartments were equally as expensive as hotels (but often cheaper), but have the added benefit of a kitchen, bathroom, living room etc. We would pay just as much as you would pay for a single room and a shared bathroom in a Hostel, but we got a whole apartment. I'm definitely a BIG fan of AirBnB!!

#5. Explore - It's a good idea to reserve some "unorganized time", where you can just explore. You don't need every moment planned down to a T. Eat adventurously too, even if you have a food intolerance. I'm lactose and gluten intolerant, but I found that there were plenty of options if you keep and open mind and are willing to try new things. 

Be adventurous, wander, discover! Be safe, but be bold.


I hope you got something out of this and that these tips are helpful to you in your future travels.
Until next time...

AB :)

London

EUROPE - Part 4

I arrived in London, tired but very happy. Reunited, finally, with my sister. We got a coffee from Cafe Neros, and Skyped the family. 

On my first day we went on the London Eye. But nobody told me that the thing doesn't stop for people to get on. It just keeps going slowly around, and they usher as many people as they can into the bubble as it goes past. It's very exciting, and the view is well worth the kirfuffle. 

The next day was Kia's birthday, and after a breakfast of pancakes and granola we headed out to meet Kia's friend Olga for a boat ride down the Thames. For dinner we eat at Sarastros, which was a funky, gypsy-like resteraunt. 

We went to Bar Salsa on Friday, which was fantastic, there was a free dancing class, Mexican food, great music and so many deliciously creative cocktails. All in all, a great night!

I loved London, it was full of exotic food, interesting people, and more methods of public transport than I have ever experienced before! Next up is Prague...

You can find my video for London on my google plus page. :)

Departure

EUROPE - Part 3

Sunday came around sooner than I expected and I was buzzing with energy. I had a 1.00am train to catch and I didn't sleep a wink (unsurprisingly). When I arrived at the train station, I was greeted by some of my wonderful friends who got up early just to say goodbye. It made me feel incredibly special and the event that much more exciting.
As soon as I sat down, however, I pulled out my headphones to listen to some music and they literally fell apart in my hands.Two minutes into my journey and my headphones had broken. I wasn't off to a particularly fantastic start, but I wasn't discouraged.

I didn't sleep at all on the train, but who can sleep on public transport, really?
I can never find a comfortable position and always end up contorting myself into some strange
position. I'm sure I looked like one of those crazy, twisty drinking straws. Any rest I got, left me stiff and tired when I awake. So seriously, if you have any suggestions I'm more than happy to hear them. :)

When I finally got to Sydney Central, it was 7.00am, I hadn't slept in 24 hours and I needed a coffee!! So the first cafe I came across, I ran into (suitcase and all) to get my morning fix. It was honestly the WORST coffee I have EVER had. The milk was burnt, the coffee was bitter, and as a result it pretty much tasted like soap. I couldn't get through more than two mouthfuls before I had to throw it out!

At the airport customs There was so much self service, I almost felt I should be paid for all the work I was doing. I checked in my own bags, scanned my own passport- everything is automated these days! I personally, much prefer people. You can't ask a machine which way the bathroom is, or how to get to Terminal 3.

Once I got on the plane, I was amazed at the size of the thing. There's something slightly thrilling about the the idea of hundreds and hundreds of people crowding themselves into a big, metal vehicle about to launch itself into the clouds. The thrill wore off quickly however, as I realised I had to stay in this vehicle for more than 24 hours.

I, once again, attempted to sleep, but by the time I got to Dubai I hadn't slept for 42 hours!! We stepped off the plane into 40 degree C heat, (at midnight mind you) my head pounded with a headache and I was feeling nauseous. Luckily the kind, older lady I'd made friends with, who sat next to me on the plane, offered to mind my bags, so I could use the bathroom. The toilets were weight sensitive, which was pretty high tech, no flush required. It was like something out of a Star Wars movie. I half expected Han Solo and Chewbacca to burst through the doors demanding my galactic credits!

I was able to sleep, however, from Dubai to London for 4 wonderful hours! Which made me just awake enough to be a human being for Kia (my sister) at Heathrow airport. Upon arrival there were many tears, on my part mostly due to lack of sleep. But I made it, safe and sound to the UK.

As many of you know, I was hoping to upload my vlog to my new YouTube channel. But unfortunately that hasn't really worked, due to several technical difficulties...so I've uploaded it to my google plus page, which is linked on the side bar on the right. Enjoy :)

YouTube Chanel

EUROPE - Part 2

So there's not long to go until I leave for the big trip! I am too excited for words. This is just a little update in my pre-trip life. I've spent my week packing and re-packing. Because I'm moving to Canberra as soon as I get back, I've also had to pack up my room. You don't realize how much junk you own until you have to pack it all up into boxes. I think I've thrown out at least half of my possessions.

I just wanted to let you all know that I've set up my YouTube channel, so that I can keep you in on all the action throughout my adventures, I'll be uploading videos in every city. If you want to stay updated, be sure to subscribe to the channel, so you are notified when I upload a new, exciting video.

Click here to check it out :)

In other news, my family and I went to see the Watoto Children's Choir tonight. I was so incredibly inspired by their stories and their song. It made me feel slightly guilty about indulging myself in a big, expensive trip. Watoto is such a fantastic organization and I'm sure I'll be investing in them in the future.

I can't wait to be reunited with my darling sister... It's been 7 LONG months since I've seen her (face to face, skype doesn't count). That's the longest we've ever been apart. She's one of my favorite people in the whole world and I know I'm gonna have the best time with her on our Europe trip.

I'll be updating you guys throughout my journey, I started Part 1 at the '6 weeks to go' mark, and here I am with Part 2, less than a week to go. I can't promise to update you weekly, because I'll be trying to experience as much as I can. But I'll check in as much as I can. 

Until next time,

AB :)

6 weeks to Go!

 EUROPE - Part 1

Okay, first off I'd like to apologize for not posting in so long! I've been caught up with work. If you count babysitting, I'm supporting four jobs at the moment, which is really great for my Europe fund but not so great for my blogging.

I have 6 weeks to go until I leave for my Europe Trip, 5 weeks 5 days to be more exact, but it's not like I'm counting or anything ;)

THE PLAN

I'll be leaving my home town early morning, on the Country-Link train to Sydney, a skip in my step a smile on my face (aka I'll be half asleep and grumpy). I'll arrive at Sydney Central Train-Station around breakfast time, my flight from Sydney airport lin the afternoon so I'll have plenty of time up my sleeve and will be spending the day with my beautiful friend Naomi :) 
The timing will be a bit weird, even though it's a 24 hour flight I'll arrive at Heathrow airport early the next morning. Unfortunately I loose that time on the way back. I'm sure I'll be exhausted from the long flight but non-the-less I plan on having a very loud and very emotional reunion with Kia at the airport. 
Kia has lots of crazy plans for London, some of which are the London Eye and Salsa dancing.. 

A week later, we leave for Prague where we'll stay in Kia's friends Chata (Pronounced Hata) for two days. Then we'll spend the remaining 4 days in a beautiful apartment in Prague that we found through AirBnB. (A seriously great website/app that I'll talk about in more detail in a later post)

After Prague we fly to Venice, a beautiful city in Italy. We leave  in the evening but the flight isn't direct, we'll be going through Brussels in Belgium before arriving in Venice Marco Polo Airport (not even joking, that's it's real name) late at night. We won't be staying in Venice itself, but in a little town called Treviso, Veneto about half an hour away from Venice on the mainland. Once we get through customs at the airport we'll take two different trains to Treviso, which will take approximately an hour and 15 minutes. Which means we will arrive at our destination after midnight. (Oh the joys of travel) We'll be spending 6 days in Treviso.

Then it's off to Rome, where we'll be staying in a Convent. Apparently none of the nuns speak English, but the receptionist does, so we'll see how that goes, I'm sure it will bequite an experience.We'll be in Rome for 5 days. We were originally going to stay for 6 days, but that would mean we have to leave on a Sunday, which is CRAZY expensive. So we're cutting Rome by one day and giving that day to Paris. And let's face it, an extra day in Paris is no tragedy.

We then leave for Paris, where we'll stay in a super cute flat which we also found on AirBnB. I'm honestly the most excited about Paris, I'm just sad it's gonna be our last city. We head back to London at Midday on the Eurostar (an underground train). I have 3 days in London to rest after what I'm sure will be an exhilarating but exhausting journey. 

We then eave from London Heathrow Airport. The flight is 24hrs , I stopover in Dubai but unfortunately not long enough to leave the airport. If all goes well I should arrive at Sydney Airport early in the morning, ready for another day with Naomi before an evening train ride from Sydney Central Station back to good ole Cootamundra!

So that's the plan, in a nutshell. There's every possibility it will change between now and then but that's the general gist of it :) I'm excited to announce that I will be doing a video diary 
throughout the trip to share the whole experience with you guys! So this post is Part 1 in my Europe mini-series.

More to come ... 

My Visa Application Interview Adventure

So yesterday I went to Canberra for my Visa Application Interview for my upcoming Europe trip :)

The day started early, I woke up at 6:30am to the sound of my beeping (and very, very loud) alarm clock and then proceeded to go back to sleep for another 15 minutes. (Yes I know, I'm such a rebel!)
Dad and I left at 7:30.

My appointment was for 1pm and we got to Canberra at 9:15, which meant I had some time to kill while dad went to his business meetings. I made my way to Belconnen (Westfield) Mall and found a fantastic little coffee shop called 'Raw Sugar'. I was greeted at the counter by a very happy barista, who made me a DELICIOUS Mocha and some yummy toasted banana bread (My two favourite cafe snacks). I spent the next hour and a half looking at hostels in Venice, Rome and Paris. Even though it took me ages to find hostels within our tiny, tiny budget I had a lot of fun.

When dad was done at his meeing we went to the City Centre, where we spend a few hours in the apple store at the mall. I bought myself a lifeproof phone case, the guy at JB HiFi gave me a great deal and took $30 off the price! So instead of paying $95 I only had to pay $65, which is actually super cheap for something that's waterproof and shatterproof (the perfect iphone case for a clumsy person like me who has already shattered her phone multiple times).

Before I knew it, it was time for the Visa interview. I made my way nervously to the building after scoffing down 6 McDonald's chicken nuggets as I went. I sat in the waiting room looking over my documents to make sure I had everything before a security guard came and took me to a womans office. And to my surprise her first words to me were: "You know you don't need a visa for this kind of trip," I sat there shocked for a few seconds. She went on to explain that only people with a criminal record get a visa for a holiday. And seeing as I don't have one of those, I don't need a visa.

After my very short interview I walked down the street to a convenience store, where I purchased a bus ticket. Now that makes it sound like I knew where I was going but in actual fact I had to ask three perfect strangers how to get to the store. I'm not great with navigation. I hopped on the bus to Belconnen with a bunch of other people, including a philipino lady and her child that proceeded to scream the entire way!!! I wasn't sure which stop to get off, so with my excellent problem solving skills I got google maps out on my phone so that I could see when I was there. But I didn't really trust myself to get off at the right place so I asked the guy behind me if he knew which stop I should get off. It turned out that he was geting off at Westfield Mall too, so that was lucky. He then proceeded to tell me all about how he and all his rich friends (his words not mine) drove around in expensive cars, he told me why he was taking the bus and how he'd lost his license for driving stoned and how he loved travel and  how when I go to Paris I need to "keep it in my pants, the parties are wild."

Moral of the story... do your research and make sure you actually NEED a Visa before you spend $288 and take a whole day off work. Haha

In the end I actually had a fantastic day hanging out with dad, drinking coffee, learning about the Canberra bus system and meeting interesting people. And it turns out my money can be refunded too, so it wasn't really a waste of a day.