Giving Thanks and Lowfat Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

*there's some potty humor in this entry, so don't say I didn't warn ya!

One of the best things about my husband is that he never ceases to give thanks. Every Friday evening, after arriving home from the grocery store, we empty out our overflowing bags of produce onto the kitchen table and the hubby notes how fortunate we are. "We eat so healthy!" he says, " We're so blessed to be able to eat this way!". Then, after restocking the refrigerator with a good amount of yummy food, he stands back and examines it; holding the refrigerator door open he says "We are so lucky!". I can't deny that we are blessed, that's for sure. I am certainly blessed to be married to someone whose positive attitude keeps me going on a bad day.

Speaking of bad days, just last year I had to have my gallbladder removed. Even though the procedure itself wasn't that invasive, being severely sick before the gallbladder disease diagnosis was not fun. First off, on my own, I couldn't afford to have the surgery. I'd just graduated from college, got my first full-time job, but had to resign. I had too many doctor appointments lined-up and I wasn't getting more than 2 hours of sleep per night due to the pain. It took the doctors about 6 months to diagnose me because I didn't have the 'textbook' symptoms. I was taking acid-reducing proton pump inhibitors for 4 months, but I didn't have acid reflux even though the doctors thought I did. On top of that, I lost a lot of weight, which isn't good when you only weigh 107 pounds. So, I was actually relieved to discover that my gallbladder's ejection fraction rate was 17% when it should've been at least 80%; I was ready to say goodbye to Mr. Gallbladder, the green gooey monster. There wasn't nearly enough bile pumping into my intestines to help digest my food - that's what was causing the annoying gut pain!

Now I'm happy to be gallbladder-free...well, for the most part. Yes, I am definitely grateful that I didn't develop stones - that would've been even more dangerous. Yes, I am extremely happy that I can eat again. But there is a reason why we have a gallbladder, and I know that now more than ever before! The gallbladder holds all the bile that the liver produces; since I don't have a gallbladder, I have a constant trickle of bile flowing directly into my intestines (sometimes it feels more like a river). Also, the more fat one eats, the more bile the liver produces. And guess what else? Bile acts as a laxative! It is a strong acid-based digestive juice that'll get you going more than a bottle of prune juice will, especially if you eat the wrong foods; watch out for those abdominal cramps, too. It's not rare to experience funky digestive issues after having gallbladder surgery, it just isn't fun (Postcholecystecomy Syndrome is the technical name for it). Thankfully, I am taking a wonderful soluble fiber that acts as a bile sponge, it's a great alternative to Questran (a medication meant to lower cholesterol and minimize the amount of bile produced by the liver).



But living without a gallbladder still requires a few more dietary modifications. Some folks develop lactose intolerance after having their gallbladders removed, I recently discovered that I am one of them. I can handle small quantities of dairy products here and there, but, to avoid the tummy discomfort, I try to cook with soy/rice based products instead. I am also sensitive to certain fats and oils, which is why I never use hydrogenated oils. To be completely honest, sometimes I eat something I know will make me sick but I eat it anyway because it's just soooo delicious that denying myself that kind of yumminess would be considered a small crime! (That and I am incredibly stubborn.) Other times, I actually exhibit self-control and eat something considered 'safe', but I still end up taking the nonstop trip on the porcelain bus* the next day (*I stole that term from Anthony Bourdain, so don't credit me for it ;). This is why the gastro gave me the IBS label the last time I was in his office; irritable bowel syndrome - my gut is like an unruly spoiled brat that has relentless tantrums even though he knows Santa's watching.

Ok...so I'm sure you're wondering why this post is about being grateful. It sounds like I'm complaining, right? Well, no. I am super grateful, but I am also honest. I don't like pretending that everything is perfect and that the crazy blogger behind Flour Arrangements just spends her time cooking, blogging, and baking tasty treats all day. Like you, I have my bad days. Even though mine usually revolve around a toilet, we all deal with crap everyday; PUN INTENDED. So what am I grateful for? Well, aside from the loving husband and countless other things, I am eternally grateful for comfy toilet paper and the ability to get up and go to work in the morning. You know how I had to resign from that first full-time job when I was sick? Well, now I have an even better one. It's more fun and better paying - who could ask for anything more?!

Yummy vegetables and fruits wouldn't exist without stinky fertilizer, sometimes we have to get covered in crap in order to blossom into a more deliciously ripe version of ourselves. Lovely analogy, eh? I know my plight isn't nearly as bad as that of others, but, sometimes, when my stomach is in knots due to the missing organ, I just give thanks to God that I'm not missing anything else. Emotionally and physically speaking, I feel full; I'm pretty sure that's something worth being grateful for.

P.S. I should also note that I became even more obsessed with food after having my gallbladder removed. Going so long not being able to eat much taught me how to appreciate food even more than I did before...and that's what gave rise to the birth of Flour Arrangements and recipes like this lowfat lemon poppy seed muffin! It's still tasty and sweet, but it doesn't have nearly as much fat as traditional muffins do, making it a 'tummy-friendly' food. Instead of using a stick o' butter, I enhance the flavor of these muffins with aromatic spices.

Chocolate Bliss

Congratulations! You've made it through the middle of the week! Celebrate! Bake yourself a chocolatey treat, you deserve it!

Funny, but Wednesday is my favorite day of the week. Why? Because I can look back at Monday and Tuesday and say to myself, "Hey, I've made it this far. I can do two more days. No problem! Just hand over the goods, the sweet treats, and I'm ready to go!". I'm not as grateful for Thursday, though; it doesn't give me the same sense of accomplishment. It's right smack dab in the middle of Wednesday and Friday.

Thursday is like the day before Thanksgiving, the kitchen smells like heaven but I'm stuck in foodie purgatory - where tasting is done with the nose and eyes, but never with the mouth. Know what I mean?! TORTURE!

So let's celebrate Wednesday with these chocolatey desserts! Guess what? I've even included a 'light' recipe in this tiny collection of rich desserts! The Mondo Chocolate Muffins are quite huge; they're packed with chocolatey goodness...and applesauce, not butter! But, if you're having one of those days where Wednesday feels more like Thursday, then you'll definitely need some powerful ammo to get you through the rest of the week. The Chocolate Fudge or a French Silk Pie should do the trick!



(Ok...so the French Silk Pie isn't that traditional; I converted the chocolate filling into a curd-like substance because I wanted to expose the eggs to some heat. I feel so uncomfortable serving folks raw eggs! EEK. I used the fudge recipe for a work-project; I basically followed it to the T - just divided it in half and threw in a few extra spices. As for the muffins, they're a Flour Arrangements original recipe .)

Hearty Breakfast Pumpkin Muffins

I've been pretty busy lately, which is why I didn't post this weekend! Between traveling for Mother's Day, mailing off gifts, and baking various treats, I haven't had much time to blog. So before I begin this next entry, I'd like to thank Camilla from Enlightened Baking and Lina from My Life is Yummy for the blogger awards they gave Flour Arrangements -- thank you both for your kindness :) (I've posted the awards on the "About" page :). I look forward to passing these along to other bloggers some time in the near future!

Speaking of showing thanks, just yesterday we took the time to show our mothers and mother-figures how much we appreciate them. I don't know about you, but I tend to run out of ideas when it comes to thinking of the perfect homemade and one-of-a-kind Mother's Day gift (I prefer to make gifts for special days like these). It usually takes me awhile to come up with an original and thoughtful gift that somewhat captures my love and respect for the receiver of that gift. Most of the time, I make cards, but this year I thought I'd do something a little different...why not make up a recipe? Well, sadly, I wasn't able to do this for everyone, I still need quite a bit more baking experience, but I was able to do it for my mom. I created a Hearty Breakfast Pumpkin Muffin recipe in her name, making sure to use ingredients that she'd like. For instance, my mom is not a fan of bleached flour, so I used multigrain flour :). Thankfully, she really liked the muffins!

I've decided that I plan on giving baked goods away as gifts more often. I know I'm obviously not the first to realize that it's a great idea -- just think of how the stereotypically dreaded holiday fruitcake came about ;). But...I do think it's a great way to show someone you care, especially if you use their favorite ingredients :D. Plus, you don't have to worry about it becoming another white elephant gift :P!

I bet you're thinking the muffins are topped with crushed nuts of some sort! Nope! Jose recently introduced me to steel cut oats, they're much healthier than the quick rolled oats we normally eat for breakfast. Why? Rolled oats are more processed than steel cut oats, they undergo a change that makes them easier to cook. If you're allergic to nuts, steel cut oats are a great baking alternative. Topping these breakfast muffins with steel cut oats gave them a crunchy texture that's similar to that of crushed nuts. Try them out, they even have better flavor than rolled oats! You can read more about them here. You'll find the recipe for the oversized muffins below, they're huge but tasty :)!

Valentine strawberry cupkins

If you note the title of this entry, it appears I might've made a mistake when entering the name of these little desserts. The truth is, they are, in fact cupkins-something between a cupcake and muffin (I wasn't sure whether to call them mufkins or cupkins :). They have a cakey texture, but they don't have all that sweet, rich frosting on top. Instead, I dressed them up with a few sprinkles. After the first bite, I realized I wasn't even missing the frosting because the strawberries add just enough texture and light sweetness to satisfy a sweet craving without getting a sugar rush afterward. If you want a low-fat dessert, these are the perfect treat. Their light and fruity taste also makes them a satisfying after-breakfast snack. Here's the recipe:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chopped strawberries
3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1/8 cup soy milk (any other milk is fine)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8-1/4 tsp orange zest

Bake at 350 for 22-25 minutes. I don't remember the exact amount this recipe yields, but I think it was about 10-12 cupkins. It wasn't until after my husband and I inhaled the last few that I realized I didn't count how many there were to begin with :)! Hopefully you'll want to gobble them up just as fast.

thanksgiving muffins

I've been baking more than usual these days, probably because the evenings have been a lot cooler, in a wonderful sort of way...sometimes it's even cold, so I use baking as an excuse to warm my house without turning on the heater. I made these 'thanksgiving muffins' the other night and they came out super moist, I'm pretty sure it was the apple sauce that did it. Like I mentioned earlier, I don't really like using apple sauce when I bake cookies, because they come out too soft and fluffy, very un-cookie like, but I'm discovering it's a great ingredient in cake and muffin batter. I have had a problem with it once, when I made sweet potato bread awhile ago and added too much-the bread came out kind of soggy, not so pleasant and yummy...thankfully, I used just the right amount with these muffins :). Hope you all like them!

Thanksgiving Muffins
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tbsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 TBSP molasses

These took awhile to bake, about 25-28 minutes in a 350 degree oven, but they're worth the wait and they're definitely aromatic in an autumny kind of way :).

P.S.
If you're wondering what that stuff is on top, it's brown sugar...I always seem to find myself sprinkling powdered or brown sugar on my desserts, as if they're not sweet enough as it is ;).

blueberry oatmeal muffins

I really love baking with blueberries, but it seems whenever I get a blueberry muffin at just any bakery, they tend to taste a little artificial and overly sweet. There is a bakery here in Austin that has some of the best blueberry muffins I've ever had, though, it's called Russell's Bakery (their tag-line is "the best kept secret in Austin" and I think it's very appropriate). Russell's also has a few other great desserts, so if you're ever in the area, you'll definitely want to check this bakery out.

Anyhow, yesterday Jose was in the mood for some "munchies", but he didn't find anything appealing wandering through the grocery store aisles. I told him I'd make him some blueberry muffins, and he was happy with how they came out. He described them as light and mildly sweet; he also mentioned how he loved the way the blueberries popped in his mouth--I agree with his description. We purchased a store-brand bag of blueberries because Jose actually prefers these over the organic ones! Maybe it's because they're from Texas, so they're bigger and juicier than the other ones we've purchased before. If you're from Texas, then you're familiar with the HEB brand. As a former resident of California, I can easily claim that HEB is much better than most of the major grocery stores in CA, except for Trader Joe's :). The prices are very reasonable--that might just be because the store is located in Texas, and this state tends to be a lot cheaper than Cali... Anyway, I'll stop with the advertisements and post the blueberry oatmeal muffin recipe. Try this out, they are really delicious muffins...and I only used 2 1/2 TBSP Canola oil, so they're fairly healthy and low-fat...but you'd never know!

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins:
2 Cups flour
3/4 Cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup nonfat milk
2 TBSP sour cream
2 eggs
3/4 TBSP honey
1/2 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup blueberries

This recipe makes about 10 standard-sized blueberry muffins--they'll bake in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes, a little more or less depending on your oven/location.