Wheat Pumpkin Apple Muffin

Oh October, Oh Fall.

Where I live, October is not red, it’s not cold, and certainly there is no sight of carved pumpkins or paper ghouls, though we have never been short on real ghosts, or fall festivals celebrated. No farmers market to be seen, or people cheering about how gorgeous the apples are this year. Nevertheless I miss fall everyday. I love the romance, I love the brown and red and golden hue it paints. 

Being a Virgo, I love the flowers of springs and the life it brings but it’s too cheerful for my taste. Summer, I think it is my least favorite season. I don’t like to go out much and basking in the sun, the fashion is ridiculous and overpriced for a small amount of thin clothing. I am also not fond of hot weather. It simply makes it harder and tiring for me and my lovely pastries when we need to work together in the kitchen. So by all means, fall IS my favorite season not only for its glorious wisdom and richness but also because it prepares me for winter and all its calmness, humility, and occasional grim which is the next best thing that I love.

Ever since I was a child, I have always been captivated by Halloween. Up until now, whenever October comes around, I have that giddy childish feeling and my daughter also shares the same excitement. Too bad that her school doesn’t celebrate it and she feels quite annoyed by it. Usually, like the years before, we celebrate it with close friends and families. This year though, everyone is so busy and we can’t make time to even meet up. That agitates Amiko even more. So to make up for it, since she is a very forgiving child, I decided to make even more variety of Halloween snacks and dishes and she’ll get to decorate them.

One of those Halloween snacks are these Wheat Pumpkin Apple Muffin.

Since pumpkin is abundant for the whole year in Indonesia and it is of course associated dearly with Halloween, I have made these yummy, old fashioned pumpkin muffins that will remind you of autumn’s glory. Cinnamon and clove, our grandmothers’ favorite spices, blended flawlessly in the batter with apple bits in these muffins that’ll transport you back in time. I have to tell you that these are unbelievably moist. I did not use any butter for health reasons and the best part is, they can be frozen and still retain their flavor and moistness. Topped with pumpkin seeds, these lovely muffins can also be a good nutritious breakfast on the run anytime you need it. That is the beauty of living in Indonesia, great fruits and vegetables all year round doesn’t matter the month. Yay!

So place your order now!

6pcs Rp65.000

Buy 12pcs for Rp110.000,-

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Flax & Oat Choco Bar-Gluten Free

The weekend is here!

“Baby, a friend of mine is coming over with his boys on Sunday. He’s the architect I told you about and I need him to have a look at our house. The thing is, his wife is out of town for work. So I hope it’s okay for you that I invited him here for a quick brunch. I wonder whether you can make some snacks. You know, those without gluten something. You know, without flour. But make them…yummy, I don’t want the boys to be disappointed and turn to annoy Whiskey  or dip their hands inside Amiko’s aquariums.”

Yes Baby, I know what gluten is.

And Baby, have I ever made something disappointing for our guests?

Cocky me :p

You must forgive my husband, he loves gluten. 

He loves his morning coffee with warm croissants, his pasta piled up high, his curry with stacks of naan, and his quattro fromaggi pizza. He believes gluten shapes the world. His world and lots of other fathers’ world who used to be frat boys.

But in my humblest opinion, come to think of it, gluten actually shapes the world and leaves fewer, if not much, options for people who are allergic to it. In my grand mama’s days, my mama’s, and my younger days, though I strongly feel and do look young right now but I would not bore you with my age issue, the number of people who were gluten intolerant, had celiac disease, or other conditions that required them to undergo a gluten-free diet were not as much as the number we have for the last 10 years. If you happen to notice, the business of healthy food is booming also in the last 10 years, at least here in Indonesia. It’s a wonderful thing though, it means that people have more awareness about their health and their beloved ones’ also it provides more variety of choices to have gluten-free foods.

It is an annoying fact that most people think gluten free foods are not delectable. More annoyingly that it is actually right. So I, and lots of other mothers, believe how important it is to have gluten-free foods especially snacks that will appeal to children and not make them feel obligated to eat those due to their conditions.

I believe food is love. My husband even said that I tricked him into marrying me because I made him endlessly crave for my peanut bar. 

Nope, It’s love. He just hates to say it out loud:D

Anyhow, I want those children to love what they eat. So the snacks should be yummy, not bland, and fulfill their diet requirements. Seeing children who are deprived from foods that their friends could eat could be really heartbreaking. So I want to make them happy in the simplest way, by giving them foods that when they eat it, they would have a BIG smile, almost watery eyes, and say.. EEEENNAKK! Trust me, I know lots of children like those personally.

I can even call this a bar of happiness.

It’s so yummy, high in fiber, and totally gluten free. I mix brown flax seed for a punch of grainy goodness with the oat and some Skippy to balance the taste of the chocolate. So, what will you possibly get if you melt chocolate and peanut butter? Heaven.

Order it now to enjoy this 'I cannot believe it's gluten-free' heavenly bar. Let the people around you who think gluten-free foods are not appetizing try these and I can guarantee you, it's gonna be a great 'I told you moment. 

Share these with your friends and be their boring day's savior. Hand these to your lovely children and you'll feel better about yourself for giving them healthy food and in returns, you'll have their smile. Precious.

30x10cm

Rp80.000,-

*Keep refrigerated.

PS: If you're wondering who or what Whiskey is in the beginning of my post, Whiskey is a superbly beautiful Husky dog owned by a very lovable old man who lives across us:)

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Seriously Healthy Brownies

Brownies.

What comes to your mind when you hear that word?

Love, chocolate, heaven, bliss, divine, comfort, true friend, the list could go on forever and I bet the word ‘sin’ will come up in that list. Yes, buttery, chocolatey brownies with oozing marshmallow is a true food for the heart. A tolerable sin.

Brownies have become the staple of women’s comfort food and you don’t need to have a broken heart or a problem to enjoy its blissful taste. You just give it to yourself as a simple reward for a day well spent.

But what if you happen to be watching your weight or you want to have a better health by consuming healthier food and still want to eat brownies? Sure you can. Just treat yourself with a bite. Oh, who are we kidding here? Who would only eat one bite? Unless the brownies ain't yummy. Me, I’d take the whole pan for myself.

My love for brownies, I find it cannot top my love for my family’s health. So I’m wrecking my brain to find a formula for heart friendly brownies. Admit it we shall that a cup of butter mixed with almost half a dozen of eggs, loads of sugar, and melted chocolate are not how you should express your true love to your family especially your kids. So I’m trying to cut those without sacrificing the purpose of eating brownies; Happiness in a bite.

Here is my take on brownies. It is BUTTER FREE, using ONLY WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, and YOLK FREE. Satisfied? No..I am not easily satisfied, I take things personally. I mix chunks of steamed APPLE in this brownies to add more fiber. The chocolate that I use is purely high quality dutch-processed cocoa powder not chocolate bars nor cooking chocolate. So you can be sure when I say butter free, it’s totally butter free.

Order now!

30x10cm for only Rp75.000

(The topping is almond and chocolate chip, you can have both, omit one, or plain.)

Note: Best eaten cold so keep it refrigerated.

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