Samoa Donuts (GF, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free)

 
Oh my delicious donuts... these are GOOD. A few months ago, I sampled (mauled) a completely gluttonous version of a Samoa donut from a local donut shop. Of course, I made it my job to come up with a wholesome, healthier version of this bad baby to be enjoyed by all. The donut itself is flourless and sweetened only with ripe banana, the caramel is made with almond butter and sweetened with maple, then topped with shredded coconut. To really bring this home, they are dipped in dark chocolate and drizzled. Yup.

Samoa Donuts

Ingredients:

1 cup natural unsalted natural creamy almond butter
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 tblsp. organic cacao
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tblsp. pure grade A or B maple
2 tblsp. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Almond Butter Caramel:

1/4 cup pure maple
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tbsp. creamy natural almond butter
pinch of sea salt

Other ingredients:

1/4 cup shredded coconut for topping
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate for dipping and drizzling

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a donut pan by greasing with coconut oil or non-stick spray. Use an electric mixer to mash the banana. Add in the almond butter and whisk until smooth. Add in maple, almond milk and vanilla and mix until combined. In a small, separate bowl mix together cacao and baking powder. Whisk into the wet ingredients just until combined. Spoon the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 12-16 minutes or until the donuts spring back when touched. Remove from the donut pan and transfer to a cooling rack until completely cooled.

While the donuts cool, prepare the almond butter caramel. In a small sauce pan, heat maple, coconut oil and almond butter on low heat. Whisk until smooth. Continue to whisk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and transfer to a heat proof bowl to cool (will thicken as it cools). Next, melt dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (I use Trader Joe's 72% dark) in the micro for 30 seconds at a time until melted smooth when stirred. Dip the imperfect sides of your cooled donuts into the chocolate glaze and place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Transfer to the fridge to set the chocolate. Once the chocolate is set, dip the other side of your donuts in almond butter caramel, and then into shredded coconut. Place back on the parchment and drizzle with remaining chocolate. Let set before serving. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Enjoy!!

Chocolate Almond Butter Banana Brownies (Vegan, Gluten Free and Refined Sugar Free!)

Heyyy! Long time no post! Things have been craaazy in both good and not so good ways (oh life). Anyway, I am currently studying for a Holistic Nutrition certification, which is really exciting for meee :] Because of life events, I am a little behind and I have been busting my buns which hasn't left much time for my blogging passion project. Anywho, I wanted to share this recipe because it turned out soooo good and I couldn't keep it to myself. Now back to the grind! Wish me luck!

Chocolate Almond Butter Brownies

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1 cup + 3 tblsp creamy or crunchy raw or natural almond butter ( I used Trader Joe's Raw)
• ⅓ cup pure maple
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsweetened non dairy milk (I used cashew)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup oat flour 
• 1/4 cup almond flour 
• 1/4 cup cocoa or cacao
• Dark chocolate chunks or chips (I used Trader Joe's 72% dark chocolate bar)

Would you look at that batter?!

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8x8 square baking dish with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, smash the banana until it resembles a puree. Mix in 1 cup almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and almond milk. In a separate bowl, whisk together oat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, almond flour and cocoa. Add to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour into your prepared baking dish. Dollop the 3 remaining tablespoons of almond butter over the top and use a knife to swirl into the batter. Top with your chopped chocolate or chips. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Don't overbake! You want these to be dense and moist.

While these are good warm from the oven, I actually prefer them the next day. Somehow the banana flavor becomes more pronounced after these have "rested" and cooled. Enjoy with a nice cup of tea or a big glass of cold almond or cashew milk!

xoxo

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies (Gluten and Refined Sugar Free)

There are only a few days of November left, so I thought I better make use of any of the pumpkin that I have left over from Thanksgiving... You know, before we venture into the season where pumpkin desserts are no longer appropriate. These brownies, however are always appropriate. You can easily leave out the pumpkin and make cheesecake brownies or leave out the swirl altogether and just make some good old chocolate chunkers. Of course, these are not your run-of-the-mill brownies. These babies are wholesome, gluten free, refined sugar free, no butter, no nonsense. Just dark, dense chocolate goodness paired with a creamy, sweet-spicy pumpkin cheesecake swirl. That last sentence probably has you thinking... uh, I thought you said these were "wholesome". Dark, dense, creamy, sweet-spicy and cheesecake sounds anything but wholesome. Well, bake on my skeptical friends! Be amazed.

 Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
Adapted from Bakerita

Ingredients:

6 oz. dark chocolate
½ cup coconut oil
⅔ cup coconut sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cup oat flour
1 tablespoon cacao powder

Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl
4 ounces cream cheese
¼ cup coconut sugar
⅓ cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 tsp cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil in a glass bowl for 30 seconds at a time, until melted smooth. Stir in the sugar and vanilla, then stir in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the oat flour and cacao powder, until just combined. Don't overmix!

In a standing mixer, whisk together the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Whisk in the cornstarch. Add in the coconut sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour half of the brownie batter into your prepared pan. Then spoon half of the pumpkin cheesecake batter over the top. Cover with remaining brownie batter and then drizzle the rest of the pumpkin cheesecake mixture over the top randomly. Run a knife through the batter to create a swirl. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. Lift the brownies out of the pan by the parchment paper and let cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

Try them with a little almond butter on top, you won't be sorry!

The BEST Gluten Free Vegan Fudge Brownies

What do you want a brownie to be? Dense, moist, fudgey, with a strong POW! of chocolate flavor. What don't you want a brownie to be? Full of refined sugars, flour and fat. Sounds like a too-good-to-be-true brownie situation, right? WRONG. You just have to be determined enough to make those brownie dreams a reality. Luckily for you, I've done most of the work so you can just bake and enjoy ;]

Gluten Free Vegan Fudge Brownies

Ingredients:

1 cup natural unsalted almond butter or smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup REAL Grade B maple syrup
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 ripe banana
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder

Directions:

Line a bread pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a standing mixer, or with a hand mixer, whisk together the banana, almond or pb, vanilla and maple. Mix in the cocoa powder and baking powder until smooth. Pour into your prepared bead pan and smooth out evenly. Sprinkle with some dark chocolate or vegan chips if desired. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan before removing. To remove, gently lift the bars out by the parchment paper hanging over the sides. Refrigerate for at least one hour before slicing.

*I left out the chocolate chips, and melted a little coconut oil and dark chocolate, drizzled it over the brownies and then sprinkled some hemp seeds over the top before popping these babies in the fridge. Waaaay good.

These things are super duper addicting, and I found myself eating one before breakfast, as a snack and basically everywhere in between. I recommend cutting them into little squares for this very reason :]

xoxo