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 Banana Bread (Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free)

Happy Friday! Earlier this week I took a poll on Instagram (Samoa Donuts vs Choco Banana Bread), and it was a tie! So I got right to work and whipped up a loaf of dense, moist, wholesome chocolate goodness. You'll want to go to bed early to get up for this one. It's made with oat flour, so it's essentially oatmeal in loaf form. Sweetened with ripe bananas and a bit of pure maple keep it refined sugar free. I added in some almond butter to create a hefty, satisfying loaf which makes this perfect for breakfast (or a snack).

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 cup creamy natural almond butter(unsalted)
• ⅓ cup pure maple
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 
• 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 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, smash the bananas with a whisk or fork until mostly smooth (no large chunks). Mix in the almond butter, maple, vanilla and milk. In a food processor (or blender or coffee grinder) grind 1 cup of gluten free oats into a flour. Mix with almond flour, baking soda, baking powder and cocoa in a separate bowl. Mix into the wet ingredients until combined. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or spray generously with coconut oil. Transfer batter into your prepared loaf pan, top with chopped chocolate or chocolate chips and bake for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs. Let stand on a wire rack in the pan for 15 minutes before removing and transferring to the rack to cool completely. Once cooled, slice with a serrated knife and enjoy!

The flavor and moist factor get even better the next day!

Decadent Brownie Skillet with Eating Evolved Chocolate

There's nothing quite like a warm, gooey brownie straight from the oven. Nothing could be better, right? Well... how about if it was a warm, gooey brownie with NO ADDED SUGAR in the batter while still tasting like a sinful treat? Only in your dreams... until NOW. This brownie skillet is sweetened only with banana, the chocolate chunks are refined sugar free, it's also vegan and gluten free. This dessert is other level yum:

*Adapted from The Toasted Pine Nut

1 cup raw pecans (can sub almond flour)
1 ripe banana
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 tblsp cacao or cocoa powder
2 tblsp coconut oil, melted
1/2 Eating Evolved Crunchy Caramel Bar, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep a cast iron skillet with coconut oil or coconut oil spray and set aside. In a food processor, pulse the pecans until they resemble a crumble. Add in the baking powder, baking soda, cacao and coconut oil until combined. Add in the banana and process until smooth. Pour the batter into your prepared skillet and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle your chopped Eating Evolved Crunchy Caramel Bar on top and press lightly into the batter. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with raw almond butter ( I love Trader Joe's Raw Creamy Unsalted Almond Butter) and a little sea salt if desired.

Don't forget to tag me on Instagram if you make this recipe!  I love seeing your versions :]#wildandflowertreats

Sweet and Salty Banana Chocolate Chunk Cookie Skillet (Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free)

Happy Monday! Super busy day today so far! I'm editing photos, answering emails and doing homework... but I had to stop to make this cookie skillet that has been at the front of my brain all week. Aaaaannd, after it baked up as a success, I had to immediately share it so that y'all can enjoy it too :] It's a little sweet, a little salty, soft, gooey, tastes totally sinful and not "Monday" at all. This cookie skillet is basically a glorified baked oatmeal, so honestly it can pass for breakfast! You can swap the chocolate chips for berries too, if you prefer. On top of that positivity bomb I just dropped on you, it is vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free, and can be whipped up in one bowl... by hand! I promise! This is totally a TREAT and not a TRICK (see what I did there?). I know, I know. I'm your hero ;]

Ingredients

• 1 very ripe banana
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup raw almond butter (can probably sub roasted or any other nut butter)
• 1/4 cup pure maple
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of pink salt (can sub sea salt)
• A heap of dark chocolate chopped into chunks

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cast iron skillet with coconut oil non stick spray and set aside. In a large bowl, mash the banana with a fork until it is a pureed consistency with little to no chunks. Whisk in almond butter, maple and vanilla. Add oat flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. Transfer the batter to the prepped cast iron skillet and smooth evenly with a spatula. Top with dark chocolate chunks. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until it starts to take on a golden brown color, but keeps a soft center.

xoxo

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

Feel Good Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies (Vegan & Gluten Free!)

Wow. Well then. Ok... I guess it doesn't really matter what the reason is that you may be feeling like you NEED a cookie today, but it doesn't mean that you have to stuff your face with crap that will inevitably make you feel worse long after the initial shock, and the sugar high, wears off. I've begun to realize that the answer to a bad day (week, month, year) is a lot of self-reflection, self-care and CHOCOLATE (well, duh)! When you're working with good quality, dark and dreamy chocolate, that whole "too much of a good thing" saying turns into a whole lot of blah blah blah (my hands are over my ears, chocolate is in my mouth, and I CAN'T HEAR YOU!) I never claimed to be mature, ok? Let's just get that straight. Ha! So, anywho... I made some super yummy, guilt-free double chocolate chip cookies and they are ah-maz-ing. Oh, and did I mention that they are gluten free, flourless, Vegan, refined sugar free, and gooey as heck? Yeahh babe. Get at me.

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Adapted from Oh She Glows

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water
1/4 cup soft, but not melted coconut oil
1/4 cup raw creamy almond butter (I used Trader Joes) 
2/3 cup unpacked coconut sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons organic cacoa powder (can sub regular cocoa)
1 1/2 cups gluten-free oat flour
4 large squares of dark chocolate, melted (I used Trader Joes 1lb. 72% bar)
A good amount of chopped dark chocolate (I eyeballed it)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the flax seed with warm water and let stand for at least one minute. Add in remaining wet ingredients and sugar and whisk until creamy. Heat chocolate until just melted, about 30 seconds. Whisk into the wet ingredients. Grind 1 1/2 cups of oats into a flour and place in a separate bowl. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients and add into the wet ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and bake on a silpat mat or parchment lined cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand at least one minute before transferring to a wire rack. Eat while gooey, or cooled. Can't go wrong here, friends.

xoxo