For someday: Samoa donuts

Guest Post: Samoa Donuts

 

Ingredients

For the Donuts

• 2½ cups blanched almond flour (such as Honeyville)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• A scant less than ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons honey
• ¼ cup coconut oil, softened or liquid
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
• 3 whole large room temp eggs

Coconut caramel topping

• 1 can full-fat coconut milk (about 1½ cups), I used guar gum-free Natural Value
• ½ cup mild flavored honey or maple syrup,
• A pinch of sea salt
• 1 rounded tablespoon ghee or butter (can sub palm shortening or coconut oil)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ cup finely shredded coconut, plus 2 more tablespoons for garnishing

For the Dipping Chocolate

• 1 bag Enjoy Life Chocolate chips (melted in a double boiler)

Instructions

1. Preheat your mini donut making machine OR preheat the oven to 350 degrees if you are using a regular donut pan or making into muffins.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, baking soda and salt.
3. In another bowl, combine the honey, oil, vanilla, lemon juice and eggs.
4. Add the oil/honey mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix till just combined.
5. Add about 2 tablespoons of batter to each mould in the donut machine or scoop the batter into a ziplock bag, twisting the other end to close it. Snip the end off of one of the corners with a scissors. Start with a small cut. You can always make it bigger if you need too. Squeeze batter into moulds.
6. Close the lid and allow to cook for about 2 minutes. Times will vary with each machine. Open the machine and flip over each donut using the forked ‘skewer’ that comes with most machines. Close the lid again cook for about one more minute. Remove donuts and let cool on a wire rack. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
7. If using a regular donut pan, fill each well-greased mould about ¾ full. Smooth the tops if needed and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
8. Makes 12-15 mini donuts or 6 regular sized ones (depending on how much batter you eat during the prep time.)

For the Coconut Caramel

1. In a small-medium heavy bottomed sauce pan, bring the coconut milk, honey and salt to a boil over medium high heat, being sure that they are well combined. Reduce to a medium heat, and let the mixture boil down for about 35-40 minutes.
2. Add the ghee and vanilla, stirring it in till well incorporated. Continue cooking for another 5-15 minutes or as long as needed until it is a deep caramel color. Don’t rush the process. Depending on how hot your burner is this process could be faster or slower. Stir often toward the end to keep the bottom from burning too much. A little burning is fine as long as you are stirring it in to the mixture. It will give it a darker flavor.
3. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and let cool for 5 minutes then stir vigorously until it’s creamy, shinny and smooth.
4. While the caramel is cooking, spread the coconut out on an ungreased cookie sheet and toast the coconut in a 325 degree oven. Stir often till golden, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
5. Mix the toasted coconut into the caramel minus a tablespoon or so for garnishing later. Use coconut caramel while still warm for best spreading results. Caramel can be made ahead of time(w/o the shredded coconut) and reheated in a double boiler.

Source:  http://paleomg.com/guest-post-samoa-donuts/

Black Bean Brownies with Peanut Butter Swirl:

Prep time: 10 Minutes – Cook time: 30 Minutes – Total time: 40 Minutes

Yield: Makes 12-16 Brownies

Black Bean Brownie Ingredients:

• 1 Can Black Beans (540 mL)
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 Cup Eggwhites (or 3 Eggs in total)
• 1/3 Cup Pumpkin Puree (or unsweetened apple sauce)
• 1/2 Cup Natural Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Sea Salt
• 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 Cup All Natural Pure Coconut Sap Sugar (or 1/4 Cup Agave, Honey or Maple Syrup)
• 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
• 1 1/2 Tsp Instant Coffee
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (more if you wish)

Peanut Butter Swirl Ingredients:

• 1/3 Cup Peanut Butter
• 1 Tbsp Agave (Maple Syrup, Stevia or Honey)
• Pinch of Salt
• Dash of Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.
2. Place all black bean brownie ingredients into your food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with a healthy, non-stick cooking spray.
4. Evenly spread batter into baking dish.
5. On your stove-top melt peanut butter swirl ingredients and mix.
6. Dollop peanut butter swirl mixture with a spoon spaced out about an inch from each other onto the brownie batter.
7. Pull a knife back and forth through the batter creating your swirls.
8. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.
9. *Ovens vary so your discretion is needed. You will know your brownies are baked when the top becomes firm and the brownies pull away from the sides of the dish.
10. Sticking a tooth pick in the middle and pulling it out clean will ensure your brownies are baked fully.
11. Remove from oven when baked and let set in the baking dish for about 10 minutes.
12. Gently cut brownies, serve and enjoy!
13. To store brownies it is best to first let them cool completely and then store them in a sealed tight container in the refrigerator.

Source:  http://www.damyhealth.com/2012/05/black-bean-brownies-with-peanut-butter-swirl/