Gluten-Free Chocolate Doughnuts with Peanut Butter Frosting

Apr, 20 2012
By jennifer

Gluten-free options seem to be popping up all around these days. Cookbooks, restaurants, mail-order companies. I have a few friends who are desperate to discover these GF sources. I recently read an email from a gluten-restricted individual who described her discovery of a 100% gluten-free bakery in her neighborhood. She wrote about how she was brought to tears by the thought that it was OK for her to eat ANYTHING in the shop! It really made me ponder the experience of those who are not free to choose from the abundance of eateries all around us. So it’s really great to know that the options are increasing.

You might find something like Quinoa with Roasted Asparagus and Shrimp on a GF restaurant menu. It may not appear to be a special diet restriction at all. Although it contains no gluten, this is a healthy meal option for almost anyone. It offers a lean protein, a vegetable, and a whole grain.

I wanted to create a food that might be more a challenging GF treat. Doughnuts are one item that is sorely missed if you are avoiding gluten or wheat. My creation is more of a mini cake, but is baked in doughnut pans.

Ice them as soon as they can be handled comfortably. They taste best when eaten the day they were baked.

for doughnuts:

½ cup almond flour
½ cup buckwheat flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup agave syrup

for frosting:

½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons milk, soy milk, or almond milk

❶ Preheat oven to 350º F. Lightly grease your donut pan with about 1 tablespoon coconut oil.
❷ In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, coconut oil, vanilla, and agave syrup.
❸ Add wet ingredients to the dry in the large bowl and mix well. Fill donut pan ¾ of the way full. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
❹ Allow to cool and ice with peanut butter frosting.

Looking for a Cookie

Feb, 15 2012
By jennifer

No Salt Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies 2

Creating a low sodium cookie is not an easy feat. The main problem is that both baking soda and baking powder contain sodium. Yes, there are lower sodium forms available, however I discovered that they are not requested often enough to place on the shelves of the food stores I frequent. Therefore, I would need to order them. As I tossed around the idea I grew impatient. Cookies now!

My searching produced a recipe for shortbread cookies. Aha! No baking soda or powder required and maybe I could try these cookies without the little bit of salt called for.

They were simple to make, had a nice gentle crunch, and a smooth, buttery texture. I added mini chocolate chips for some interest. A nice option when the world of cookies offers a limited selection for those on special diets.

½ cup cornstarch
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup mini chocolate chips

❶ Sift corn starch, sugar and flour.
❷ Add butter and blend until dough is smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.
❸ Press dough out on a sheet of parchment or a silicone baking sheet liner to form a 8 x 12-inch rectangle. Using a paring knife, score the dough into 16 bars. Place the parchment or liner on a baking sheet.
❹ Bake at 300℉ for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.