Easy Chocolate Blender Donuts (Doughnuts)

(makes 8 regular donuts)

Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Blender Donuts

Ingredients

(You can also use this recipe to make Red Velvet Donuts, click on the link)

Donuts

1/8 cup brown rice flour

1/8 cup potato starch

½ cup almond flour

¼ tsp xanthan gum

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp instant coffee

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 medium - large ripe banana

2/3 cup coconut milk

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp coconut oil

½ tbsp apple cider vinegar

Chocolate Glaze

½ cup dark chocolate chips

1 tbsp coconut oil

Directions

Donuts

Preheat oven to 425 F. Prepare your donut tin, this recipe makes 8 regular sized donuts so prep for that amount.

Combine the dry ingredients and set aside.

Add the banana, coconut milk, vanilla extract and oil to a blender cup and blend until smooth

Add the dry ingredients to the blender mixture and blend again until combined. You may need to stir the mixture with a spatula to ensure that it is properly blended. The mixture should be thick but pourable, add a little bit of coconut milk if necessary.

You could add all of the ingredients at once. Stir the mixture to combine and then blend.

Before adding the vinegar (next step), ensure that all of the ingredients are fully blended.

Finally add the vinegar and blend once more to incorporate.

Pour the mixture into the prepared donut tins, filling to 2/3.

Bake for 10 – 12 minutes

Allow the donuts to cool and then coat with the chocolate glaze. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving (although I love the messiness of the just poured glaze).

Chocolate Glaze

Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir the chocolate and repeat until all of the chocolate has melted. This should not take more than 3 x 30 second intervals. Stop when the chocolate is mostly melted and only a few tiny pieces remain.

Add the coconut oil and stir until smooth. If the mixture is not easy to pour add more oil.

Allow the glaze to cool for a few minutes then drizzle over the donuts.

You can double up on the recipe to make as much glaze as you want.

For a variation try my Red Velvet Blender Donuts

Homemade Cocoa Breakfast Cereal (Gluten Free, Vegan)

Breakfast cereal was a part of my childhood. I would sometimes have it in the morning, along with fruit and maybe a cup of tea or hot chocolate. It was an easy fix, no need to turn on the stove, no need to get the help of a grownup. My favorites were rice krispies and just regular corn flakes.

Now, when I feel for it, instead of purchasing the more expensive gluten free cereal, I make my own. Most of the time, it gets eaten as a snack because it's just so convenient to pack and go. Understandably, since I love all things chocolate this recipe was my first choice.

It's simple to put the dough together and you can always adjust the flavor or the amount of sugar to your liking. The challenge for me is patiently cutting the dough into more or less equal sized pieces. After cutting the millionth piece (gross exaggeration is firmly a part of my culture), I ignore my own suggestion to space the pieces in the tray so that they do not touch. Therefore, after baking for the first 8 minutes, I would separate any of the pieces that stuck together which in retrospect does not take that long at all. There is no strict rule to follow here, so you can decide what works best for you.

I like a crunchy cereal, one that does not get soggy too quickly when milk is added. To achieve that I let the cereal dehydrate until it’s very crisp but of course not hard enough to break my teeth when I bite into it dry. Again, let your preference dictate the final result.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, shoot me a message if you try it, I’d love hearing from you.

Gluten Free Vegan Homemade Cocoa Breakfast Cereal

Delicious Gluten Free Vegan Breakfast Cereal

Gluten Free and Vegan Cocoa Breakfast Cereal Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup brown rice flour

¼ cup potato starch

¼ cup tapioca starch

¼ cup almond flour

¼ tsp xanthan gum

1 tbsp finely ground flaxmeal

¼ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ cup brown sugar (more or less to preference)

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp coconut oil

¼ cup water (add more by tablespoon)

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

potato or tapioca starch for dusting work surface

Making the cereal. In the final version, the "noodle" was more rounded

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.

Prepare a work surface to roll out the dough, dust liberally.

Place all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, stirring until completely combined. To the dry ingredients add the oil and water, not the vinegar. If using a mixer, attach the dough hook and on low beat the mixture to form a firm but sticky dough, adding a little water at a time if it is dry to the touch. Let the dough sit for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes check the dough. Some of the water may have been absorbed. If the dough feels more firm and less sticky add a little bit of water. Add the vinegar, start on a low speed to incorporate the vinegar, then raise to high. Beat until the dough comes together, sticky but firm.

You can shape the cereal in whatever way works best for you. If you use a piping bag you may have to add more water to the dough and increase the baking time for a few minutes. I pinched off pieces of the dough and rolled it into elongated “noodles”. I placed the noodles on the tray one at a time, then I cut the noodle across the length into small pieces. Ensure that there is a bit of space between each piece. Work as quickly as you can to get the cereal into the oven, you do not want the leavening agents to lose their potency.

Place the tray in the oven and bake at 425 F for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes drop the oven temperature to 225 F and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. This last step dehydrates the cereal. The longer it stays in the oven the crunchier it will be. That influences how long it will take to soak up the liquid when you are eating the cereal. Since this is a personal preference, try varying times until you achieve a texture you like. The cereal will also firm up a bit more as it cools

Allow the cereal to cool completely on the tray, store in an airtight container. The cereal should be fine up to 2 weeks in a cool place.

Trini Gluten Free Vegan Aloo Pie

These are called "Aloo Pies". If you are familiar with East Indian food, you would know that aloo is potato. So these are pieces of fried dough shaped as a hand pie and stuffed with a spicy seasoned potato filling. They are often served with a chutney.

Aloo pies are part of our street food scene. Street vendors serve aloo pies with an assortment of condiments. Tamarind or mango chutney is not uncommon. You can even get a "curried" channa (chick pea) filling as an add on. Of course pepper sauce is never missing, that's a Trini food culture must have!

You can use the recipe below to make fried (which is the custom) or baked pies.

I love it and I think you will too ❤

Trini gluten free vegan aloo pies (fried)

Gluten Free Vegan Aloo Pies

Trini Gluten Free Vegan Aloo Pie Recipe

Ingredients

(makes 6 - 8 pies)

Potato (Aloo) Filling

2 medium sized potatoes (peeled, boiled and mashed)

1 large pimiento diced

½ medium sized onion diced

4-5 cloves of garlic diced

½ tsp whole geera (cumin)

salt and pepper to taste

1– 2 tbsp of oil for sauteing

(Hand) Pie Dough

¾ cup brown rice flour

½ cup oat flour

¼ cup tapioca starch

½ tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp yeast

1/3 tsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp oil

½ - ¾ cup water

brown rice flour for shaping the dough

extra oil for shaping the dough and for deep frying

Directions

Filling

In a small skillet or pan heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the whole geera (cumin) and simmer for a few minutes, the geera does not have to burn. Next add the diced seasoning, stir to mix with the geera. Cover the skillet and saute on a low heat for 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and thoroughly mix the seasoning with the mashed potatoes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.

(Hand) Pie Dough

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the oil and 1/2 cup of water. Knead to form a firm but slightly sticky dough, add more water a little at a time if needed. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes or longer.

Prepare a floured surface to work on. Do not use a starch for this for e.g. potato or cornstarch, use a gluten free flour like brown rice.

Divide the dough into 6 or 8 equal pieces. Roll the dough in the palm of your hands until smooth. You can moisten your hands with oil but not with water. Expect the dough to be soft, somewhat sticky but holding together, firmer than the dough for gluten free bread. Set aside the rounds of dough until all have been made.

If you are going to bake the aloo pies, pre-heat your oven to 350 F. To deep fry add enough oil to a pot so that the aloo pie will be completely submerged. Make sure the oil is hot before frying.

Starting from the first one, place one ball of dough on your floured surface. Using your fingers, pat the dough to form a circle about 4” in diameter. Flip the dough at least once to ensure it is not sticking to the work surface area. Flour the surface again if necessary. Use oiled hands, not water as this will weaken the dough.

Place about a tablespoon of the potato filling closer to one edge of the flattened circle. The dough will be folded in half so leave a little space at the rim. Do not place the filling in the center of the circle, this will make it difficult to fold the dough in half. Using a paint brush or another method, not your hands or fingers, lightly brush some water along the rim of the circle. Very gently and preferably in one motion fold the dough over the filling and unto the opposite rim, you can use a dough scraper once you are careful not to tear the dough. With oiled fingers press the edges of the dough together to seal. You can also dust your hands with flour, but avoid wetting your hands or fingers with water, the dough is easily torn. Place the shaped pie on a parchment lined tray until all have been made. Throughout the shaping process ensure that your work surface is dusted properly, this will make handling of the dough a lot easier. Flip the dough before filling, dust the surface again if necessary so that the dough will remain intact when shaped.

To bake

With a very light touch brush the top of each aloo pie with oil. Place in the oven and after 12 minutes flip the aloo pie. Brush the flipped side with oil and return to the oven. Bake for another 5 – 8 minutes or until the pies have browned a bit. You may need to turn the oven to 450 F just before removing from the oven to brown the aloo pies a bit more. When it's done baking, the crust will be set and will sound hollow if tapped. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes.

To fry

Drop the aloo pie into the hot oil, either 1 or 2 at a time. The aloo pie will begin to brown and swell. Once it starts to swell you can flip to the other side. They are done when they are evenly colored and the aloo pie floats on the surface of the oil, usually in about 2 – 4 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain (briefly) on a paper towel. Do not let the aloo pie sit on the oily paper towel, drain and place on a wire rack to cool. You may have to let the oil reheat to optimum temperature after the 2nd or 3rd batch of frying.

To serve

The aloo pie is best enjoyed warm. You can always place the finished pie in the oven on a keep warm setting until ready to eat, assuming that will happen within 1 or 2 hours. Aloo pie is delicious served with a chutney.