Not Just Any Allergen- and Gluten-free Donuts, but Welcoming Kitchen Apple Cider Donuts!

I started working on Welcoming Kitchen donuts many years ago, when I realized that my at-the-time 5-year-old son had never eaten a donut! Now, we eat yummy chocolate-glazed donuts whenever we need a donut fix. For this fall favorite, we were inspired by a recipe in Food Network's magazine and came up with another great donut to add to our repetoire. You can buy a donut pan online or even at your local craft store. These apple cider donuts have a denser, coffee-cake-like texture, and a yummy, apple-cinnamony flavor.

Apple Cider Donuts

Makes 15 donuts

Ingredients:

2 medium apples

2 1/2 cups apple cider, divided

3 1/2 cups gluten-free, all-purpose baking mix (like Bob's Red Mill)

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, divided

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar

1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening, divided

1/2 cup applesauce

1/4 cup non-dairy milk

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325.

Grease a standard-size donut pan with shortening.

Rough chop apples (no need to peel them).

Combine apples with 1 1/2 cups apple cider in a small saucepan.

Cook over medium heat, until apples are soft and apple cider is almost completely reduced. This should take about 20 minutes, depending on the size of the apples.

Puree apples in a food processor .

In a medium bowl, combine GF flour, xanthan gum, 1 tablespoon baking powder, baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Whisk together well.

In a large bowl, combine applesauce with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.

Add sugar, 3 tablespoons shortening and vanilla to applesauce mixture. Blend well.

Combine rice milk with apple cider vinegar. Add to applesauce mixture. Combine well.

One-half at a time, mix dry ingredients into wet.

Mix one cup of the pureed apples into the batter.

Fill donut pan 2/3 full.

Bake 12 - 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a donut comes out clean.

While donuts are baking, heat remaining apple cider in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Bring to a high simmer. Cook until reduced to 1/4 cup.

Whisk confectioners' sugar into reduced cider.

In a shallow bowl, combine 2 teaspoons cinnamon with granulated sugar.

Remove donuts to a cooling rack.

Dip top half of each donut into the glaze. Let extra glaze drip off.

Spoon cinnamon-sugar over glaze. Shake off excess.

Happy Cooking!

Kim 

My new book,  Ancient Grains: A Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Millet, Oats, Spelt, Farro, Sorghum & Teff (Superfoods for Life), is available now! Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

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Decadent Chocolate Brownies - Vegan, Gluten-free, Allergen-free

My kids always ask me what my favorite foods are. When it comes to treats, brownies top the list for me. I have brownie recipes in every book I write, because you can never have enough brownie options in my opinion. 

These brownies are probably my favorites, though. I make them again and again, and I always get rave reviews. The melted chocolate chips really give a pure chocolate flavor to these very moist brownies. 

It's a breeze to cut these soft, extra-rich brownies if you refrigerate them first.

Decadent Chocolate Brownies (vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar free, food allergy friendly)

from Welcoming Kitchen

Makes 12 Brownies

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup neutral tasting oil (canola, safflower, or sunflower)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups chocolate chips, divided (I like Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups oat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• non-stick cooking spray

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray an 8- or 9-inch square pan.
2. Combine sugar, oil, and water in a microwave safe bowl or small saucepan. If using a microwave, heat on high for 1 minute. If using a saucepan, heat over medium heat, stirring until hot, but not boiling (about 2 minutes). Stir half of the chocolate chips and the vanilla into the sugar mixture until the chips are melted. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour ,baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. Combine apple sauce and baking powder. Add the apple sauce mixture to the chocolate. Stir to combine.
5. Add the flour mixture, one half at a time. Add the remaining chocolate chips. Spread in prepared pan.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely before cutting. 

Happy Cooking!
Kim

My new book,  Ancient Grains: A Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Millet, Oats, Spelt, Farro, Sorghum & Teff (Superfoods for Life), is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Super Seeds and Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mug Cake

I like to wow my boys with a treat for breakfast once in a while. Today was one of those days.

This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mug Cake might just make me mom of the year. At least for the moment.

I don't even feel guilty about giving them this treat for breakfast (or too guilty!). It's a cake that's whole-grain, gluten-free, vegan, no added sugar and it has pumpkin! It's got to be kinda good for you, right? And, my boys will tell you that chocolate is a superfood, so adding the optional chocolate chips just makes it all the more healthy in their eyes!

If you need a sweet treat later in the day, this might be a little more appropriate. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mug Cake (vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, food allergy safe)
Makes 1 cake

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons oat flour (gluten free, if necessary)
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg & 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon apple juice or water
• optional: 1 tablespoon allergy-free chocolate chips

Preparation:

1. In a mug or ramekin , whisk together flour, salt, spice and baking powder.
2. Thoroughly mix in remaining ingredients.
3. Stir in chocolate chips if using.
4. Microwave for one minute.
5. Note: If you'd prefer to make this without a microwave, you can bake it in an oven-safe vessel at 350F for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Happy Cooking!

Kim

Shared with Allergy Free Wednesday.

My new book, Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

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Vegan Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Dairy-free, Soy-free Cream Cheese Frosting

Here is another entry in the So Delicious and Go Dairy Free Snackable Contest. I use so many So Delicious products in my cooking and in my kitchen that I had to enter another one of our favorites. (It's also one of your favorties! This frosting is one of the most popular recipes on Welcoming Kitchen.)

In no way are these vegan, gluten-free cupcakes health food, but they are delicious. The zucchini keeps the cupcakes moist without lending a vegetable flavor. You just taste chocolate-y cake topped with tangy/sweet frosting. Yum!

Dairy-free and Soy-free Cream Cheese Frosting (Yogurt Frosting)
(Makes more than enough to frost 15 cupcakes or a double-layer cake.)

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons soy-free Earth Balance buttery spread
• 1/2 cup So Delicious vanilla cultured coconut milk yogurt
• 4 2/3 cups powdered sugar 

Preparation:

1. In a food processor, blend together Earth Balance and yogurt.
2. Add in powdered sugar, and process together until smooth.
3. Refrigerate frosting to allow it to firm up before spreading.  (If you know that you want a pretty firm frosting, you can add more powdered sugar in that step as this is a softer frosting.)

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes (adapted from Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes )
Makes 15 cupcakes

Ingredients:

3 cups gluten-free oat flour (or 3 cups GF all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 t. xanthan gum)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup So Delicious vanilla or chocolate cultured coconut milk
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar (or evaporated cane juice)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups raw grated zucchini
1 cup allergy-free chocolate chips

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Oil muffin pans or line with muffin papers.
2. In a medium bowl, combine oat flour (or all-purpose flour and xanthan gum), baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder; stir with a whisk.
3. In a large bowl, combine applesauce with 3/4 teaspoon baking powder.  Add cultured coconut milk, sugars, oil, and vanilla to applesauce.  Thoroughly mix zucchini into applesauce mixture.
4. Mix dry ingredients into zucchini mixture.  Stir chocolate chips into batter.
5. Spoon into oiled muffin pan or muffin pan lined with paper liners.  Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. 
6. Let cool completely before frosting.

Happy Cooking!

Kim 

My new book,  Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

 

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Whole Grain Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Whole Grain Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here is a delicious whole grain cookie that is loaded with oats and chocolate chips. What's not to love?

Whole-Grain Oatmeal Cookies
Makes 24 large cookies

Ingredients:

1. 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
2. 3 tablespoons warm water
3. 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
4. 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats (old-fashioned oatmeal)
5. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
8. 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
9. 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
10. 1/2 cup non-GMO canola oil
11. 1/2 cup allergy-free chocolate chips

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a small bowl or cup, combine flaxseed meal with water and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine oat flour, rolled oats, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine coconut palm sugar, maple syrup, and oil.
• Mix dry ingredients into wet.
• Stir in chocolate chips to combine.
• Drop batter by heaping tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets or cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
• Bake 13-15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Let cool for 3-5 minutes on the cookie sheets before removing to cooling racks.

Happy Cooking!
Kim

My new book,  Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

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Growing Up With Food Allergies: How to Survive a Potluck with Food Allergies or Other Special Diet

Fresh fruit is a safe offering for almost every guest at a potluck!

This is another post that I wrote about Growing Up With Food Allergies. With new people learning about the need for a special diet all the time, I though it would be good to bring it back.

Just when you think you have the hang of your special diet (whether it's vegan, gluten-free, due to food allergies, etc.) summer comes and throws a little wrinkle your way.

At least that's what happened to me.  I finally felt I had some mastery of what I could eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner when I changed my diet to address the needs of my nursing, food-allergic baby.  I wasn't eating the same one food over and over and over anymore.  I could make a dinner to serve guests that passed company muster.

And then came summer.

Summer means barbecues and potlucks and bringing dishes to share.  Ugh!!!

After figuring out a few tricks, I now look forward to the hot months with glee.

Here are some tips:

• If I'm only bringing one dish to share, I make sure that it packs a nutrition-filled punch.  It needs to be filling and nutrient-dense so that I can be sure to join in on the fun with a grumpy belly.
• If I'm bringing a couple of dishes, I make sure one of them is a delicious treat.  This shows the other guests that they, too, can provide a dish that's safe for others that is still going to taste great.
• My family and I never go to a party hungry.  It's a bonus if we can eat when we get there, but if we've had something before we leave the house, we're still ok if we don't have much to choose from.
• I separate out a few cookies or brownies from what I'm bringing and wrap them up separately for my boys.  It's easy for crumbs to mingle on a buffet table, and then all of my hard work to provide a safe treat can go down the drain.  If I have theirs set aside, I can pull them out when it's time to eat, and they will have a treat that looks like everyone else's.
• I ask if I can serve my family first, before spoons migrate from one bowl to another.
• Sliced fruit is always a good option to bring, too. 

 Need some potluck inspiration?

• Lemon Dill Pasta Salad
• Tomatillo Pineapple Guacamole
• Watermelon Nectarine Fruit Salad
• Double Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

Happy Cooking!

Kim 

Ancient Grains: A Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Millet, Oats, Spelt, Farro, Sorghum & Teff (Superfoods for Life), is available now! Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

Read More