Banana Walnut Donuts with Cream Cheese Frosting

Guess what’s working today??

Photo time! And recipe time!

With some inspiration from Angela

Banana Walnut Donuts with Cream Cheese Frosting (all Vegan!)

*makes about 6 regular sized and 4 minis

• 1 banana, mashed (the riper the better)
• 1 T chia
• 1/2 T walnut oil
• 1/4 c Sucanat
• 3 T Maple or Agave (I used maple agave –> over-achiever)
• 3/4 c spelt flour
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 1/4 c walnuts

1. Mix 1 T of water with 1 T of chia and let sit for a few minutes
2. Add mashed banana
3. Add remainder of ingredients (except walnuts)
4. Now add those walnuts!
5. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes

I love walnuts and really think they make the recipe. But feel free to dull them down.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 c Tofutti “cream cheese”
• 2 t sugar
• 2 t almond milk

1. Let the Tofutti soften a bit
2. Add sugar and stir
3. Add almond milk whilst stirring
4. Paint your donuts with the frosting or Tupperware it and frost right before consumption

My housemate is raving about these and I am in agreement. They’re pretty wholesome too so I don’t feel guilt about having a donut after work.

Homer Simpson-ing it, errrry day.

 x

Casey

Orange You Glad I Didn’t Say Banana?

I loved hearing everyone’s favorite Froyo toppings. Again, only doing bad things for my addiction!

So even though the worst weather is behind me and I am getting a good dosage of Vitamin D from the sun…

It seems that everyone around me is coughing a little bit more, sneezing a little bit more. So it’s time to up the Vitamin C.

A little history of Orange Juice and I:

I used to love it as a child, but now I’m really not the biggest fan of it (pineapple juice included) even if its fresh-squeezed.

Something about that phlegmy feeling and that it’s just too darn sweet!

I am still an immense fan of other fresh squeezed juices though.

Any who, I made Heather’s Chewy Almond Orange Cookies a while back but subbed applesauce and orange zest for the OJ

The orange zest was a major hit! These are the perfect study reward too, because the chewiness of the oats.

It gives it sustenance, but it also has this amazing unique flavor… but I still really wanted to try it with the orange juice…

So I made it again this time the only changes I made were halving the almond butter (cause I think it’s a strong enough flavor on its own)

I used a chia egg instead of a real egg and added 2 T of sliced orange rind. I wanted to make the ‘zest’ add to the chewy part.

I also omitted the almond slices this time cause they disappeared into the batter anyways

Pre-Oven:Post Oven Lovin’:

Umigoddd un-be-reevable. The almond extract made such a difference as did the orange juice. And I’m obsessed with the chunky orange rind thrown in there.

These are now my favorite sweet treat while I’m studying. Thanks Heather!

Now, I had an orange zest obsession and some leftover OJ on my hands.

What’s a girl to do?

Whole Wheat Creamsicle Muffins

(makes 6)

I didn’t want a full dozen so I halved everything and modified it a bit.

• 1 c whole wheat flour
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
• 2 T sucanat
• 1 Chia egg
• 1/4 c plain greek yogurt
• 1/6 c almond milk
• 1/2 c orange juice
• A pinch of salt
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1.5 t vanilla extract
• 2 T orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 18-20 minutes. Top with frosting.

Glamour Shots.

Still left with more OJ. I decided to put a spin on the cream cheese frosting I made last week.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

(makes enough for 6 muffins or cupcakes)

• ½ tub Tofutti plain cream cheese.
• ¼ c OJ
• 1/6 c sucanat
• ½ T orange zest
• ½ t vanilla

They key is to let the cream cheese sit out and soften for a while. I just used some steam escaping from the dishwasher to loosen it up. 😉

P.S. The sucanat will mix in better after it sits.

This cream cheese frosting, like the one in the purple velvet cupcake recipe congeals more after it sits in the fridge for a night.

Are you an O.J. fan?

If not, what’s your favorite juice.

Currently, I’m having an affair with watermelon juice 😉

 

Casey

Purple-y Velvet Vegan Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting

How am I celebrating Valentines Day you ask?

Well…

You see, I have officially applied to grad school (MBA in case you’re curious)

I have completed the bulk of my papers (only one more 10 pager to go!)

So instead of celebrating a special someone who has yet to enter my life. I’m going to be my own valentine.

And I’m going to start by hand feeding myself a red velvet cupcake.

I wanted to get into the festive spirit, but I also wanted to put a little spin on things.

1. Make it vegan! Because, well, why not?
2. Use Carob! (It’s the only ‘cocoa powder’ I have, plus I prefer it.)
3. No artificial coloring. After learning about plant dyes in Botany class. That little bright red tube seems like a rip-off.

These cupcakes turned out in a more plum color, so I give you…

Purple-y Velvet Vegan Cupcakes:

makes about 12

• 1 1/4 c of flour (I used whole wheat)
• 1/4 c applesauce
• ½ c sucanat sugar
• ¼ c agave
• 1/2 c Yogurt of choice (I used coconut milk yogurt)
• red beet juice (for coloring) – I used all the juice in the can
• 2 T Carob powder
• Chia Egg
• 1 t vanilla
• pinch of salt
• ½ t lemon juice
• 2 T milk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Combine all ingredients and Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Mixin’

Pre Oven

Post Oven Valentines Day Lovin’

While they were baking I assembled the frosting.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

– this stuff is like crack.

I tried the Tofutti cream cheese plain and it tasted like clay. But when I put it in this cream cheese frosting mixture….. heavennn

• 8 OZ  Tofutti cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 t vanilla
• splash of milk if necessary (I didn’t find it necessary)
• ¼ c sucanat (or sweetener of choice)
• 1 T agave

Combine all ingredients and frost once the cupcakes have cooled.

They lost their purplish color baking but that’s what I get for not using artificial 😉

For the taste? Well, I have always experienced that red velvet cake has a ‘unique taste’ and I think my purple velvet cakes did as well.

I think I need to eat another to give it a proper review, but I am stuffed at the moment so we’ll just have to wait until tomorrow.

UPDATE: I just tried another cupcake the day after and they are indeed AMAZING. I think I was just in a sweet overload this past weekend, but with a fresh palate: it is safe to say these babies are delectable! They pair perfectly with the decadent cream cheese frosting.

Weekend Recap

I am burnt out.

Yes I will be te first to admit it. I was spreading myself thin. All of these activities and commitments I had taken on were starting to overwhelm me. Usually I can’t tell, but I was starting to notice it taking a toll on my body.

I lost my urge to work out (though I pushed myself there anyways)

I had less energy during the day, I’m having a hard time waking up in the mornings, and I’ve lost a lot of my food cravings.

My cravings are what keep me goin’.

So I listened to my body. And my body said: sleep, you don’t get this opportunity very often anymore.

So sleep I did tried

Good thing I decided not to do that 5k because there was a lot of excess noise in our apartment last night.

So I got up and did my own run and I think I’m getting back to a normal state.

I didn’t get to run that 5k (I hadn’t paid yet so nothing lost there) But no worries there is another 5k in the same location in a few weeks and I’ll be completely de-stressed by then.

Prior to that….

I saw Kevin Nealon perform stand-up at Comedy Works this weekend. Hysterical.

My favorite line from his set was “Can someone please tell the people with the headphones on the treadmill that we can hear them farting?”

And on that note:

Happy Valentines Day!

Casey

What are your Valentines Day plans?

And if you don’t have any, what is your favorite Valentines Day treat? Sweets or Flowers?