Rebecca Davis 12/27/16 Rebecca Davis 12/27/16

Vegan raspberry doughnuts

Want to switch up the traditional sufganiyot this year? Or want to add something baked, but not heavy to your breakfast rotation? Try these vegan baked raspberry doughnuts that feature whole wheat flour, flax seed meal, coconut sugar, and applesauce for a baked treat that tastes great, but doesn’t spike your blood sugar or weigh you down like a traditional doughnut.

Take me to the recipe!

Okay, so I’m a fan of eating traditional foods in the traditional way, so I was a little apprehensive about “healthifying” a fried jelly doughnut. HOWEVER! I feel like these stray so far from the original that they aren’t really a “healthified” dessert as much as an entirely different thing that you could also eat at Hannukah that would taste delicious.

This baked doughnut journey started with Ina’s Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts and they were delicious, but very very sweet, especially with the icing and sprinkles I used.

I reduced the sugar in the batter, which definitely helped, but they weren't really a healthy alternative to traditional fried sufganiyot. The mountain of powdered sugar in the icing totally undid any of the benefits of baking. So, I decided to start a recipe from scratch and also make them safe for kids with allergies. These beauties are egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, and don't use any processed sugar. They're also super tasty! I'm actually fighting the urge to eat one right now.

A couple of notes:

Flax eggs: In my recent vegan baking adventures, I've tried a few different combinations of flax seed, water, and baking powder. I like Joy the Baker's best. She combines 1 Tbsp of flax seed meal with 3 Tbsp of water and lets this goop sit for 30 minutes. At the end, she stirs in a generous pinch of baking powder and uses the flax egg immediately. I used 1/8 tsp of baking powder and it worked quite well.
Coconut milk: I called for reduced fat or light coconut milk in this recipe because too much fat can weight things down and since we’re using an egg replacer, the doughnuts get too dense with too much fat. If you can only find regular, use the liquid in the can and leave the hard, coconut cream at the top. Also, replace the olive oil with another Tbsp of applesauce.
Olive oil: I like to add a little extra olive oil in the doughnut pans to mimic the “fried” taste of traditional doughnuts. But I really mean A LITTLE (about 1/8th of a tsp works just fine.) If you do this, heat the oil and the pan for about 3 minutes in the oven before carefully adding the batter and baking.

Vegan raspberry doughnuts

Time: 30 minutes, half active, half baking
Yield: 9 donuts

1 Flax egg (1 Tbsp flax seed meal, 3 Tbsp water, and 1/8 tsp baking powder)
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup light coconut milk *(see notes above about using regular coconut milk)
1 Tbsp apple sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup freeze-dried raspberries

Preheat oven to 375.

Make flax egg. In a small bowl, combine flax seed meal and water and stir well. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Prep your doughnut pan by spraying with olive oil (see notes about about adding a little extra olive oil to the pan).

In a large bowl, combine the flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

In a measuring cup, whisk together the coconut milk, olive oil, and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients and the raspberries to the batter and stir to combine. When the flax egg is ready, add 1/8th of a tsp of baking powder to the flax and water goop and stir well. Add to the batter and stir gently to combine.

Spoon mixture into greased doughnut molds until ¾ full.

Bake for 17 minutes, flipping the pans halfway through to ensure even baking. Let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Rebecca Davis 12/8/16 Rebecca Davis 12/8/16

Chocolate banana reindeer pops

The treats train has not slowed down since Halloween and we still have a month to go until we all resolve to stop eating like there's a food shortage coming. But thankfully, we can feel full of holiday spirit, and not junk with these chocolate-covered banana reindeer. I tried this with a few different types of fruit, and bananas worked better than apples, strawberries, or grapes.

Chocolate banana reindeer pops | Me & The Moose. Sliced bananas and pretzels dipped in chocolate are an easy, festive, and healthier way to celebrate the season. #meandthemoose #bananas #snacks #pretzels #Christmassnacks #Christmasrecipes

These treats are also easy to make allergen friendly. Melted carob worked just as well as regular milk, dark, and white chocolates. I used spelt pretzels because this ancient grain is easier to digest than regular wheat and the Happy Herbert brand's ingredient list is blissfully straightforward. However, there are many types of gluten-free pretzels out there that would make a good substitution. The coconut oil that thins out the chocolate also makes these frozen pops a little tropical, which reminds me that there are warmer days ahead. Eventually.

Chocolate banana reindeer pops

2 large bananas
12-14 thin wooden popsicle sticks
Mini pretzels
Chocolate chips (milk, dark, white, carob, or dairy-free chips https://enjoylifefoods.com/our-food/baking-chocolate/chocolate-for-baking-mini-chips/)

Cut each banana into thick slices (you should get about 6-7 slices from each large banana). Snap 12-14 pretzels in half and remove the middle nubbin.

Stick the ends of each pretzel into the sides of the banana pieces to make antlers. Stick a wooden popsicle stick into the bottom of the banana slice. Place all bananas with antlers and sticks onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least one hour, but up to one day.

Once the bananas are frozen, combine ½ bag of your preferred chocolate with 2 Tbsp unmelted coconut oil in a large bowl and melt in the microwave. Cook for 30 seconds on high and then in 10 second bursts until liquid, stirring between each burst. Let cool for 10 minutes. Remove the bananas from the freezer one by one and dip in the melted chocolate. Tap off the excess and, using a small plate, transfer back to the baking sheet in the freezer and repeat with the other frozen bananas.

Let the covered bananas freeze for at least one hour, but up to five days before serving.

Yield: 12-14 banana reindeer

Rebecca Davis 7/23/16 Rebecca Davis 7/23/16

Orange, peach, mango smoothie

Oranges, peaches, and mango combine in a delicious smoothie full of vitamin C. Freeze the fruity concoction for a sweet treat. Orange, Peach, Mango smoothie | Me & The Moose — Orange, peach, mango smoothie | Me & The Moose. #Meandthemoose #Orange #Peach #Mango #puree #popsicles

Remember that flavor of orange, peach, mango juice? I was obsessed with it in college until I mixed it with vodka one too many times. But since that was 20 years ago (UGH), I decided to give it another try. Can confirm: still delicious.

Take me to the smoothie!

This smoothie, like a lot of the smoothies on this site, started its life as a baby puree, but transitioned to a drink as my kids got older. I used to add carrots, but they’re a lot of work if you’re trying to make this more liquid-y, so I would just add some store-bought carrot juice if you want to go that route.

Orange, peach, mango smoothie | Me & The Moose. #Meandthemoose #Orange #Peach #Mango #puree #popsicles

This one is great as a smoothie or a juice, but I also love freezing it as popsicles or turning it into a fantastic sorbet (I use this method from Zoe Francois).

Orange, Peach, Mango smoothie

Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 2 smoothies

1 orange, squeezed
1 cup mango, fresh or frozen
2 large ripe peaches, 3-4 small ripe peaches, or 1 cup frozen
1/2 cup carrot juice (optional)

Combine the fruit in a blender and blend until totally smooth. If using frozen fruit, thaw it in the microwave for a few seconds before blending. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve if desired for a smoother texture.

This puree is also delicious with 1 Tbsp of melted coconut oil thrown in for a bit of extra fat.