Tag: maple

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Maple-Apple Cake Donuts

Sure, pumpkin anything is bringing sexy back this fall (and all the falls) but apples have been an autumnal all-star far longer. We could do a comparison table here showcasing everything you can do with apples versus pumpkin and I bet these two tasty ingredients would be neck-and-neck, but that is too much formatting and work for me to handle before my next yoga class (truth be told). So instead, I’m going to tell you about how I turned this delicious Pumpkin Cake Donut recipe from King Arthur Flour into a Maple-Apple Cake Donut using apples I picked from my local Waters Orchard.

Growing up in Massachusetts, my favorite donuts were those powdered cake donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts which inevitably left more sugary dust on your chin and clothes than made it into your mouth. I loved the fluffy texture and sweet remnants you got to lick off your lips after the treat was done. As a nutrition coach, I tend not to eat or recommend too many donuts these days but if you’re going to do it, do it good.

The following Maple-Apple Cake Donut recipe was inspired by sweet apples and a small jar of granulated maple sugar from my parents up in New England. The ingredients did the talking, King Arthur helped me with the baseline, and my creative mind made swaps to cut back on added sugar and fuse these fluffy Os with fall flavor.

Maple-Apple Cake Donuts

MAPLE-APPLE CAKE DONUTS

Makes 12 donuts

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 stick of butter (or 1/4 cup), melted
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup cane sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 Tbs maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 cups 15-minutes homemade apple sauce (recipe follows)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 ts ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, level
  • Granulated maple sugar for dusting

 

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two donut pans. 
  2. In a large mixer, use the flat beater attachment to combine the oil, butter, eggs, sugars, maple syrup, apple sauce, spices, salt, and baking powder until smooth. (You can also do this by hand with a little elbow grease and a whisk). 
  3. Add the flour, stirring just until smooth.
  4. Fill the wells of the donut pans about  to the top but be careful they don’t overflow.
  5. Bake for ~18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. 
  6. Remove from the oven, let cool a few minutes, loosen the edges (if need be) with a butter knife, and gently flip onto a rack to cool. 
  7. While the doughnuts are still warm generously dust them with granulated maple sugar (or cinnamon sugar).
  8. Let cool completely and store at room temperature for several days. I like to place them on a plate, stick them with toothpicks, and tent them with plastic wrap so they have room to breath.

 

HOMEMADE APPLE SAUCE

Ingredients:

  • 2 extra large or 3 large apples – peeled, cored and chopped
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

 

Directions:

  1. In a medium microwavable mixing bowl, combine prepped apples with sugar and cinnamon.
  2. Microwave for 3 minutes, stir, and microwave again another 3-4 minutes until apples are soft (not mushy) when pricked with a fork.
  3. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blender until mostly smooth (any little chunks will taste delicious when you bite into them).

 

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3 Simple, Healthy Recipes for an Easy Weeknight Dinner

My favorite meals involve simple foods whose delicious flavors speak for themselves. When you select fresh, seasonal produce you don’t need to get fancy with your seasoning and technique in order to make an amazing meal. These three recipes are easy to make and tasty to eat. Each features at least one superfood, including rosemary, Brussels sprouts and salmon.

Rosemary is a flavorful herb often used when cooking chicken and pork. It’s truly a superspice as it has been linked to stimulating the immune system, increasing circulation and improving digestion. These health benefits come from rosemary’s high nutrient density (vitamins A and C, several B vitamins and dietary fiber). Rosemary also contains anti-inflammatory compounds and has been shown to increase the blood flow to the head and brain, which may enhance concentration. 

Brussels sprouts are all the rage (and have been for the past few years) on the foodie scene. Beyond their culinary fame lies an incredible nutrition resume. Brussels sprouts are a cruciferous vegetable, a categorization that puts them in the good company of broccoli and cabbage. This superfood is a prime source of fat-soluble vitamins A, K and E, most of the B complex of vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, calcium, manganese and selenium.

Salmon is a yummy, fatty fish loaded with potassium, selenium and vitamin B12. More notably, however, it’s an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids which are crucial for healthy brain function. One 3.5 oz serving contains about 230 calories and 25g of protein. The USDA recommends that all men and women over the age of 19 should get at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (or 0.37 grams per pound). This number goes up for more active individuals but the formula provides a good baseline.

 

Onto the recipes…

Simply Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

What You’ll Need:

  • 3 cups small white or fingerling potatoes
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 2-3 Tbs fresh rosemary
  • 3 Tbs olive oil
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste

How to Make Them:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. Wash potatoes and halve lengthwise. Skin onion and cut into big chunks (eighths or even quarters).
  3. In large bowl, combine olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary (de-stemmed and roughly chopped) with potatoes and red onion. Toss until evenly coated.
  4. Spread into a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet. Roast for 35-40 min or until a fork goes in and out easily, but they aren’t mushy.

Simply Roasted Sriracha-Maple Brussels Sprouts

What You’ll Need:

  • 3 cups Brussels sprouts
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 2 whole scallions
  • 2 Tbs Sriracha
  • 1 Tbs real maple syrup
  • 3 Tbs olive oil
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste

How to Make Them:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. Trim and halve Brussels sprouts. Skin onion and cut into big chunks (eighths or even quarters)–hopefully you already did this when you prepped the potatoes.
  3. In a large bowl, combine scallions (thinly sliced), Sriracha, maple syrup, olive oil and salt and pepper. Mix. Add Brussels sprouts and onions and toss until evenly coated.
  4. Spread into a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet. Roast for 35-40 min or until the Brussels sprout leaves turn a dark golden brown (almost burnt but not quite) and are easily pierced with a fork.

 

Simply Baked Apple Pecan Butter Salmon

What You’ll Need:

  • 12-oz thickly cut, fresh wild-caught salmon
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 2 Tbs apple pecan butter (plain apple butter or a homemade jam would work as well)
  • Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste

How to Make It:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
  2. Place the salmon in an oven-safe pan, skin side down.
  3. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, spread a thin layer of apple pecan butter on top and squeeze the juice of half a lemon on top.
  4. Bake for 15-20 min (time will vary depending on thickness), then remove from heat and let sit for 5 min before serving.