Dunkin' Good!

Doughnuts are one of those foods that I always felt very guilty eating. Well, at least, after I was done eating one. The guilt would creep in as I ordered a fat-laden goodie at the counter... then I would shut it down as I munched... but as soon as the last bite was gone, the guilt would return. I mean, seriously, one doughnut from the local doughnut shop probably has a week's worth of fat allowance in it.... and I just ate it in 3 minutes. I was afraid to listen closely for fear of actually hearing my arteries clogging.

I should mention that I would partake of doughnuts maybe 3 times a year. Still, the guilt would come.

I've seen recently seen, in stores, these nifty baking pans shaped like doughnuts. And every time I passed them I would think, "Huh. Gotta give that a try some time." I did that many, many times... walking by and thinking I would get one some time.

I'm happy to report that my dear husband, who had witnessed the walking and thinking routine probably one too many times, decided to take matters into his own hands and give me the pan as a Christmas gift. Yay! No more walking and thinking... at least about the doughnut pan.

I wasn't sure where to start... cinnamon sugar doughnuts? Pumpkin doughnuts? No, no, no.... BANANA doughnuts. Ah, yes.

My first baked doughnut experience! It was exactly what I'd hoped it would be. If only I had whistled whilst making them, it could have been a Disney movie. I'm digressing.

These little guys are soft and sweet and... banana-y.... delicious. One word of caution... make them the day you plan to eat them. The banana makes them so moist and lovely that they lose their doughnut texture after a while (meaning, the next day). So - make 'em for breakfast or brunch and munch away!



Low Fat, Gluten Free BAKED Banana Doughnuts

1 1/2 cups Pamela's Baking Mix
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups mashed bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup light sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a doughnut baking pan with non-stick baking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the Pamela's mix, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In a smaller bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, mashed bananas, vanilla and sour cream. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly.

Spoon the batter into the prepared doughnut pan, about 3/4 of the way full. Baked 15-16 minutes until set. Let cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. Cook another 5 minutes, then roll each doughnut in some granulated sugar. Let cool completely before serving.

Makes about 12 doughnuts.

How Low Can You Go?

Since my last post, I must confess I have spent much time wandering around the kitchen, scheming, with just one thought in my head. What else can I make low fat?

 Today I meandered in and glanced at the counter. There, in all of its glory, was a bunch of overly ripe bananas. By jing!

 Banana bread, in this house, lasts about five minutes. Alright, alright. Four minutes. Once that bad boy is cool enough to not burn the top three layers of skin from the inside of your mouth, it's fair game. My kids alone could eat an entire loaf. I suppose I should consider that a compliment... though I don't feel that warm and fuzzy feeling when I have dreams of banana bread for breakfast the next day, only to realize it is long gone.

But back to the kitchen counter and the overly ripe bananas.

How can I protect my latest recipe challenge from being inhaled by the residents of my abode? How can I keep them around long enough to examine the texture, moistness, taste? MUFFINS. Leave some out, freeze some. By jing times two!

I feverishly set to work, mumbling under my breath the ingenious substitutions I would cleverly use, all the while absolutely certain I had no idea what I was doing or whether it would even remotely resemble anything banana or muffin-like. (What? Did y'all think I just strutted into the kitchen, threw things together and instantly created a masterpiece? HA.)

These little muffins are sweet... and I mean that in the "dear little puffs of banana-ness" way... not the "my teeth hurt, use less sugar" way. I used half Stevia, half sugar. If you are not on the Stevia boat, feel free to use your own substitute or just use all sugar.

 Well, I'm off. I think I may have managed to hide one of the non-frozen muffins well enough to actually be able to sit down with a cup of tea and enjoy it. One can only hope!

Low Fat Gluten Free Banana Muffins

2 cups Pamela’s flour (if you use another gf flour mix, add another Tbsp of baking powder and a 1/4 tsp baking soda)
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 cups mashed banana
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup Stevia
4 egg whites, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup unsweetened applesauce 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 18 muffin cups with non-stick spray.

Combine flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Mix together banana, sugar, Stevia, whites, vanilla and applesauce in a small bowl. Add to dry ingredients. 

Fill cups 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Give Grit the Boot

Dear Frustrated Gluten Free Friend,

I know. You’ve tried so very hard. You’ve experimented with different blends of flours, toiling for hours over a bowl and measuring cups, trying your hardest to find the perfect blend that would mask the grit of gluten free baking. Time after time, experiment after experiment… grit.

There is hope, dear friend! No longer do you need to toil. No longer do you need to use expensive ingredients, only to end up with something like sand in your mouth.

I would like to introduce you to the answer to your problem. Gluten Free Friend, meet Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix. (Don’t be shy, say hello!)

I don’t know how Pamela did it, but she made a gluten free flour blend that has absolutely no grit whatsoever. Nada. In a past post I gave a recipe for cornbread using Pamela’s Baking Mix. It is absolutely amazing. In fact, it’s better than any gluten filled cornbread recipe I’ve ever had!

So, no more. No more frustration over gritty baked goods. Go now… right now… and get yourself some. Target carries it. Wegmans carries it. Acme carries it. If you don’t have any of those around, check out www.pamelasproducts.com. In the top right corner of the main page is a “Find Retail Locations” button. If that search ends up at a dead end? No worries, I’ve got it covered. Click on this link and you can buy a stash to keep your cupboard! http://www.amazon.com/Pamelas-Ultimate-Baking-Pancake-4-Pound/dp/B000NMJWZO (Don’t panic at the price. You are buying 3 four-pound bags. That will last you for months of gluten free baking and cooking. Better to have too much than to run out before you had the chance to make everything you’ve been missing since starting your gluten free diet!)

Trust me, it will be as though the heavens open and wonderful grit free, gluten free baked goods come bursting forth. And since I know you’ll be dying to try it out immediately, below is a fantastic banana bread recipe for you to make.

Here’s to a new friendship! May you have many happy years together. And God bless Pamela!!

Love,

Katie

Gluten Free Banana Bread

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup sugar

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix

3 ripened bananas, mashed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using non-stick spray, coat two 8-inch loaf pans.

In a medium bowl, combine the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon. Once well combined, add the rest of the ingredients, stir until well mixed. Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake for 50 minutes.