bouquets and baguettes

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and whether you are celebrating solo, with gal pals, or a special someone, a sweet #treatyoself doughnut is in order. Nothing says “I love you” like a delicious, homemade doughnut, am I right?

When I made these, every time I took a bite, I was like “Yasss, slay, you are your own best Valentine. Dough not kill my vibe.” I couldn’t even make myself share them, so if that isn’t the definition of selfless love, I don’t know what is. HAHA!

I got a little punny with the name “Heart Beet Red Velvet Doughnuts since there is a not-so-secret ingredient that adds a dazzling shade of pink/red to the doughnuts: beets! Yup, beets work their magic so you don’t have to mess with any icky food coloring or dyes. Cuz what is red velvet, anyway? Just  sugary red? A spoonful of cocoa powder and red?  Sugary Red… how appetizing.

With these doughnuts, we are keeping it totally natural and minimally processed. If beets in baked goods freaks you out, I promise you cannot taste any beet-ness; we are just using beet juice here, which has a light, earthy sweetness on its own. Totally undetectable in the doughnuts, like a secret admirer.

These doughnuts are indulgent tasting, but you can totally feel good about eating them. They are low-sugar, gluten-free, and vegan, so all of the loves in your life will be able to enjoy them. They are baked-not fried- and have a dense texture similar to a cake doughnut.

Obviously this recipe is ideal for a dessert, but they are wholesome enough that they can double as breakfast. The healthy fats from the coconut toppings will keep you full and prevent blood sugar from spiking. These not only show your tastebuds some love, but they show your body love, too.

I’m all about balance and treating yourself to a favorite indulgence, but I also love giving a healthy makeover to some fave treats because they  keep you feeling good from the inside out. There are foods we eat to keep our health and fitness goals, there are foods we eat to keep our sanity, (pretty sure Gigi Hadid said something similar??) and there are foods that fall magically into both categories. Get yourself a doughnut that can do both. Hint, hint… it’s this one.

 

Heart Beet Red Velvet Doughnuts

Makes 10 doughnuts

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1 tablespoon cacao

2 tablespoons coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups milk of choice

2 tablespoons flax seeds mixed with 1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2  cups chopped beets, or 1 cup beet juice, 1/2 teaspoon reserved for topping

For the toppings:

2/3 cup coconut butter

1/2 cup  unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 teaspoon beet juice

To get the beet juice, either buy beet juice (easy), or run 1 1/2 cups of beets through a juicer. Alternatively, you can blend the beets with a small amount of water in a blender, then pour it through a strainer to get out any large pieces. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl (coconut flour through salt) and mix well. Add all wet ingredients except for the beet juice to the dry ingredients and stir well to combine. Adding one tablespoon at a time, mix in beet juice until desired color is reached. The batter should be loose enough to be squeezed through a piping bag into doughnut molds. To make the doughnuts, fill a piping bag or ziplock bag with a corner cut off. Squeeze the batter into the moulds. (If you don’t have a doughnut pan, you can make cupcakes in a muffin tin!)

Place doughnuts into oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. let cool, and remove from pan. Lay doughnuts on parchment paper or another flat surface you don’t mind getting messy. Drizzle each doughnut with coconut butter. You can warm the jar under hot water to make it easier to pour. To make the coconut shreds pink, toss them with a 1/2 teaspoon of beet juice. Put coconut shreds on a plate, the dip the glazed donuts top-down. Serve up doughnuts on a pretty platter to make your lover swoon.

What are your plans for V-Day? I will be in class all day, and cooking up a storm in my cooking class in the afternoon, so tag along on my Insta story @bouquetsandbaguettes if you want a drool-worthy peek. I’m also doing a little Gal-entine’s celebration with my sissy that I’m sure will involve movies, spa treatments, and some Valentine-y treats.

Have a love-filled Valentine’s Day!

XO,

Alexandra