Almond Flour Donuts

 





Despite the importance of friendships, it is always hard, getting older, to know how to hold friends close and when let go. Friends are scattered across the country and the world. Some I know will always be part of my life and others may be more temporary, but no less meaningful. I try hard to keep in touch with the friends I don't often see, but sometimes I wonder whether or not that effort matters.  In elementary school days, when best friends were easily made and sometimes just as easily traded, it was often the superficial things that seemed important. Now differences in lifestyle, work, marital status, children, and location don't define our friendships. Instead we focus on the points of connection. We care about their lives and feel warmed by the way they embrace us where we are.

These days Ray and I often find it a challenge to get together with friends. Everyone is so busy that we have to plan way ahead and study the calendar to find a time that will work. Too often it seems easier to do our own thing rather than reaching out to people we care about and whose company we enjoy. We love our friends dearly. We love that when we can gather together these little pockets that make up our community and bring them together.

As we prepare to welcome a baby into our life, we have been blessed to have many friends who have eagerly shared their enthusiasm and support in this process. Friends with babies and children of their own, those who hope to start families soon or have been waiting and hoping it will happen for them, and friends who never want their own children but are happily welcoming ours. Ray and I often marvel at how lucky we are and fervently hope we can share some of the good things that have come to us with our friends who are wishing for their own good fortune. We try to support and root for their dreams and give as much to them as they have generously given to us.

A while ago I mentioned to my friend Emily that I wanted to try this donut recipe but I didn't have a pan for baking donuts. She sent me one for Christmas and when she came to visit this weekend I knew there had to be donuts. These treats were just the start of a weekend of good friends, good meals, a day of sunshine, and a baby shower for Ray and me hosted by our friends Kara and Avi and attended by a great group of people. Sweetness all around.



Baked Almond Flour Donuts
Adapted from this recipe and this one. 
These might not remind you of classic donuts, but they are light, cake-y, and just sweet enough which makes for a delicious combination. They are incredibly easy to make and they bake very quickly. You could whip up a batch right now, even if you don't have a donut pan I think they would bake just fine in muffin tins. They can be flavored with spices or citrus zest. I iced some of them with my homemade nutella and glazed the others with a lime zest and powdered sugar glaze. Options and variations are listed in the recipe below.

1 1/4 cups almond flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil, butter, (or oil of your choice) melted
Optional additions: vanilla or vanilla bean, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, zest of one lime, lemon or orange. 

Optional toppings: nutella, melted chocolate, 2 tablespoons lime, lemon or orange juice combined with enough powdered sugar to make a spreadable glaze, shredded coconut, powdered sugar. Or anything you wish!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Dump the almond flour, salt, and baking soda into the blender. Whisk together the eggs and honey and add to the blender. Pour in the oil or butter. Blend until smooth. Pour into greased donut pan (or muffin tins) and bake for 10 minutes. Makes 6-8 donuts, depending on the pan you use.

Almond Buckwheat Waffles

 

The thing I love about waffles or pancakes for breakfast is that it only takes a few extra minutes to make them but it makes the start of the day a little more special. On the weekend, or a day that isn't busy, you can stir them together at a leisurely pace. Or if you have obligations or places to go, the smell of batter cooking on a hot pan is a nice way to pause in the morning.

I put these together from my go to waffle recipe (from Sunlight Cafe by Mollie Katzen) because I wanted a wholesome, warm breakfast that's a little out of the ordinary. Almond meal and buckwheat flour both have lots of protein and make for crisp, light waffles. I can't resist smothering them with yogurt and berries and a touch of maple syrup.

Almond Meal Buckwheat Flour Waffles
It might seem like these have a lot of butter, but it is essential to the crisp outside and soft inside of the waffle and it gives them a really good flavor. For my berry topping, I just heat frozen berries until they thaw into a juicy compote. If you have left over waffles you can freeze or refrigerate them in an airtight container for another breakfast.

1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds, optional

Mix the almond meal, buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the eggs together until frothy. Stir in the buttermilk or yogurt into the eggs until smooth and add the vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients, along with the melted butter into the dry ingredients. Stir to combine, but it doesn't have to be completely smooth. Mix in the almonds, if using. 

Pour one half cup of batter onto the hot waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturers instructions. Repeat cooking process until all of the batter is used. Makes about 6 waffles.