Apple Cider Donuts with Apple Cider Syrup

MmmMMmm... pre glazed.

Perfect for the fall.  TRUTH: I ate 48 mini donuts in 3 days.  Pretty easy to make, and the result has a true cake donut crumbly-but-melt-in-your-mouth consistency.  Top them with cinnamon coconut-sugar, or drizzle with home made apple cider syrup.... or both!


 THE RECIPE:

1/3 c brown rice
1/3 c teff flour
1/3 c tapioca Flour
1 c millet flour            (totals 2c GF flour)

1 tsp guar gum
1 tbs baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg (or more to taste)
½ tsp cinnamon (or more to taste)

2 tbs applesauce
¾ c apple juice
5 (/7, or scant ¼ tsp) drops apple cider vinegar
3/4 c coconut sugar          
2 tbs agave
2 tbs coconut oil, melted
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 egg

Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Make sure coconut oil is melted—place in hot water bath/heat gently on stove if not. Mix wet into dry.

Preheat donut maker; fill donut wells—DO NOT overfill, these WILL rise well. To top, spray with sprayable coconut oil, then sprinkle with cinnamon+coconut sugar. For a sweeter taste, drizzle with apple cider syrup (and cinnamon-coconut sugar, if desired). The syrup does take away a bit from the delicate donut taste, though - so take your pick!

Apple Cider Syrup:

1 gallon apple cider

First, measure 2.5 cups cider into a large (at least a gallon) pan, and note the liquid level. Add the rest of the cider. Boil for approximately 5 hours, stirring frequently (especially at the end as it thickens), until volume is reduced to 2.5 cups. Pour into sterile (boiled) glass jars for storage. Keep refrigerated. Syrup will thicken as it cools.

Boil it down!

As it begins to thicken (~5 hrs) it will begin to froth! Exciting!

Garden Tilapia

What I'm eating NOW!

No, this fish isn't from a koi pond-- but the fresh herbs are from my backyard garden. This is a fast, easy, and satisfying meal that I've been eating quite frequently lately!

THE RECIPE:

1 fish fillet- I recommend tilapia
~ 4 large fresh basil leaves
~10 fresh lavender leaves
1/2 tsp capers (~6-10)
~1/2 tsp lemon juice
~1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Warm olive oil in skillet over medium heat until just hot enough-- "enough" = when an herb thrown in sizzles. While it's heating, roll lavender into basil and chiffonade. Add a dash of salt.  Place fish fillet (thawed) into oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, and a dash of garlic powder. Throw in herbs. Dump in a bit of lemon juice. Cook until fish has turned mostly opaque (the center can still look a bit raw), then flip. Sprinkle on capers. Cook for a few more minutes, then eat! Use the herb-infused oil as sauce. :)

Dark Chocolate Ribbon Fudge

In addition to being delicious, this fudge is incredibly flexible when sliced into thin strips. The sculpting possibilities are endless, but of course I ate it all before getting around to shape more than a simple spiral. I also added raspberry sauce, home-made with raspberries from my back yard.

THE RECIPE:

1/2 c coconut oil
8oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1/2 c agave + small dump (~2 tbs)
1 c coconut sugar
1/3 c cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp sea salt (or, to taste)

Line a 8x8 baking pan with waxed paper.

Use a double boiler to prevent chocolate from burning. Before pan is hot, add all ingredients except vanilla and sea salt.  Turn heat on to medium, and stir continuously until chocolate is just melted, and all ingredients are combined. Do NOT overheat. Then add vanilla and salt, stir to mix.

Pour fudge into lined pan, and set in fridge to cool. (Takes about 2 hours)

After the fudge has set, when it is left out of the fridge for a few minutes, thin strips will be very flexible- hence, it's "ribbon fudge!"

Also-- RASPBERRY SAUCE
THE RECIPE:

~2c raspberries
~1/4 c orange juice concentrate
agave - to taste

Bring all ingredients to a boil and mix. Let cool, and keep in fridge.

Coconut Shrimp: Gluten Free, Lectin Free*

 * I don't really know what a Lectin is. I just know I'm not supposed to eat them right now. I also know that shrimp, coconut, and olive oil are all on my "OK" list, and therefore do not contain significant amounts of lectins.

So, I've pretty much been in a food funk since the start of my new anti-leaky gut diet restriction, BUT this recipe kicks ass because it's the only thing I've been inspired to make-- AND it's absolutely delicious.  I've been making it for dinner on Fridays, then finishing it up for brunch over the weekend.

THE RECIPE:

raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, (tail on is ok)
3 tbs coconut flour
3 tbs shredded unsweetened coconut
pinch salt
smaller pinch pepper
coconut oil and/or extra light olive oil, for frying

Combine coconut flour and coconut in equal parts in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat a frying pan / skillet with enough oil to cover bottom of the pan, over medium heat. Throw a couple shrimp in the bowl of breading materials, and toss to coat. (Optionally, you can dip the shrimp in egg first to help the breading to stick.) When oil has heated, place breaded shrimp into pan- they should sizzle and begin to fry!

When the shrimp turns from clearish blueish (uncooked) to look whiteish pinkish (cooked), flip each to brown the other side. Remove when the breading on this side is golden brown. Keep cooking until you've used up all your shrimp- make sure that there is oil in the pan at all times, since this helps conduct heat into the shrimp PLUS adds deliciousness. If the oil gets "dirty" with bits of burned breading, wipe out the pan and heat fresh oil to continue.