CHOCOLATE COCONUT DONUTS


I am currently working on a project for a New York-based magazine called LAIKA (check 'em out), and part of the project entails me hittin' up some of my places to eat in Vancouver. One of these spots is Cartems Donuterie: they make vegan donuts. So the other day I headed over and photographed all their vegan varieties and got to bring home a box of fried, sugary delight for the fam / Jack. Everyone was stoked (needless to say but I said it). I only had a few bites because as freaking delicious as the donuts are, my body is sensitive to refined flours and sugars so if I eat more than a bit I don't feel great. Plus I have been consuming loads of vegan junk food lately and need to get back into eating meals that give me energy instead of take it away. Yet obviously donuts are an essential part of a happy life (for those of us with the luxury of access to them) so I decided to just make a whole foods-based recipe for my own selfish taste buds but also because I dooo have this blog and should probably keep publishing consistent recipes. I was photographing them when a couple friends came over; I forced them to be my hand models and also to describe what they thought of the recipe. Some quotes:

"They're soft... and... they melted."
"I liked that they were bite-size, that was cute."
"I think Oprah would love them."
"Just sweet enough."
"They reminded me of the coconut buns from Maxim's. They're soft."

After donuts these lovely ladies showed me Tinder. I have been wanting to try it for awhile - even though I am definitely in a long term romantic relationship with Jack, who is awesome - just to see what it's like and observe humanity through a popular dating app lens. I like meeting new people who I know I have at least some stuff in common with and it's also interesting to see the cyber symbols of modernity and attractiveness that are out there these days (apparently on Tinder these symbols include - for straight cis men in my friends' streams - dogs, shirtless photos, the gym, hiking, their height, beer, holding kids that aren't theirs and making it clear the kid is not theirs, and pizza). I am very intrigued about the people who would end up in my feed because I am... well, I'm kinda weird. I have a shaved head, I'm pansexual, vegan, atheist, an intersectional feminist and a lot of other specific things that some people might consider radical. But usually the fact that I have a lot of opinions about society, culture and life works out as a kind of an excellent friend/lover filter in a beneficial way. In short: only the other freaks are into me. I love it.

Anyways, donuts.


CHOCOLATE COCONUT DONUTS

Donuts:
1 cup oat flour
1 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup cacao powder
2 tablespoons carob powder
Pinch Himalayan salt
1 cup gooey dates (pitted)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coconut milk, as needed

Icing:
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 
Coconut milk, as needed

To make the donuts: put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until the mixture becomes moist, fine and crumbly but will hold its shape when pressed between two fingers (add coconut milk until you get this consistency). Grease a donut mold with coconut oil then press the mixture into the donut mold and put in the freezer until solid. If you have extra mixture, throw in a lined bread pan for brownies!

To make the icing: blend all the ingredients together until smooth and sooooo delicious (add coconut milk until you get this consistency). Don't over blend or else the coconut oil will combine too much with the other ingredients and make it into one homologous mass. Dip the donuts into the icing or spread the icing on the donuts. Add the potentially existing extra icing to the potentially existing brownies. Enjoy! I sprinkled my donuts with almond slivers and coconut flour.

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