Vegan Apple Mini Donuts for Japanese Health and Sports Day

NinjaBaker — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 05:23:08 +0000

Japanese Health and Sports Day commemorates the opening of the Olympics in 1964. And celebrates the benefits of healthy living every year every 2nd Monday in October. So, today, Monday, October 8, 2018 schools, companies are setting up Sports Day events. Races and tug-o-wars are but a few of the events.

Exercise has always been important in Japan. On the rooftop of the Ricoh factory down the hill from our Tokyo home, 8 a.m. would bring employees to the rooftop. Jumping jacks and stretches ensued. It fascinated me as a kid. The exercising employees looked a bit like a Broadway routine.

My mom was a tennis star but dance has always been my exercise of choice. And my food of choice is usually something sweet. With all the bad news about sugar, I do my best to curtail my cravings. Sooo, when a vegan and gluten-free donut recipe appears that is low in sugar, I sprint to the kitchen. These vegan apple mini donuts will have your taste buds dancing for sure! Warm autumn spices hug apple flavors in these vegan mini donuts. The donuts also provide the perfect boost to go take on the day. Or participate in Japanese Health and Sports Day.

Love to hear about your favorite form of exercise and/or your tips for curbing your sweet tooth.

Vegan Apple Mini Donuts for Japanese Health and Sports Day

Japanese Health and Sports Day commemorates the opening of the Olympics in 1964. Healthy living and sports events are celebrated every year in Japan on the 2nd Monday in October.

These vegan and gluten-free mini donuts sparkle with autumn spices. The donuts are low in sugar and high in scrumptious spiced apple flavors.

This recipe is adapted from A Dash Of Megnut.

Ingredients:

For the donuts:

1½ cups apple cider reduced to 3/4 cup
1½ cups gluten-free flour Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 pinches Kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
¼ cup vegan butter, melted
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:

½ cup Demerara sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan. Reduce the apple cider over a medium flame heat for about 15 minutes. Or until it reaches 3/4 cup.
Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat a mini donut pan with coconut cooking spray.
Whisk together the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a large bowl.
In another bowl, combine the reduced apple cider, melted vegan butter, applesauce, and vanilla.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl.
Divide the batter into the donut pan wells. A chopstick does wonders to even out the batter in the wells.
Bake at 350F for 12 minutes, turning the pan halfway through the bake.
A toothpick inserted into a donut that comes out clean meansit’s done and time to enjoy!
For even more yumminess, sprinkle the warm donuts with Demerara sugar and cinnamon.

Wishing you sweet health and happiness.

The Ninja Baker

The Ninja Baker has guest blogged and contributed recipes to numerous food sites. These additional recipes can be found here.

Tags:

#vegan #glutenfree #donuts #healthy #Japanese #HealthandSportsDay

The Ninja Baker - #vegan #glutenfree #donuts #healthy #Japanese #HealthandSportsDay

Vegan Apple Mini Donuts for Japanese Health and Sports Day