Diabetics Rejoice!: Double Chocolate Donuts (Gluten Free and Low Carb)

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Double Chocolate Donuts (Gluten Free and Low Carb)

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a donut pan and am now having fun making and eating low carb, gluten free donuts! The best part is that they're so good, the whole family is enjoying my baking efforts. They are particularly delicious with a cup of coffee! For Father's Day, I made these chocolate donuts dipped in a rich and decadent chocolate ganache glaze for my chocoholic hubbie. We had some for breakfast, then topped them with homemade sugar free ice cream for dessert later. Donut sundaes are a delightful way to end a celebratory meal!

Double Chocolate Donuts

Makes 12 donuts (more or less, depending on your donut pan)

1-1/4 cups almond flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons granulated erythritol (I used LaKanto Monkfruit sweetener)

3/4 teaspoon stevia powder (I used SweetLeaf brand)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan or sea salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 drops stevia (I used SweetLeaf brand)

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons water

Chocolate Glaze:

2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (70% cacao or higher)

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

A pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a donut pan.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, erythritol, stevia, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir with a fork and break up any lumps. In another small bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter or coconut oil, vanilla, stevia drops, 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream and water. Add egg mixture to almond flour mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined and batter is smooth.

3. Fill each cavity of the donut baking pan 2/3 full (do not overfill). Bake for 18 minutes or until set and the donuts spring back when touched. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes and then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter.

4. While the donuts are cooling, make the glaze. Place 1/4 cup heavy cream and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan and heat until just simmering (or microwave in 15 second intervals until it just begins to boil). Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before whisking until the mixture is smooth.

5. Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the chocolate mixture. Place the glazed donuts on a wire rack to cool until the chocolate glaze is set. (You will most likely have some chocolate ganache glaze leftover. Save it in an airtight container. It makes excellent hot fudge sauce!)

Nutritional Information per donut (based on recipe making 12 donuts): 165 calories, 7.6 g carbohydrate (2.7 g dietary fiber, 1.2 g sugars, 3 g sugar alcohols), 14.9 g total fat (6.3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 41 mg cholesterol, 177 mg sodium, 93.2 mg calcium, 135 mg potassium, 1 mg iron, 155 mg Vit A, 5 mg caffeine, 4.7 g protein. Net carbs per donut: 4.9 grams

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More about my experience with Type 2 diabetes:

After experiencing gestational diabetes while pregnant in 1988, it wasn't long before a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes was made, and then, much later, I was correctly diagnosed with autoimmune Type 1.5 (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults, also known as LADA).

Like many people newly diagnosed, I had to read and learn what diabetes was all about. I did everything my doctor told me to do, took my medication exactly as prescribed, began to exercise more, I consulted with a diabetic nutritionist, I changed my carb-loving lifestyle to within the dietary guideline of my nutritionist and lost some weight. For many years, following the advice of the experts, I managed the disease fairly well. Yet, it concerned me that my need for medication continued to rise steadily, but I was told by my doctor that diabetes is a progressive disease and that what I was experiencing was normal. In a few years of trying diet change, exercise and oral medication alone, I was prescribed insulin to go along with the oral meds. My blood sugars stabilized, but my need for more and more insulin over time to manage good control continued to go slowly and steadily upward, along with my weight. With the larger and larger amounts of insulin (the fat storage hormone), it didn’t take long for me to become obese! I was not pleased because at the rate my need for meds was growing, it appeared that it wouldn't be long before my condition would be too difficult to control.

Finally, I said "enough!" Something had to change! I read The Diet Cure by Julia Ross and began a diet overhaul unlike anything ever suggested by my diabetic team. Two other books I highly recommend are The Blood Sugar Solution by Dr. Mark Hyman for a T2 diabetic and Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution by Dr. Richard Bernstein for a T1 or any diabetic on insulin. I cut out all white starches and grains from my diet and went 100% sugar free. (No expert had ever suggested I look at the sugar grams in the foods I ate before and I was shocked to discover large amounts hidden in most processed foods, even items not meant to be sweet!) I began to eat mainly fresh vegetables, very small amounts of fruit and only when it's in season (I love summer berries!), plenty of healthy fats and a moderate amount of high-quality protein. I now follow a Ketogenic diet which allows about 20-30 grams of good carbs per day, mainly in the form of non-starchy vegetables. I don't go out often but, when I do, I go to a restaurant where I know I can eat within my diet. By living this lifestyle, I lost over 65 pounds but, more than that, my need for medication grew less and less. I now need only very small amounts of insulin at meals and 4 units of long-acting insulin at bedtime (down from over 25 units when I was eating higher carb). The best part is that I’ve been able to stop all other oral prescription medications, as well! My blood glucose is always steady, in a normal range and hardly ever goes above 100 mg/dl. My A1c is consistently 4.9 or lower. These excellent health outcomes keep me motivated to stick with a keto lifestyle, plus I really enjoy the food!

I am now at my ideal weight and have kept it steady for over six years. My cravings for carbohydrates and my voracious "sweet tooth" are well controlled. I am motivated to cook and have made cooking healthy my #1 hobby. I'm excited about incorporating the alternative flours into my baking so I can occasionally still enjoy a dessert or bread product in my diet. The outlook of managing my diabetes and the future of my health is extremely positive.

If you're reading this and dealing with similar issues, take heart! You can make the necessary changes to your diet and lifestyle to share in this positive outlook, too. Just take it one day at a time, be good to yourself, and do not depend solely on medication. I had to face the fact: There is no "magic pill" out there! Instead, I needed to commit to eating well to heal myself from within. Remember, it's your future and your health; no one can do this for you! You owe it to yourself and your loved ones!

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Double Chocolate Donuts (Gluten Free and Low Carb)

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Diabetics Rejoice!