Donuts and a DIY Summer Dress

Donuts are awesome.

Whether from Dunkin Donuts or Tim Horton's, you just get this awesome satisfaction of indulgence. So 2 nights ago at around 3 AM when I was watching 2 Broke Girls and craving cupcakes, the craving started drifting towards donuts. Except our Dunkin Donuts isn't open that late, and I'm also usually too lazy to drive out and get one. So naturally, I started looking up donut recipes. And I found one. An awesome one.

I woke up yesterday morning (at 11, so early) psyched to make them. My mom and her friend that was over were equally psyched. So after I had my morning bowl(s) of 9 different mixes of cereal, I got to work so they'd be done in time for an early afternoon snack. I threw everything in a bowl, and after deeming the batter to be awesome, I piped them into the mini donut pan. Except I filled them up too much and some of the donuts ended up being donut-muffins. But whatever, still the same amount in all.

Anyway, here's the recipe. They go really fast.

"Man, I really want donuts." -me at 3 AM

Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Spiced Donuts
slightly adapted from Oh She Glows

Ingredients
Donuts

• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 6 tbsp almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla)
• 2/3 c canned pumpkin
• 2 T Stevia in the Raw (or sub sugar)
• 2 T sugar
• 1/4 c unsweetened cinnamon applesauce
• 2 T light brown sugar
• 1 T butter/Earth Balance, melted
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1.75 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c whole wheat flour

Cinnamon Sugar

• 2 T butter/Earth Balance, melted
• 1/4 c Stevia in the Raw
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two mini donut pans or one regular sized donut pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, milk, pumpkin, stevia, sugar, apple sauce, brown sugar, and melted butter.
3. Mix in the dry ingredients until combined.
4. Using a ziplock bag, spoon the batter into the bag and close it. Twist the bag slightly and then cut a hole at the corner to pipe out the batter. Pipe the dough around the circle and gently flatten down with slightly wet fingers to smooth. Repeat.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350F. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then use a butter knife to remove them. Place on cooling rack for another 10 minutes.
6. Cinnamon Sugar: Melt butter in a small bowl and dip the cooled donuts in the butter one at a time. Transfer the dipped donut into a bag with the cinnamon sugar and shake until coated thoroughly. Donuts keep for 2 days.

Note: I didn't read the last step and I mixed all the cinnamon sugar ingredients together and then sprinkled them on top for a kind of streusel topping.

These are so light and fluffy; I wish I hadn't just eaten the last one.

So, if you've been residing in the Northeast this week, you may have noticed that we've been having extremely nice weather (which my mom says I should take advantage of to get some color). Of course, I only brought home winter clothing. So, I went thrift-store shopping and picked up a few long skirts to turn into dresses. I wore one of them today, perfect for a summer day and quite Lolita-esque (the 1997 version). My gram would've approved. It's really easy to make, no sewing required unless you want to hem it (which I didn't because...I don't know how to sew). Here's the tutorial, from A Pair and a Spare. She has other awesome tutorials on there--you should check them out! I made the metal neck cuff and belt the other day and really like wearing them.

I didn't make the halter straps because I prefer strapless things (also I didn't have anything to use as the strap). Just cut the skirt the length you want it to be and use the remaining fabric to wrap around your bust. I twisted it differently--I kind of kept wrapping it around the center part of my bra. Anyway, it's a really cute dress for summertime (or March...) and it's really easy! I like the style of the top--I'm realizing now that I can probably do it with a multitude of scarves and then just wear a black waist skirt for a more weather-appropriate color palate when it drops back down to 40 degrees again.

I got the skirt for $3 from Goodwill, can't beat that. I adjusted another $3 skirt I got from there and turned it into kind of a strapless maxi dress and then used the metal belt to style it. I'll post a picture soon.

Also, yesterday was my wonderful Grandma Helena's 90th birthday! She is such an amazing woman--born and raised in the Caribbean, youngest in a family of 11, first person from Trinidad to graduate from Johns Hopkins, biked around Europe at the age of 20, is a Tai-Chi master, practices kung fu in her spare time, knows the name of every single plant and flower, walks faster than I do, and, with my beloved Grandpa Amal, created an incredible and loving family that I am so proud to be a part of. I love you so much, Grandma! Can't wait to see you when you get back from Dubai. Thanks for sending some sunshine our way!

She's so cute. I love her. Always so fashionable and beautiful!

I'll leave you with the recovery quote of the day!

-Carina