Random extra donuts show up regularly in my office. I eat donuts basically at least once a week. I know all the boxes of all the top places in town by sight, from way down the hall. I thought I knew all the donuts in the area.
And then one day, I walked into the microkitchen, and found regular takeout boxes full of donuts. Not a signature pink donut box, or even a generic donut box. Not a fancy box from a bakery or cafe. Just a regular, large clamshell, box. Several of them. No branding. No frills.
In the boxes were some cake donuts, rarely my donut of choice. I tried a little scrap of a cinnamon sugar coated one, and ... well, huh. It was good. Great flavor, lightly crunchy exterior, plenty of cinnamon sugar ... but I was on my way out the door, and I really didn't need a donut as I had another dessert lined up for that night. And then I noticed a really, really strange donut ...
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| Oh Mega Donut (GF). $4.75. |
"Housemade gluten free donut. nutrient dense, high in omegas from chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds! sweetened with coconut sugar."
I took one tiny bite piece that someone else had cut up of another, entirely out of curiosity, as I wasn't sure why this savory looking, seed covered, healthy thing was in a box of donuts. I ... strangely loved it, and quickly snatched up a full size one.
I later set about figuring out where it came from. It took some searching, but my research lead me to Rooted Coffee, a plant based (e.g. entirely vegan) coffee shop / cafe based over in the East Bay. Ok, so, uh, vegan donuts? I was even more amazed when I saw that this one, the Oh Mega Donut was also ... gluten-free?! Yes, I'm telling you that this vegan, gluten-free, no refined sugar, loaded with omegas from flax, hemp and chia is strangely delicious.
Because it is.
But that isn't to say it is really anything like an actual donut. Think of it more like a muffin, just one in donut shape, to start. It had a deep, hearty, taste, yes, healthy, but not in a way that was off putting to me. I tasted maltiness, perhaps molasses or something, that I suppose was the coconut sugar? It wasn't savory, it was sweet, but not nearly as sweet as a normal donut. It reminded me somewhat of a bran muffin, just without bran, or a morning glory, but without the mix-ins. Really, it was unique, and hard to really describe. I also loved the chew to it, a bit like a mochi muffin, presumably due to the gluten-free nature, but it totally worked.
And as for those omegas? The seeds were on top, and I'm guessing within, but I didn't taste any of the bitterness nor grittiness I associate with them.
In short, this was really just enjoyable, in a healthy but not too healthy way. When I later did research to find out what this was, I saw another person refer to it as "strangely deliciously", and I think that really does sum it up well. I'd gladly get another. ****.
