Day: January 25, 2014

An Olga and a Coney

Ok people, let’s get serious.  Pregnant women have their cravings.  I have certainly had mine this time around.  I jest that I must be carrying a linebacker because my daughter certainly did not produce the type of serious food cravings that my body feels it must have this time around.

I have quenched most of my very unhealthy cravings with healthier options based on the assumption that my body is craving something it is lacking… so I’ve used some different oils (grapeseed oil, coconut oil…) in my cooking and made some wonderful things from Latham Thomas’ book Mama Glow: a Hip Guide to your Fabulous Abundant Pregnancy.  

But… I think there are two cravings I might just have to give-in to or at least find some healthier substitutions.  Although, because these cravings have such feelings of nostalgia, that might be hard to do.

If you don’t already know, I’m from Detroit… home to the many things… Including… The Olga and the Coney Dog.

An Olga:

Olga’s Kitchen is a mediterranean fusion restaurant chain in Michigan and a few other states, but not in New York 🙁   For those of you who have not tasted the goodness of the original olga,  I can best describe it as a gyro.  That is the only equivalent that I have been able to find here in the city. BUT an olga is NOT a gyro… it is similar in how it appears….maybe, but Olga Bread is something very special and I find an Olga less greasy than what we New Yorkers find on many of our street corners.

An original Olga with an Orange Cream Cooler on Old Woodward in Birmingham bring back some pretty fantastic memories.

So if anyone knows of a way to get an Olga to New York… please… I’m here… ready and waiting.
Not that I’m desperate or begging or anything….

Next on my list…

A Coney Dog / A Coney Island:



I can just see my raw and vegan friends shaking their heads now.  I’m actually embarrassed to admit this.  Again, the nostalgia of anything “Coney” involves Leo’s Coney Island, also on Old Woodward in Birmingham…. There is absolutely NOTHING healthy, green, vegan, raw, vegetarian or nutritious about a Coney Dog.  But alas, something inside of me really wants one…. at least that’s what I keep telling myself…

I think I can find something similar at Sonic Dogs, here in the city or Gray’s Papaya…  I don’t even know.  I’ll have to investigate.  I’ve never been to either of those places and I think I’ve eaten one hot dog in my 7 years in this city.  So, I’m definitely NOT the expert.

But… if someone can lead me to a vegan / healthier version… there HAS TO BE someone in this city able to create that masterpiece…  or at least send me a recipe…  I’ll try anything once!  🙂

I found this recipe in my google search for olga’s…Olga-style Snacker Recipe

… and this recipe from Rachel Ray in my google search for Coney Dogs… 

But to be honest, making something you’re craving when it’s this specific is not at easy as it sounds…

oh gee…

Apple, Pear and Cranberry Crisp

I have a few posts I have been working in this week, but in the meantime, here’s a healthy dessert for your weekend!  
When I make a fruit crisp, I often use this recipe from allrecipes.com .   I found it one day over a year ago when I didn’t have enough apples for an apple crisp but I had pears.
You can virtually do whatever you want with this.  I’ve used raisins instead of dried cranberries and I actually usually use raw cranberries that I cook down, so I use that juice too.  The natural cranberry juice and the lime juice make a nice semi-tart fruit base that combined with the semi-buttery and sweet crumbly crust is delicious!
I have a few other substitutions: whole wheat flour is I use in all my baking instead of white flour and lime juice instead of lemon juice, because we usually have this instead of lemon. 
This time around, I sprinkled ground cinnamon on the apples and nutmeg on the pears that sat in lime juice before mixing everything together in the prepared dish.  However, my little almost two-year old helper was a little over zealous with the cinnamon and the taste was a bit much for my husband.  So go a little easy if it’s not to your liking.

Here’s the recipe (substitutions in bold):
  • 2 Rome Beauty apples – peeled, cored, and cubed  / I used 1 Golden Delicious and 1/2 of a HoneyCrisp

  • 2 Comice pears – peeled, cored, and cubed  / I used 2 BOSC Pears

  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries / I used fresh cranberries that I boiled in some water.

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour /  Whole Wheat Flour

  • 2 tablespoons honey 

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour / Whole Wheat Flour

  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 

  • 1/2 cup quick cooking oats 

  • 1/4 cup ground walnuts / I DID NOT use Walnuts … Didn’t have any

  • 1/2 cup butter . / I used Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks 
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8 inch baking dish.
  • Mix the apples, pears, cranberries, 1 tablespoon flour, honey, and lemon juice in the prepared dish.
  • In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, oats, walnuts, and butter to the consistency of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle loosely over the fruit mixture.
  • Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until brown and crisp on top.

Let me know if you liked it, what substitutions did you use?  Do you have a favorite fruit crisp recipe?  Share it!  I’d love to try it! 🙂

    Happy Weekend Baking!