Good Morning to all my friends out there!
It was a rough night here in Abu Dhabi for me, as we had a huge earthquake in a neighboring country, Pakistan, and we felt it here too. It started when my cuckoo clock's pendulum stopped swinging suddenly around 11:19pm. I thought it was odd, but I started it back up and went on with my nightly ritual of sitting at the kitchen table surfing the net! Hehe. What happened next, at 12:23AM was the equivalent of a boat ride, as I felt myself rocking and swaying side to side, dizzy and afraid. I ran for my three year old and went outside! I could hear screeching metal (never figured out what it was) and I could see my window panes shaking as we took it all in.
Why am I telling you this, dear reader, you wonder? Oh my gosh! COMFORT FOOD. I NEED comfort food today, of all days. So, what does a nutritarian do for comfort?
APPLE CREPES!
Ok, so I "invented" this dish out of ingredients everyone knows and loves, so technically I didn't invent anything lol. But this is my blog, and I'm the one typing...so it's mine! All mine! Before I became a nutritarian and when I was a little gal my Grandmother used to make us the most delectable Swedish pancakes, a crepe like pancake of sorts. Totally bad for you, but delicious. This is my nutritarian substitute, and I must say, the more I make it, the more it feels like "home".
Truly there is no real substitute for Grandma's Swedish pancakes/crepes, but then again, there is also no substitute for feeling confident with your body and happy with your health and energy levels. For me, it's just not an option. I will always and forever cherish the old memories despite it all, and I will still make those Swedish pancakes for my friends and family who are not nutritarians as bad as that is of me to do :D But, that is my compromise to make. If you won't join me in Eating to Live, I'll still cook for you with all my heart because I love you! That's why I've got a cake blog too. It's so funny that such a baker ended up such a health nut. Gotta love it. Have you any idea how hard it is to make a cake when you can't taste the batter to make sure it's just right? lol That is what Husbands are for, apparently.
So, the recipe.
APPLE CREPES (per person)
1-2 Apples, peeled and cored
Cinnamon, to taste
Allspice, to taste
Lemon Juice, a dash
Water, for steam
Homemade Vanilla Extract, a few dashes?
Note about the vanilla:
If you don't have homemade vanilla don't panic. Store bought is fine, but most brands contain sugar or corn syrup hidden in the label amongst other disgraceful ingredients so I prefer to make my own. It's so easy and the vanilla taste is so PURE! Another post, I promise.
Equipment:
Cast iron crepe pan or any frying pan, NO OIL OR SPRAY FOLKS
Mandolin Slicer (or a lot of patience and a very sharp knife!)
Directions:
Use the mandolin slicer to VERY thinly slice the whole peeled and cored apples into rounds. Arrange them in the cast iron pan in a scalloped spiral shape, starting with the outside edge and working your way towards the center. Only one layer of scalloped apples, per pan. The precise way about this doesn't matter. Just don't make more than one layer, we're trying to brown some of the apple here. If you add too many apples, they won't cook correctly, and won't all get browned but mushy instead.
Sprinkle apples with cinnamon, allspice, lemon juice water and vanilla. Cover with a clear glass lid, if you have one to help the steam penetrate the apples. Pan "fry" the apples undisturbed on medium high heat until the edges start to brown. With a spatula, flip the apples over and attempt to brown the other sides. They will no longer be arranged neat and pretty, hehe. They are done when slightly caramelized and soft.
Serve immediately! I am going to experiment with making a maple vanilla cashew cream sauce to go with these in the future, they are so good! They brought me so much comfort this morning ;)
I hope they bring you comfort as well! My son broke my digital camera so for now, you'll have to settle for cell phone pics. Uploading soon!
Yours,
Jemoiselle
yummy!
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