Wonderful, Versatile Crêpes

August 11, 2023

Crêpes…they are such a treat, right? They are one of the best recipes to have in your weekly rotation when the kids go back to school. They are easy to make, versatile, and everyone likes them. Plus, they have a good balance of protein, fat, and carbs to help keep everyone happy and full. Now that’s a win in my book!

Traditionally, crêpes are made with wheat flour or buckwheat flour, milk, eggs, and salt. My version of crêpes is adapted a little to make them even more filling and gluten-free. Instead of using a grain-based flour, I use some coconut flour and some brown rice flour.

Coconut flour is very high in fiber, providing 6g per 2 tablespoons! Plus those 2 tablespoons have 9g of carbs balanced out with 2g of fat and 2g of protein. So it is a very filling flour alternative to use. Other grain-based flours do not have a similar profile, and that is okay, but it’s a fun little hack to make these crêpes even more filling. However, since coconut flour soaks up a lot of liquid you can only use it for a portion of the recipe.

The wonderful thing about crêpes is their versatility. Once they are made, you can add anything your heart desires. Want simple and sweet? Hearty and savory? Maybe one of each? Either way, they are a fun food for the whole family. Besides their versatility, crêpes can also be an exciting alternative to sandwich bread. They pack easily for school lunches and make a great after school snack. Plus, you can roll them up, cut them into thin “noodle” strips, and enjoy them with some hot broth for a simple soup. And if I haven’t gotten your attention yet, kids love making these too! The simple ingredients and minimal cooking make crêpes a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen.

Want some ideas for how to serve crêpes? They are endless. But check out the lists of sweet and savory options below.

Sweet:

Just honey
Honey and smashed blackberries or raspberries
Honey and peanut butter – or any nut/seed butter (with or without banana slices)
Peanut butter and jam
Honey, yogurt, and fruit
Honey, cottage cheese, and fruit
Chocolate hazelnut spread (with or without banana slices)

Savory:

Hummus and microgreens
Melted cheese, turkey, and arugula
Avocado, feta, and microgreens
Smoked salmon, avocado, and microgreens
Cooked asparagus and a creamy white sauce (with or without mushrooms)
Canned salmon, cream cheese, and greens
Ham, spinach, and cheese

The Happy Belly Crepe Recipe

This recipe works best using whole milk and precise measurements. You can definitely experiment, however, adaptations may not work as well.

Makes 4

INGREDIENTS

2 large organic eggs

½ cup organic whole milk

2 tablespoons organic coconut flour

1 ½ tablespoons organic brown rice flour

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Optional: splash of vanilla for sweet crêpes

Salted butter for cooking

DIRECTIONS

Whisk the eggs, ideally in a 2 cup measuring cup with a spout for easy pouring. You can use a bowl and ladle too, if you’d like. Then whisk in the milk, followed by the flour and salt. Add the optional vanilla if desired.

Heat a well-seasoned cast iron pan, or alternatively a non-stick pan, over medium-low heat. Once sizzling, add a pat of butter. Evenly coat the bottom with about ¼ of the mixture into the pan, while rotating and tilting the pan to evenly coat the bottom with the crêpe mixture. Allow the crêpe to cook until the top is no longer glossy. Then using a spatula, flip the crêpe and cook for another 20 seconds or so. Transfer to a plate. Repeat the process until all the crêpes are done.

Serve immediately with fillings of choice, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for later use. This recipe can easily be doubled.

Note: The tricky part of this recipe is finding the sweet spot of the heat required to cook the crêpe but not burn the butter. I usually toggle between medium and low. I am often working close to medium heat when the crêpe is in the pan. In between crêpes, I turn down the heat to low, add the butter to evenly oil the pan, and then add more crêpe mixture. Once the crêpe mixture is evenly spread out, I put the pan back on the burner, and increase heat to almost medium to cook the crepe.