The definition of blissful according to the Websters Dictionary is: full of, marked by, or
causing bliss. Now,
to me homemade crepes are always blissful! However, my morning making them may
only meet MY definition of blissful. I mean most wouldn't consider it blissful
to wake up to two little munchkins jumping into bed with you at 6am! But that
is typically how Saturdays start for us at the Craines. I really don’t mind it;
I mean I love snuggling with my kids even at 6am on a Saturday. It is funny how
things change. When Rick and I were first married we lived in the mountains
just outside the El Dorado National forest in a tiny, super tiny, cabin. On a
typical Saturday morning we would roll out of bed at 8am, let our two pooches
out the door and then roll right back into bed until brunch hour, about 10am. I
would then get up, make espresso and create a delicious, time consuming,
breakfast for the two of us. We loved sitting out on our deck that overlooked
the hundreds of huge pines and listening to nature. It was quite, serene and
beautiful and I believe most people would have found it truly blissful.
I have always loved Saturdays. Maybe because when I
was a child my brother and I would look forward to Saturdays most of all! For
years I thought that we must be the best kids ever, because my parents would
allow us to watch our favorite TV shows every Saturday morning. I now know that
this was just a way for my parents to get just a little more sleep... Genius! We
thought we were amazingly lucky and they got to sleep, good for everybody! So now when our children
hop into bed with us at 6am, we snuggle with them for a few minutes and then
inevitably one of them will ask “can we watch a show”? And our answer is
always… “I don’t know, well maybe just one”, off they rush to the living room
to curl up on the big leather sofa and indulge in 30 minutes of Handy Manny or
My Little Pony. This system creates blissfulness all around!
So, this morning after the kids rushed out Rick fell
effortlessly back to sleep, while I just laid and enjoyed the silence. I
started to think about breakfast and what indulgent dish I could make but
without sinful calories. Crepes immediately popped into my mind! Now being both
a French trained chef and a self-proclaimed lover of all things French I LOVE
traditional buttery crepes just simply folded and topped with a light dusting
of powdered sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, but that is not something
I typically eat for breakfast. So my mind began to pull together a quick crepe
recipe that would both satisfy my craving for indulgence and fit my love of
healthy eating. These turned out delicious, we all loved them! While we weren't
eating our breakfast at noon staring off into the beautiful forest, watching my
kiddos dive into the delicious, healthy breakfast concoction I created was
truly blissful! So whether you are half of an adventurous fun loving couple, a
single foodie or a member of a wonderful family full of kids I hope this crepe
breakfast is blissful for you!
I used whole wheat flour instead of the traditional
AP flour and I used ground flax instead of butter. Ground flax can be used in
most baked or bread type recipes to replace butter or oil. Flax is high in
omega 3s and fiber and adds somewhat of a nutty flavor. I put flax in my
oatmeal, my kid’s pancakes and my homemade pre/post workout protein bars.
Enjoy!
The Crepes:
This made 14-8” paper thin crepes, 41 calories per crepe
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp ground flax
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1) Put it all in the blender or food processer and
blend on high until smooth.
2) Place crepe batter in the refrigerator until
ready to use.
3) I use an 8” non stick skillet to make my crepes.
Get it hot on med-high heat.
4) You will need to use something to keep the crepes
from sticking. I melt 1 tbsp of butter in a small bowl and used a basting brush
to lightly coat the pan about every 4-5 crepes. A little goes a long way. You
could use a misto with a neutral oil (grape seed or coconut oil). You could
also use nonstick spray, but the rule for my kitchen is I never cook with or
eat anything that comes from a spray can…
5) Add a 1/4 cup of batter to a hot skillet and
swirl around the pan to cover as much of the bottom of the skillet as possible.
As the edges cook, use a spatula to lift the edges of the crepe. After about 1
minute, flip the crepe over and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Transfer to
a warm plate and start over until the batter is done. I keep mine on a cookie
sheet in a 200 degree oven until I am ready to assemble them.
The Cheese Filling:
This made enough to fill each of the 14 crepes with
about 2 tablespoons of filling, 29 calories per table spoon
½ cup low fat cream cheese (softened)
½ cup low fat cottage cheese
½ teaspoon cinnamon + more to taste
½ tbsp honey + more to taste
Zest of 1 small lemon
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
1) Place softened cream cheese in mixer or use hand
mixer, mix on med for about 1 min until creamy.
2) Add cinnamon, honey, and lemon zest. Mix until
fully incorporated and creamy.
3) Fold in cottage cheese until fully incorporated.
4) Add squeeze of lemon juice and adjust honey and
cinnamon to desired taste.
The Berry Sauce:
Approximately 9 calories per tablespoon
1 cup frozen berries (I like mixes berries
strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries)
Fresh lemon juice to taste
Honey to taste (you can adjust to your desired
sweetness)
1) Place frozen berries in a saucepan heat them in
low- med heat until defrosted and warmed through. You may need to add a few
table spoons of water if they seem to dry as they heat up.
2) Add honey and lemon juice to taste
The Assembly:
1) Take one crepe add 2 tablespoons of the filling
to the center; fold the crepe in half, then in half again.
2) Dust with powdered sugar and top with 1
tablespoon of berry sauce. Add some fresh berries to the top if you have them
on hand! Enjoy!
Anonymous said...
January 23, 2012 at 10:05 AM
Where would I find the flax in my store and can you use this instead of butter in bread? I do use a bread machine so im not sure if it flax is wet considering I do n ot even know what it looks likes.
The Junk-Free Chef said...
January 24, 2012 at 12:23 PM
Hello! You can find flax at your grocery store typically in the baking isle near the specialty flours. I usually buy mine at Trader Joe’s because they have the best price in my area. Ground flax has a consistency similar to bran, except it is full of good oils. You can typically substitute ground flax for most oils at a ratio of 3:1, however you may need to increase the liquid because although it is rich in oil you will not get the initial wetness like when using a butter or oil. I have never used it as a full replacement in bread, but I do it all the time in muffins. The batter is more sticky, but in the end you can’t really tell the difference! The livestrong website has some good tips on baking with flax
http://www.livestrong.com/article/266709-how-to-bake-with-flaxseed-meal/. Please share your experience if you bake bread with flax as a fat substitute!
Heather said...
January 26, 2012 at 2:15 PM
We love making crepes, and I cannot wait to try your recipe