HC Reviews

Whole Wheat Crepes

A healthier alternative to the standard crepes, whole wheat crepes blend will with many fillings from berries and yogurt to a warm seafood mixture with a light cream sauce.

I pulled this off the internet the other day in an excited 'must cook something' state. I'm glad i did because they're really quite good.

I skipped the sugar and added sprite (7-up works as well) instead of club soda. It just depends on how sweet you'd like your crepes to turn out. We were also short one egg, but we had bought super mega huge eggs last time so I wasn't concerned. I also missed the chill for at least 30 minutes thing, but they came out okay anyhow.

This is the first time I've actually made crepes so they weren't quite as nice and thin as I remember crepes being. You need to be able to work fast so you can pour the batter and swirl it thinly around the pan. I gave this recipe 4 out of 5 halos because of that. I also think I had the pan a bit too hot so be careful of that. It helps to turn the pan on so it heats up for when you cook these bad boys. So, off to the recipe....

From the Eating Well Test Kitchen

Prep time: 10 minutes
Start to finish: 40 minutes (including resting time)
To make ahead: Crepes will keep, between sheets of wax paper, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Ease of preparation: moderate

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar (for dessert crepes; optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup 1% milk
2 teaspoons butter, melted, or canola oil
1/2 cup seltzer water or club soda

Makes 16 crepes.
Per crepe: 49 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 41 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 53 mg sodium.

Step 1
Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar (if using), salt, eggs, milk and butter (or oil) in a food processor or blender; process until smooth, scraping the sides once or twice. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Step 2
Slowly whisk seltzer water (or club soda) into the crepe batter. Using a crumpled paper towel, lightly oil an 8-inch nonstick skillet; heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Using a small ladle or measuring cup, ladle about 2 tablespoons batter into the skillet; immediately tilt and rotate the pan to spread the batter evenly over the bottom.

Step 3
Cook the crepe until the underside is lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Using a small metal spatula or a fork, lift the edge of the crepe, quickly grasp it with your fingers and flip. Cook until the second side is lightly browned, about 20 seconds longer. Slide the crepe onto a plate.

Step 4
If serving immediately, fill and roll or fold the crepe. Continue to cook crepes with the remaining batter, oiling the pan as needed and staking crepes and you go.

Variations
Buckwheat Crepes: Substitute buckwheat flour for the whole-wheat flour. Fill with sautéed apples or smoked salmon and cream cheese.

Cornmeal Crepes: Substitute cornmeal for the whole-wheat flour. Try with a spicy chili or with blueberries and cream cheese.

Quick Crepe Fillings
You can use any of these suggestions to fill hot crepes (roll up and serve immediately) or cold crepes (warm the filled crepes in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes).

Savory
• Diced ham and grated cheese
• Strips of smoked salmon and herbed cream cheese
• Cooked vegetables, such as broccoli or asparagus, and grated cheese
• Sautéed corn, onion and red pepper with grated Monterey Jack cheese

Posted by dustbuffalo at July 10, 2005 04:29 PM