[Recipe] Perfect crepes: Easy as un, deux, trois

We’ve all wondered how the French can stay so thin with all of those buttery dishes and desserts. While that mystery remains unsolved, one French tradition is très simple to figure out: crepes! These yummy, thin pancakes can make a great alternative to a thick slice of cake for dessert, or provide a perfect platform for a savory dinner.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, or ½ cup all-purpose and ½ whole wheat flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk or soy milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted, or canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Directions:

1. Whisk together the flour and eggs. Slowly add the milk, water, butter or oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled pan on medium heat. Pour about a ¼ cup of batter on the pan. Lift the pan from heat and turn it so the batter covers the whole pan evenly.
3. Return to heat and let cook for about 2 minutes, or until the bottom is a light brown. Using a very thin spatula, flip the crepe and cook on the other side for about 2 minutes. Keep warm in the oven if you’re making a big stack.
4. Tip: If you’re new at crepe making, or just not that graceful (like me!), I’ve had success by heating up a second frying pan and flipping the crepe into that when it’s ready to cook on the other side. It’s another dish to wash — and perhaps a sin against Julia Child — but it works quite well!

 

Makes: 8 crepes, around 125 calories each

 

Filling ideas:

Dessert

• Sliced strawberries
• Sweetened ricotta with blueberries or jam
• Sliced apples and honey
• Bananas and a tablespoon of peanut butter

 

Dinner

• Sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and feta cheese
• Scrambled egg and cheddar cheese
• Sunny-side up egg with black forest ham

 

Tags: apples, bananas, blueberries, breakfast, crepes, dinner, eggs, feta, ham and cheese, healthy food, honey, mushrooms, pancakes, peanut butter, recipe, recipes, ricotta, spinach, strawberries

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