Gluten-Free Crêpes

Pronounced krāp; or krɛp doesn't make a difference to me because in the end you have a very thin "pancake" that you can fill with almost anything. You can go sweet or you can go savory.

Lately, I have been craving savory crêpes, oozing with healthy veg and some sharp cheese! Years ago when I first got into cooking, a dear friend of mine made some amazing crêpes that have stayed with me to this day- and all she did was put fresh spinach and garlic powder inside them rolled them up and voila! I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Coming from college dormitory food at that time, you can see why I thought these were perfection! Really though, sometimes dishes made with the simplest ingredients can be the most satifying and memorable meals of all!

I have taken it up a notch since those days by adding goat cheese, shallots and fresh herbs, but I still love the flavor of the garlic powder too; so to the memory of those early crêpes, I still add this.

Amazingly, making them gluten-free has worked out well. You just need to let the batter sit and rest and mingle so the flours with all play happily together once they are sizzling away on the crepe pan. And the pan is very, very important! You really must have a crepe pan for them to come out super thin- I have been using the same pan for years and years and you can find one here or here. The best type hands down are the ones made of blue steel and made in France. After all, they should know! Once seasoned, it will turn out beautiful crepes for years to come.

Here is what I made recently for a satisfying and easy dinner:

Savory Spinach Crêpes

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour (or try brown rice or garbanzo flour)
2 large eggs
1 pinch of salt
1 cup milk ( I used almond milk)
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp melted butter

For filling:

1 package of frozen spinach thawed and water squeezed out
1-2 shallots, minced
2 tbsp butter
Goat cheese or cheese of choice grated (about 1 cup)
salt and pepper to taste
dash of garlic powder (optional)
fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, chives) your choice


Method:

1. Blend ingredients in a blender, transfer to a bowl, cover and let rest for an hour. (this can be done ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to a day)*

2. Meanwhile prepare the filling: Saute shallots in butter in a pan until soft. Add drained spinach and heat through. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and keep warm.

3.Heat your crêpe pan and cook the crêpes a few minutes on each side. Remove to a plate and cover with a towel while you make the rest.

4. Fill your crêpes, being careful not to over fill with the spinach mixture. Sprinkle with a bit of cheese and herbs and either roll or fold.

*Batter makes enough for about 10 crêpes.

Some folks like to make a Béchamel sauce as well- but for me, I just eat them like this. Either way, served with a salad, this makes for a great weekday meal.