Last weekend, my mom came up for a visit in Vermont and jumped on the opportunity to go strawberry picking. While I’m actually a big fan of Driscoll’s (I know, the locavore in me is dying, but sometimes you just need a strawberry in the middle of the winter), local strawberries are truly unique and special. They tend to be much smaller and have a different taste—usually tarter—than regular store-bought strawberries. Buying local strawberries is generally very expensive, but if you pick your own, it’s easy and a huge bargain.
With all these beautiful strawberries, I knew I wanted to make something special and delicious. But what to do? There are so many options! I finally settled on doing some crepes. Yum. It was perfect for a slow Sunday morning brunch.
Vanilla Crepe Batter
Serves 4.
2 large eggs + 2 egg whites
1 cup skim milk
1 cup spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 packets stevia or 2 tablespoons honey
Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. The batter should be fairly thin (much thinner than pancake batter). Let the batter sit for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight.
After the batter has sat for at least 30 minutes, it’s time to make the crepes. Don’t be intimidated by crepes–they are just like pancakes, but seem more impressive and fancy. You can use a crepe pan or just a regular small skillet (like one you would use to make an omelette).
Put the pan over medium-high heat and spray with oil. Once the pan is relatively hot, pour the crepe batter into the pan. You want to pour just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Once the bottom is lightly browned/cooked, flip the crepe with a spatula. Then lightly brown the other side and you’re done! Repeat until all the batter is used.
Whip Cream Topping
1 small 0% plain greek yogurt container
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
.5 teaspoons sweetener, your choice (I suggest honey. yum!)
orange zest of 1/2 orange
1 teaspoon orange juice
Mix all ingredients with a spoon
Filling/Topping
1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
1 orange, supremed (click here to see how to do it!)
1 teaspoon orange juice
2 tablespoons xylitol or 1-2 tablespoons honey
Mix all ingredients together.
To assemble the final plate, you have a number of options. You could fill the crepe with the strawberry mixture and roll it up (like a burrito) and top with whip cream, or you could just roll the crepe up without a filling and top it with the strawberries and whip cream. Lastly, you can plate it like a pancake.
Top with a drizzle of honey and caramelized pecans. Yum!
