Sunday, November 4, 2012

Broccoli Crepes





Think of this broccoli crepe recipe as a template for any savory pureed green vegetable crepe.  I just happened to have leftover broccoli puree from supper last night so that dictated what I tried tonight.   When I rolled them up, I put a dollop of low-fat ricotta cheese in it sprinkled with a bit of nutmeg.  Nutmeg and broccoli are exquisite partners.  The next time I make these with broccoli, I might add other seasonings to the batter, such as Nature's Seasoning, or garlic and onion powder, or Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb blend, then sprinkle a bit of Parmesan cheese on the crepe before I roll them up. 

I know that most crepe recipes use more flour than I have used here, but I wanted to keep the carbohydrate count low, while emphasizing the vegetables.  It worked well enough that I am dreaming of many more savory vegetable possibilities.  Maybe they are more like pancakes than crepes.  Hmmmm......How about a pancrepe????  A crepcake????  

I used the liquid egg substitute of Egg Beaters for this recipe.  While I don't like the idea of artificial ingredients, Egg Beaters are incredibly handy for this application and I'm not sure yet if egg whites would work.  I'll try it and let you know.  

Anyway, this template can be used in a variety of ways, I think.  Another time I might try pureed asparagus enlivened with mint or dill.  Or go Indian with pureed spinach and curry.  Or head for the Mediterranean with pureed broccoli seasoned with oregano, thyme, and basil.  Pureed kale with onion and rosemary.  You get the idea.

Of course, it's probably not limited to green vegetables, either.  What about winter squash pancrepes?  Pzazz in so many places!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup Egg Beaters
2 teaspoons whole wheat flour
1/4 cup broccoli puree  ( This was leftover from last night.  One cup of chopped broccoli , then steamed and pureed with enough liquid to make a thick consistency will yield about 1/4 cup of puree. )
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of freshly ground pepper
Other seasonings to taste (not included in nutritional analysis)


Preparation:
Use a fork to mix the egg substitute with the flour.  Add the broccoli puree with seasonings as desired and mix well again.
Coat a saute pan with non-stick spray and heat the pan to medium-high heat.  Pour one-third of the batter into the pan and cook until bubbly, which only takes about 1 - 2 minutes.  Then carefully flip and cook until just lightly browned, about 1 minute.   Repeat twice more to make a total of 3 small pancrepes.  Fill each with a dollop of low-fat ricotta cheese sprinkled with nutmeg, if desired.  Or sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. (These optional fillings are not included in the nutritional analysis.)




Nutrition per serving:
Servings per recipe: 1
Serving Size: 3 small crepes
Calories: 82
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 1 mg                                                                  
Sodium: 317 mg
Total Carbs: 8 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 11 g