Paleo Crepes

A French classic gets the paleo treatment.

For the printable recipe click here.

Crepes are very whimsical to me. They remind me of backpacking through France when Monster Daddy and I were just dating. They take me back to our first apartment as a married couple, where I frequently made a “healthier” version with whole-wheat flour. They make me think of the little crepe shop we enjoy with the monsters when we pass through Nashville.

But the whimsy doesn’t end with nostalgia. It’s also in the way crepes seem fussy to make, but they’re really a breeze; in the way they are barely there but also substantive; and in the way they can be transformed from savory to sweet, breakfast to dinner to dessert.

These paleo crepes, created on a whim for breakfast one morning, are one of my favorite recipes I’ve developed this year. Just needing to feed my peeps, I threw a bunch of stuff in a bowl and crossed my fingers, not writing down a single thing and not expecting much. When they turned out perfectly with rave reviews from the whole monster crew, I grabbed my recipe journal and frantically attempted to recall what I’d done.

Fingers were crossed again for the next attempt, as we waited to see if the recipe was remembered accurately. SUCCESS! Now these monster-favorite crepes are a go-to for any meal of the day.

Favorite fillings include…

• Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut and Almond Butter with sliced bananas

• Kerrygold butter (or Miyoko’s Creamery dairy-free butter) with a sprinkle of cinnamon and drizzle of honey

• Dairy-free mozzarella and uncured pepperoni, folded in half and pressed in a hot pan to make a pizzacrepadilla.

I also totally enjoy them plain, just rolled up like a cigar.

For best results with this recipe, use a good nonstick skillet. It may be controversial, but I use a Greenpan with great success. I heat the pan between medium and med-high heat and spray lightly with avocado oil before pouring in the first bit of batter.

There is a little bit of technique required for great crepes, but it’s not hard to master: use your right hand to pour about three tablespoons of batter (eyeball it) into the center of the pan. With your left hand, gently but immediately begin to tilt the pan down and around to help swirl the batter and spread it out in the pan. If you get little “legs” around the edges, no worries! The crepes will still look beautiful when they are all folded up.

Here's what you'll need:

• ¼ cup potato starch

• ¼ cup arrowroot

• ¼ cup almond flour

• 2 T coconut flour

• 1 T golden flax meal

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 4 large eggs

• 1 cup coconut milk or almond milk

Here's what you'll do:

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients (potato starch-salt) in a medium sized mixing bowl. Set aside.

2. In a separate bowl, use a fork to beat together the milk and eggs.

3. Whisk the egg mixture into the dry mixture until smooth.

4. Heat a nonstick skillet over med-high heat (or between medium and med-high) and spray lightly with avocado oil.

5. Working quickly, use your right hand to pour about 3 T batter (eyeball it) into the center of the pan. Immediately but carefully use your left hand to gently tilt and swirl the batter so that it spreads out in the pan. If your crepe gets little “legs” on the outside, do not worry! They will still be beautiful folded up.

6. Cook 30-45 seconds on each side. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter. Fill and enjoy!

Sometimes I add flavorings like vanilla or almond extract or a drop of lemon or orange essential oil, but generally I like to keep the crepes neutral for versatility.

Every now and then, I'll get a little bit of crepe that wants to stick to my pan. If that happens, try to get it all scraped off before pouring more batter because the next crepe will want to stick to whatever's left behind.

Crepes can be made in advance, stored in the fridge for up to two days, and reheated as needed.

For the printable recipe click here.