Buckwheat Pancakes

Healthy food should not be boring!

Noooo. Humans are designed to eat varied and enjoyable things and you can fight this instinct for only so long. Anyone that has gakked down poached chicken breast and broccoli in pursuit of defined abs will know this. After two weeks of that, even an artificially flavoured, fake chocolate protein bar with scary pink stuff inside begins to look like a serious treat. 

Yes, I do speak from experience. :D

Therefore, as part of a kick-ass Junkfree January, I've been experimenting in the kitch. One of my more user-friendly creations is this simple buckwheat pancake or crepe, which can hold its own as a savory or sweet item. First up, the recipe:

Buckwheat Crepes

Ingredients:

Makes one fat or two thin crepes.

• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk (of any sort - almond milk works wonderfully, but I used plain old organic cow's milk)
• Pinch of salt
• Water (for thinning further if necessary)

Optional additions to the batter depending on its intended fate:

• Nutmeg
• Cinnamon
• Green herbs

Method:

1. Place the egg, salt and flour in a bowl and combine with a whisk

2. Add the milk slowly, whisking frequently, until desired consistency is achieved. It should be runny enough to pour. If it still looks too thick when all the milk is added, you can add more milk (if you don't mind messing with the nutrition data) or some water.

3. Cook it! The nutrition data, which is at the end of this post, allows 5g (1 tsp) of butter or oil. This should work in a non-stick pan. I don't have one of those, and therefore used a technique which may be described as death by butter. Do as I say, not as I do.

Swirl the oil around a moderately hot fry pan until the surface is coated then pour the batter on - either in one batch or two, it's up to you. Wait until the top bubbles and then flip it. This crepe holds together remarkably well for one without gluten. 

You might want to lift the edges now and then to make sure it's not overcooking under there before and after the flip. It should be a nice, pale golden colour at completion.

And what to do with your perfect, golden crepe?  You put stuff on it, roll it and eat it with a happy face. Here are two that I have swooned over. I also made one with berries, but forgot to whip out the LG.

Egg, avocado and shaved pecorino sheeps cheese

Served with Kale Chips

Banana and almond butter, there is nutmeg in the crepe and cinnamon on the banana

You have seen this before. The rolled up version.

Smothered with yogurt, artfully placed over the bit that cracked up a bit when I rolled it :D

The food-nerdy stats are here. They could be quite calor-horrific by the time you add all the fillings. Remember, you can always exercise your right to make half the recipe or just... I dunno... save some for later?

Let me know how these work out for you and please comment if you have discovered any gluten-free-sugar-free fillings that made your soul hum with delight.  I know what I'd be adding to the banana/almond butter crepe if I wasn't sugar-free right now. Any guesses?