Peanut Butter Crepes with Strawberry Sauce + Napa Valley Food Adventure

I’ve never made crepes before—at least not that I can remember—but they’re super easy to make, even if you’re a kid with a dad hovering over your shoulder. These peanut-butter filled crepes are the perfect breakfast-in-bed treat for Mother’s Day … and they’re healthy too! All YOU have to do is copy the recipe and pass it along to your family. HINT HINT!

Many of the crepe recipes I’ve seen are made with lots of butter (yes, I used some, but not much, and I used “light”), filled with all sorts of decadent cream cheese-laden ingredients, and topped with whipped cream. My crepes are a lot lighter, which is something I know you moms will appreciate. They provide a nice helping of protein thanks to the heart-healthy peanut butter and the Greek yogurt, and they’re filled with vitamin C from the strawberries. Plus … they are gorgeous to look at.

The motivation for making crepes was twofold: First, it’s Mother’s Day, and when I asked my Facebook fans what they would love as a breakfast-in-bed surprise for Sunday, crepes topped the list (along with waffles). Second, last weekend, I traveled to Napa, CA for a food and nutrition conference sponsored by the Peanut Institute. I spent some time at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone where a peanut butter crepe recipe was demonstrated. My recipe is a version of that one.

This is the view from my window as I flew towards California. A feast for the eyes!

A chef at the CIA demonstrated an interesting technique for making crepes. She suggested blending the crepe batter ingredients—a quick way to get everything incorporated—and said the key to crepe success is a nonstick pan. You can certainly use a lot less butter that way.

Peanut Butter Crepes with Strawberry Sauce

 

Author: Liz

Nutrition Information

• Serves: 6

• Serving size: 1 crepe
• Calories: 200

• Fat: 9g
• Saturated fat: 3g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Sodium: 150mg
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 9g

Recipe type: Breakfast

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Peanuts are one of nature's most nutrient-rich foods. Hmmm ... where to begin? They contain vitamin E, which research shows boosts the immune system and lowers heart disease risk. They also contain more arginine (an amino acid) than any other food; arginine improves circulation and may help to lower blood pressure. And studies indicate that when people include peanuts and peanut butter in their daily diets they have lower BMIs and body weight. The nutrient analysis for this recipe is per crepe, and I suggest you serve it with lots of fresh, sliced strawberries on the side. (Recipe adapted from the Culinary Institute of America.)

Ingredients

• One 12-ounce bag frozen organic strawberries (about 2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus a pinch, divided
• ¾ cup 1% low-fat milk
• 1 large egg (preferably an omega-3 egg)
• ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour or whole wheat
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons light butter, melted, divided
• ¼ cup peanut butter
• ¾ cup 0%-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
• Sliced fresh strawberries for topping, optional
• Powdered sugar, optional

Instructions

1. Place the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, ⅛ teaspoon of the cinnamon, and a pinch of the salt, in a small or medium saucepan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to cook at a low boil, stirring every few minutes, until the berries break down and the mixture is nice and syrupy, 15 to 20 minutes. To speed things up, use the back of a spoon to smoosh the berries against the side of the saucepan as you stir.
2. Remove the berries from the heat and transfer to a bowl (you'll have about 1 cup of sauce). Let cool to room temperature, or cover and place in the refrigerator for later use.
3. To make the crepes, place the milk, egg, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, ⅛ teaspoon of the cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt in a blender and blend until smooth and all ingredients are incorporated.
4. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lightly brush the pan with a bit of the remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Place a scant ¼ cup of the batter into the pan and swirl to form an even layer. Cook until the bottom is lightly browned, 60 to 90 seconds. Use a spatula to flip the crepe and cook an additional 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cover with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining butter and batter. (You can make the crepes ahead of time, cover, and place in the fridge. Before assembly, simply heat each crepe for about 10 seconds in the microwave.)
5. To assemble, spread 2 teaspoons peanut butter on each warm crepe. Spread on about 1 tablespoon of the strawberry sauce. Fold the crepes in half and then in half again to create a triangle. Top or serve with Greek yogurt, the remaining strawberry sauce, and sliced berries and powdered sugar as desired.

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Post a comment and let me know what you had for Mother’s Day!

Disclosure: I do not work for the Peanut Institute, but my travel expenses associated with the conference were paid for.  All opinions and recipes are mine and the scientific research addressed in this post is based on peer-reviewed, published studies.