Vegan Crepes With Aquafaba Cream
Ingredients
Crepes
1 cup raw buckwheat groats
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon za’atar spice (optional)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ cups filtered water (room temperature)
2 handfuls fresh baby spinach
Arugula and Pea Pesto
2 handfuls fresh arugula
â…“ cup nutritional yeast
1 large fresh garlic clove
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
â…“ cup raw walnuts
¼ teaspoon sea salt
â…“ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup frozen peas
Preparation
Wash and dry buckwheat. Place in a high-powered blender (such as a Vitamix) with the chia seeds, za’atar spice, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and water. Set aside and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, add the spinach and blend for 30-45 seconds, or until the batter is smooth.
Meanwhile, prepare the Arugula and Pea Pesto by adding all of the ingredients, aside from the peas and olive oil, to a food processor. Blend for 20 seconds then add the olive oil, scrape sides, and continue to blend for 10 seconds. Rinse the peas with hot water and dry. Add peas to the food processor and process for 10 seconds. Spread should be chunky and not completely smooth. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
Begin to prepare the crepes by heating a non-stick pan such as OurPlace over medium heat. Once hot, add ½ cup batter. Since the batter is thick, use a spatula or the bottom of your measuring cup to spread and flatten the crepes evenly to a 6-inch diameter round. Cook undisturbed for 1½ minutes, flip using a spatula, and cook for 30 seconds. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
When all the crepes are ready, begin to prepare your favorite toppings such as eggs, thinly sliced beets, pea sprouts, fresh arugula, or just use the Arugula and Pea Pesto.
Assemble crepes by spreading 2 tablespoons of Arugula and Pea Pesto on each crepe, stack with your favorite toppings (if using), roll, and enjoy!
Alternative:
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons oil or butter
1 cup almond milk, at room temperature
1 cup sparkling water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
METHOD
Combine flour, sugar and baking powder in a bowl. Mix to combine. Add in the remaining wet ingredients, and mix until smooth. The mixture should be thick but run easily off a spoon, add a tbsp more milk if you need to. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
Heat a non-stick frying pan to medium heat, then pour in a ladle of batter, quickly moving the pan to spread evenly on the bottom. Cook until the edges start to curl and bubbles form, about 45 seconds per side. Flip and repeat. Keep crepes warm under a clean tea towel or in a low oven until ready to serve.
Aquafaba Crema
Aquafaba Mayo
½ cup aquafaba (liquid from a can of organic chickpeas)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
About 1 ½ cups neutral oil (such as sunflower seed or grapeseed oil)
Combine the aquafaba, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. Using an immersion blender on a medium-high speed, pour in the oil in a very slow, steady stream. The aquafaba should begin to stiffen and expand—this will take a few minutes; it will be smooth and thickened. Transfer the mayo to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to about a week.
Ingredients
½ cup Aquafaba Mayo
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ lime, juiced
Kosher Salt
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and gently mix. Cover and store in a jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup (225 g) flour (spelt flour, oat flour or any gluten free flour)
1 cup (240 ml) aquafaba (the liquid of canned or boiled chickpeas) + more (about 1/2 cup when needed depending on which flour you use.)
1 cup (240 ml) oatmilk or any other no-dairy milk
Optional: 2 tbsp cacao, 2 tbsp coconut flour or 2 tsp cinnamon, cardamom, sweetener, herbs, or what ever you desire!
Directions:
Whisk or blend all the ingredients together for about 1 minute. (if you want to use oat flour, blend 2 cups (225g) rolled oats in the blender until you have a fine oat flour, than add the liquid and blend for an other minute.)
Let the batter set for 5 minutes.
Heat up a pan on a medium heat and for the first crêpe you may add a little coconut oil, for the other ones you don´t need any oil.
Add about 1/4 cup of the batter. (when the pan is hot!)
Cook the crêpes for about 1-2 minutes each side.
Fold your crêpes into pockets and fill with your favourite berries and some chocolate mousse or peanut butter/chocolate. (or add some veggies!)
Bon appetit!
Tips: you can storage your crêpes in the freezer with parchment paper in between.
INGREDIENTS
1½ cup flour
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp baking powder
1/2 cup aquafaba , (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
1¾ cups milk of choice *
2 Tbs mild olive oil **, plus extra for frying
1 tsp vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Add the flour to a large mixing bowl along with the salt and baking powder. Mix to combine them.
Add the aquafaba, oil and vanilla to the bowl, then gradually add the milk whisking as you go to work out any lumps (a few little tiny ones won't hurt). Once all the milk has been added and the batter is smooth, set aside and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes. DO NOT use a blender to mix the batter. Over-mixing will affect the texture of the pancakes.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan or crepe pan (mine is 10 inches wide - if you use a smaller one you will get more pancakes, a larger one a few less) over a medium high heat until very hot, then add a drop of oil and swirl it around the pan to coat. The better your pan the less oil you can get away with using.
Pour into the middle of the pan, enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan. I have a large frying pan and needed just less than ½ a cup. You need to do this quickly, then lift the pan off the heat and swirl it so the batter coats the entire bottom of the pan.
Leave the pancake to cook for between 30 seconds to a minute. Turn back a little outside edge to look under and flip or turn it when lots of nice brown spots have appeared. Cook for a further 30 seconds to a minute until that side is spotty too then remove from the pan.
Repeat until all of the batter is used. If your pan isn't a great one like mine you will need to add a tiny drop of oil before cooking each one. I wipe the oil around my pan carefully with a piece of kitchen paper (be sure not to burn your fingers).
You can feed the pancakes to the waiting hoards as you cook them, or you can keep a plate in a very low oven and place each pancake in there as they are cooked so they keep warm until you are all done.
NOTES
These Vegan English Pancake freeze very well. Layer them up with a piece of parchment paper between each one and slide them into a freezer bag. Defrost when you need them again and warm each one quickly on each side in a frying pan or in a microwave for a few seconds.
I recommend serving these pancakes quite simply with fresh lemon juice and sugar. They are at their very best like that and it is my favourite way to eat them. My son’s favourite way to eat them is with jam spread all over them then rolled up. You could also fill them with fresh fruit, chocolate spread, banana and chocolate, coconut cream or drizzle them with maple syrup. You can even omit the vanilla from my recipe and use savoury fillings. I’ve even been known to make a lasagne type dish with them instead of pasta sheets. Use your imagination and have fun!
