3-Ingredient Crispy Vietnamese Crepes (vegan option)

What are they like?

-Deliciously crisp

-Filled with your favorite filling, or an option below

Recipe

This recipe is called Banh Xeo in Vietnamese and I love it. These crepes are deliciously crisp and the batter keeps in the fridge for whenever you would like a fresh batch. The recipe below is an adaptation from The Gluten Free Asian Kitchen cookbook. Traditionally the batter has ground turmeric in it, but instead I opted for ground fennel as I love the subtle, nutty flavor.

If you would like to learn more about how to make this recipe, it is featured in this episode. If you would like a vegetarian option, here is a Spicy Chickpea & Potato Curry (vegan), which makes a great filling.

Crepes
1 1/2 cups white rice flour
1/3 cup coconut milk 
1 1/4 tsp salt 
Optional: 1 tsp ground fennel (see note)

Filling, optional
1 large pork chop 
12 shrimp (cleaned, no shells) - optional 
1 cup mung beans, cooked 
1 garlic clove 
3 green onions
8 oz mung bean sprouts 
1 cup fresh mint leaves 
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (or basil) 

Directions:

1. For the crepes: place all of the ingredients in a bowl and add 2 cups of water. Whisk thoroughly. Allow to rest while you cook the filling. 

2. Cook the mung beans. Follow the instructions the package. 

3. Slice the pork into thin bite-sized pieces. Slice the green onions, keeping the white part separate. Chop or crush the garlic. 

4. Place a large nonstick pan (like a 10” cast iron) over medium high heat. Add 1 1 /2 tsp of oil and add the pork and white part of the green onions. Turn the heat down to medium and let it brown for two minutes. Then stir the pork and add the shrimp and crushed garlic. Cook for about two minutes or until the shrimp is no longer translucent. Set the filling aside. 

5. Add 1 1 /2 tsp of oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Pour in 1/2 cup of the crepe batter and swirl immediately to spread the filling around the pan. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Then add a few pieces of pork, a couple shrimp, a couple spoonfuls of mung beans, and a large handful of spouts to half of the crepe, making sure the ingredient are spread out on one half of the crepe. Cook until the bottom of the crepe is crisp and add a dash of salt. Then add a handful of herbs and green onions and fold the crepe in half, and serve!  

6. Traditionally this crepes is served with Nouc Cham sauce but I prefer garlic yogurt. Simply stir some some crushed garlic into yogurt to taste. This works for vegan yogurt as well! Or instead of garlic, add lemon juice and chopped dill to the yogurt and stir. 

Notes:

• Traditionally this recipe called a dash of turmeric. Feel free to omit or replace ground fennel with a dash of another spice. 

Spicy Chickpea & Potato Curry (Vegan)

What is it like?

-Packed with spices & herbs

-Cooked in a creamy Coconut-Cashew Sauce

Recipe

This recipe was inspired by chana masala, although it is milder and the spices and herbs are different. However, it does have a similar texture to chana masala as the potatoes and chickpeas are cooked in a creamy coconut cashew sauce. It can be eaten with pilaf, flatbread, or with a Vietnamese Crepe. If you would like to learn more about how to make Vietnamese Crepes, they are featured in this episode.

Puree
1 bell pepper
4 carrots
1/2 onion
1 13-oz can coconut milk (I prefer Thai Kitchen) 
1/3 cup cashews 

Stew
1 tbsp paprika 
3/4 tsp black pepper 
1 tsp fennel
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste if needed
3 tbsp low sodium tamari 
1/2 tsp oregano 
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme 
1 1/2 lbs potatoes 
Optional, 2 tbsp white wine 

Add at the end
1 13-oz can garbanzo beans 
1 lemon, zest plus 2 tbsp juice 
1/2 cup parsley, chopped (see note) 

Directions:

1. Roughly chop the carrots, onion, and bell pepper into 1-inch sized pieces. Puree the chopped vegetables, coconut milk, and cashews in a large blender or food processor. Add up to 1/4 cup water if needed. 

2. Place the puree in a 2-quart or medium sized pan with a lid. Add all of the ingredients from the “stew” list and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are cooked, about 20 minutes. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan when you stir to prevent a layer from forming. If you would like this recipe to be accompanied by rice, begin cooking the rice now. 

3. Add the canned garbanzo beans, lemon juice, zest and parsley. Salt to taste. 

Notes:

• Since this dish simmers for a long time, you can used the parsley stems as well as the leaves. They will soften and add a lovely flavor. 

• Spice: this dish calls or an unusual amount of black pepper, but I like the flavor and spiciness that it imparts. Add less pepper if you are hesitant and just spice to taste at the end. 

Whole Grain Fig & Almond Hot Cross Buns (1-Bowl)

What are they like?

- Moist & Light Rolls

- Filled with your choice of filling: Fig & Almond OR Cherry and Ginger

Photographed above are an example of fairly traditional hot cross buns. The recipe below is Whole grain (brown rice and buckwheat) so they are darker in color. The whole grain dough is also thinner than a traditional bun so they are baked in a muffin tin to hold a nice shape.

Buckwheat groats pictured above which, despite the name, are naturally gluten free

Recipe

Makes 10 buns (in a regular sized muffin pan)

Dry
3/4 cup flour mix 100g
2/3 cup buckwheat, 103g
1/3 cup tapioca flour/starch, 40g
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or British mixed spice
1/2 tsp salt 4g
1 1/2 tsp psyllium husk powder, 6g
1 1/8 tsp instant yeast, 4g

Wet
2 tbsp olive oil, 26g
1 large egg
2 tbsp maple syrup, 30g
1 cup warm water, 236ml/g

Additions (optional)
Flavor 1: 1/3 cup cranberries + 3 tbsp crystallized ginger, diced finely
Flavor 2: 1/3 cup diced figs + 1/4 cup slivered almonds + zest of 1 orange

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
about 1 tbsp water

Directions:

1. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl or in the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the wet ingredients and mix on low until amalgamated. Mix on medium speed for about one minute. The dough will be very wet.

2. Next, mix in the dried fruit (optional). Scoop the dough into a muffin tin or whoopee pie tin. Fill each mold a little over half full so that there is plenty of space for the rolls to rise—and they rise a lot!

3. Allow to rise until at least doubled in volume. Preheat your oven to 350F / 175C. If using a muffin tin, bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops just begin to brown. If you’re using a whoopee pie tin, the rolls will bake for less time, about 20 minutes because they are smaller.

4. Allow to cool completely. Then mix together the powdered sugar and just enough water to make a thick drizzle (it should coat the spoon generously). Place the mixture in a piping bag or you can make your own (see note). With the icing, make a cross pattern going all the way across the buns. Allow the icing to set and then serve warm or place in an airtight container. I give them a short zap in the microwave before serving. Enjoy!

Notes:

• If you prefer to try a savory version of this recipe, you can leave out the dried fruit and frosting and just add a few tablespoons of sunflower seeds and flaxseeds to the dough. Also put a few seeds on top of each roll before baking, and gently press them onto the dough.

• You can make your own piping bag from a sandwich bag or parchment paper. Alternatively, you can just dollop some icing on top of the buns with a spoon.

Amaranth "Polenta" Cakes (Vegan, Paleo)

What are they like?

-Browned on the outside

-Rich and creamy on the inside

-Flavored with caramelized onions, paprika, and cumin

The Amaranth Cakes look slightly different than the photo above, but equally satisfying :)

Recipe

This recipes is gluten free, vegan and can be made Paleo. They taste like real polenta cakes, but unlike polenta which is corn-based, these savory pancakes are packed with nutrients, whole grains, and fiber. If you like (like I do) you can also soak/sprout your amaranth prior to cooking.

Makes 9-12 cakes, prep 12 min, cook time 20 min

3 cups amaranth, cooked
1 cup chick peas (omit if paleo)
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs* (or for Paleo, substitute 1/3 cup coconut flour or two eggs)
2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt or to taste

Directions:

1. In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the onion and bell pepper with 2 tsp olive oil until tender, about ten minutes. Stir occasionally and turn the burner down if necessary to prevent burning. (SEE NOTE)

2. While the vegetables sauté, combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the peppers and onions when they are done and allow the mixture to rest for about 5 minutes.

3. Heat the pan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil and then scoop pancake-sized spoonfuls of mixture into the pan and flatten into round pancakes with the back of a spoon. I usually cook three at a time in a 10” cast iron pan. You can even cook with two pans simultaneously to make cooking faster. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, just until they brown on each side. Repeat with the rest of the mixture and serve immediately.

I love these pancakes with my homemade hummus recipe. They are also excellent with whole milk yogurt, sriracha sauce, or just on their own! I often make a yogurt sauce (dairy or vegan) by adding lime, salt, and an herb like cilantro or dill to the yogurt. It’s delightful with these savory cakes!

Notes:
Cooked amaranth is porridge-like, so breadcrumbs helps absorb liquid. You can try substituting 1/3 cup coconut flour for the oat flour, although I have not tested this substitution. Alternatively you can substitute two eggs for the oat flour and make slightly thinner pancakes. I have tested this recipe with eggs and it is delicious but not vegan!

*I tested this recipe substituting oat flour for the breadcrumbs. My porridge was fairly goopy and not dry enough so I added a lot of oat flour, 3/4 cup, and cooked them right away using two pans. However, using too much oat flour can make the texture sticky and you don’t want that! I recommend bread crumbs unless you don’t have any on hand!

Pepperoni Quiche with Spinach & Red Bell Pepper

Note: recipe below is a little different from picture above. It is my favorite quiche recipe. I hope you enjoy it!

Cook time: 30 minutes active, 50 minutes baking

crust
Follow favorite Foolproof Pie/Tart Crust recipe.

filling
12 slices peperoni
1 cup spinach, sliced thin
1/4 bell pepper, sliced thin
dash of salt
1 tsp (or to taste) cholula or other hot sauce
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup parmesan, grated

Base
1 ¼ c scant cream or coconut milk
5 eggs
Spices: 1 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/8 tsp cayenne

Directions
1. Prepare crust and mold into an 8x8 baking dish. Place in fridge
2. Preheat oven to 375F.
3. Prepare the filling. Sauté pepperoni over medium heat, until slightly browned and oils have released. Set aside, and add 2 tsp butter, bell pepper, and dash of salt to the pan and sauté about 3 minutes. Add spinach and cover pan for about one minute just until it wilts. Slice pepperoni into strips. Grate cheeses.
4. Whisk together all of the ingredients for the base.
5. Layer cheddar cheese on top of unbaked crust. Place meat and veggies on top of cheddar cheese, and then drizzle on a bit of hot sauce. Pour cream/egg mixture over veggies. Sprinkle parmesan on top and bake for about 40min, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let sit for 10min before slicing.