Strawberry-Ricotta Crepes

Although they contain less vitamin C, raspberries can be substituted for strawberries in this recipe. Raspberries have the most fiber of all the berries—8 grams per cup.


PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES / TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR / SERVINGS: 10










Ingredients
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 pounds strawberries, cored and finely chopped (about 4 cups)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), about 1⁄3 cup
5 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar plus extra (optional) for serving
3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
3⁄4 cup white whole wheat flour
2 large eggs
2 cups fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 2 lemons (about 4 teaspoons)

1 ADD the lemon juice, granulated sugar, and 2 cups of the strawberries to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the berries are very soft and broken down and the liquid is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.

2 COMBINE the ricotta, cream cheese, 4 tablespoons of the confectioners’ sugar, and the remaining berries in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

3 WHISK together both flours, the remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl, add the milk and vanilla extract, and whisk to combine. Pour into the flour mixture and whisk until no lumps remain.

4 HEAT an 8″ skillet on medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and pour about ¼ cup of the batter into the skillet. Immediately tilt the skillet and swirl the batter around to coat the entire cooking surface. Cook until the bottom side is golden brown, 1 to 1½ minutes. Loosen with a spatula and flip, using the spatula and your fingers to help turn the crepe. Cook until the opposite side is golden brown, reducing the heat to medium low if the crepe browns too quickly, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cover with a kitchen towel.

5 REPEAT with the remaining batter, spraying the skillet with cooking spray each time. Stack the finished crepes, placing wax paper or parchment paper between them to prevent sticking, and keep covered with the towel.

6 SPREAD about ¼ cup of the ricotta mixture over each crepe. Loosely fold in half and fold again to form triangles. Reheat the reserved strawberry sauce on low heat, if necessary. Top each crepe with about 2 tablespoons of the sauce and garnish with the lemon zest. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the top, if using.

Crepes 101
Crepes are fun and easy to make once you get the hang of it. Tilt the skillet immediately after pouring the batter so it thinly coats the entire cooking surface; make sure the pan is hot enough so that the crepe cooks quickly and doesn’t stick (it should sizzle a little on contact); and take the crepe out of the pan as soon as both sides are light golden brown so it’s tender, not crispy.

NUTRITION (per serving: 1 crepe) 209 calories, 9 g protein, 31 g carbs, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 151 mg sodium