Vanilla Bean Banana Crepes, a.k.a. the easiest crepe you’ll ever make… a.k.a. the only crepe recipe you may ever need (actually, I lied there are more crepe recipes in the Nutrition Stripped cookbook that are must trys). Bold statements I know, but they couldn’t be more true! I know how often I describe my food and recipes to be simple, but that’s what I’m all about. Creating really delicious whole food recipes and making them simple enough for everyone to make across the globe- no matter if you’re a foodie or not.
These Vanilla Bean Banana Crepes are made using only 5 ingredients with bananas and eggs being the main two ingredients, subtle vanilla flavor, and hints of warming spices like my favorite, cinnamon. Since this recipe is so simple, the explanation or lack thereof should be simple as well. These crepes contain roughly 10g of protein per serving and great sources of healthy fats (don’t be afraid to enjoy egg yolks- they’re loaded with nutrients), and contain good sources of simple carbohydrates from the banana. You can have some fun with the toppings or how you choose to fill the crepes with some of my favorite ideas below:
TOP IT/FILL IT |
- Sweet Cream
- Fresh berries (my favorites are raspberries, pears, blackberries, and peaches)
- Dark Chocolate Avocado Mousse
- Raspberry Chia Jam
- Cashew butter or other nut/seed butters you enjoy
- Nuts and seeds such as pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds
These crepes are different than “normal” crepes, they’re spongey, light, and naturally sweet versus tasting “eggy” like many crepes I’ve had in the past. THE key to success in making these crepes are 1) a great spatula, 2) a well greased pan, 3) a great pan! Ideally if you have a crepe pan, use that because the batter is very delicate.
There are two methods I found work great for making these crepes, the skillet method and the cast iron method, the latter being my favorite and producing THE best results. The skillet method is basically how you would make pancakes, pouring batter, flipping, and repeating. The cast iron method is where you use a small cast iron, heated on medium heat on the stove, pour the batter, cook for a couple of minutes and then transfer into the oven to finish cooking. This is the best result! The crepes are incredibly pliable, cooked through perfectly and larger in size! The method you choose to use truly depends on the time you have and kitchen tools- the cast iron method takes a bit longer but well worth it.
I love making these for breakfast on the weekends, for a mid-morning snack or even for dessert. Since these ingredients are simple, meaning the majority of us have these in our kitchens most of the time, they make for the perfect recipe to use time and time again. Use fillings that you enjoy the most and adapt to the seasons- for example using fresh summer berries, stewed apples or pears in the fall, cranberries or pumpkin in the late fall/holiday season, etc.
Learn more about why I love using bananas in baking, smoothies, and recipes here. If you’re egg-free or looking for a vegan alternative, I’m working on that one… and that may be for the cookbook!
- 1 large banana, ripe
- 2 large eggs, farm fresh preferred
- 1/4 of vanilla bean pod seeds
- pinch of pink sea salt
- dash of ground cinnamon
- Simply put the ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until smooth. If you don’t have a blender, in a large bowl you can mash the banana with the back of a fork and beat the eggs into it until well combined and smooth (no chunks of banana).
- SKILLET METHOD //
- Heat a nonstick skillet or crepe pan to medium/low heat, grease the pan well with coconut oil and pour about 1/4 cup of the mixture in at a time.
- You’ll flip the crepe gently when bubbles start to form or when the bottom becomes golden brown, be very gentle when flipping.
- Continue to cook until both sides are slightly golden brown. Repeat with remaining amount of batter.
- CAST IRON METHOD //
- Using a well greased small (about 4-5 inches in diameter) cast iron skillet, pour about 1/4-1/3 cup of the batter making sure the batter is evenly distributed in the entire bottom of the cast iron skillet. Let this cook for about 2 minutes before transferring into an oven heated at 350 degrees F. Finish cooking by baking for about 5 minutes or until the crepe is firm and pliable. Repeat for the entire batter. This process takes longer, but the result is the best.
- Enjoy immediately or you may store in the fridge for later.
I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do- show me your creations using #nutritionstripped! Hope you all have a great day!
xo McKel
p.s. Nutrition Stripped news // I created helpful (and highly requested) downloadable bundles in the shop last week! Love your Body Bundle, Back to Basics (already the most popular), and Healthy Travels Bundle (perfect for the holidays coming up!). Check them all out here.
