Vegan Wheat Crepes

Correction: these were vegan crepes... the crepe part is vegan, the fillings are not. I had vegan intentions, I swear, but the leftover brie in the fridge was calling my name and then I somehow managed to pick out the more of the dairy-est ingredients in my kitchen to fill my vegan crepes: crème fraîche and Nutella. I had some bananas though!

This recipe came from the cookbook Veganomicon that my sister got for me as a Christmas gift. It's a good thing she got it because I probably wouldn't have bought it on my own... not because it's a bad cookbook (it's an amazing cookbook), but I tend to be wary of vegan cookbooks. They often use so many ingredients that are pricey or that a lot of people might not have access to. Though alternative ingredients are becoming more and more available, they are not quite everywhere. I go to college in a very rural area and I have a whole list of ingredients I cannot find, so I feel for people who live in similar areas.

Back to the cookbook. It's not typical "vegan food", or the stereotype of vegan food, meaning mediocre alternative recipes for foods that really just need the cream, butter, or meat to be good or to be what the recipe is trying to be. I have come across way too many vegan cookbooks like that. We've all seen the attempt to use tofu instead of cheese in lasagna or that mysterious soy product covered in sauce trying to pass as "vegan wings". Yes, Veganomicon has some of those recipes like the Beanball Sub and the Tofu Po' Boy (which I haven't yet tried so I'm not saying they're bad!), but for the most part the recipes focus on the featured ingredients with recipes like Grilled Yucca Tortillas or Spicy Peanut and Eggplant Soup.

Now for the crepes!

1 1/2 c soy, rice, or almond milk (I always use almond milk!)
1/4 c water
3/4 c all purpose flour*
1/4 c chickpea flour*
1 tbsp arrowroot flour
1/2 tsp salt

-Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender (I imagine a whisk would be fine too) until just blended - only a few seconds are necessary
-Refrigerate batter for at least one hour before cooking
-Heat a pan to medium-high and grease the pan with Earth Balance or a neutral oil
-Using a ladle, pour 1/3 - 1/2 c of the batter into the pan, swirling the pan quickly to spread the batter evenly
-Cook each crepe until the top is dry/cooked and the edges become crispy and slightly curl upwards, then loosen the crepe with a spatula, flip it, and cook the opposite side for just about 30 seconds
-Place your crepe on a plate, fill with whatever you like, and enjoy!

* I used 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 whole wheat flour because I didn't have chickpea flour. I also added some flax meal. Also, the technique and cook time is a bit tricky at first, you'll get it after a few tries though!