This hearty, flavorful dish is full of bright vegetables and very low in calories. The light and tender gluten-free buckwheat crepes complement the ratatouille and give the meal a nutty, earthy touch. Buckwheat isn’t only filling, but also high in magnesium which helps control blood sugar, too. A generous portion of two crepes is only 325 calories and provides you with a third of your recommended fiber for the day.
Buckwheat Crepes with Ratatouille Recipe
Serves 6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
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Ingredients
For the crepes:
1 1/4 cups buckwheat flour
3 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for the pan as needed
3/4 cup nonfat milk
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the ratatouille:
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 medium onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
6 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of dried chili flakes
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 summer squash (yellow squash or zucchini), cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
10 basil leaves, thinly sliced
Salt to taste
Preparation
- In a medium bowl, whisk together buckwheat, eggs, oil, milk, water and salt. Cover batter; chill in refrigerator while cooking the ratatouille.
- Toss eggplant cubes with salt in a colander to drain for about 20 minutes while you prep the rest of the vegetables.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or large pot. Give the eggplant a good squeeze and pat it dry; add to the pan and cook over medium heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove the eggplant when done and set aside.
- In the same pot, pour in 1 more tablespoon olive oil. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and chili flakes; cook for 2-3 minutes and stir in peppers. Cook for a few more minutes and stir in summer squash. Cook for a few more minutes and stir in tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes longer, then stir in eggplant and cook for 15 minutes more, until all the vegetables are soft. Toss in the basil and salt to taste.
- Heat an 8-inch nonstick crepe pan or skillet over medium heat. Pour a 1/3 cup of crepe batter into pan; quickly tilt pan in all directions so batter covers pan with a thin film. Cook for about 1 minute. Carefully lift the edge of the crepe with a spatula to flip and cook for 30 seconds on the other side.
- Place crepe on a towel to cool. Repeat procedure with the remaining batter, stirring batter between crepes. Stack crepes between single layers of parchment paper as you go so they don’t stick to each other.
- Tuck a 1/2-cup portion of ratatouille into each crepe and serve two crepes per plate.