fat free banana crepe with berries

Eating raw vegan is a challenge. Eating low fat raw vegan and making gourmet -style food? a huge challenge. Less fat for me means higher insulin sensitivity. That's good for me.

I came up with this recipe to find an alternative to the high fat desserts and breakfasts I eat which can wreak havoc on my blood sugars. These crepes and berries are very sweet - no agave needed! Also, the combination of textures is really nice. The crepes are chewy, the berries are crisp and juicy, and the mellowness of the banana creme just holds it all together.

This recipe is a great breakfast, brunch or dessert idea. It requires a dehydrator, but if you don't have one you can make the crepes using an oven trick.

There are only three ingredients, which keeps things very simple. Here in Northern California, we are seeing the first real strawberries of Spring coming into the stores. Frozen can work too if you live in the north. I like how simple the recipe is and how easy it can come together. There are lots of variations on this same theme if you feel adventurous and want to try different fruits to include.

Ingredients:

4 bananas (one frozen)
1 cup blueberries
1 pint of strawberries


Crepes:
In a high speed blender, mix together two bananas with 1/4 cup cold filtered water. Blend until smooth. Spread into 4 circles about 6 inches in diameter on a teflex sheet for your dehydrator. Dehydrate for 4 hours. remove when still pliable. If they get too dry or crisp up you can soften them by dabbling a bit of water on top and smooth it in with your finger.

**if you don't have a dehydrator, you can use your oven. Turn it up to 200 and then right back off when it reaches full temperature. Using parchment paper or  a silpat, spread out your crepes and place in oven for 4 hours or until mostly dry.

Filling:
2 bananas (one frozen in chunks) and one room temperature.
blueberries and strawberries


Slice the strawberries and mix with blueberries.
Blend the bananas until you have a thick and creamy texture.

Assembly:

Pile the berries in the middle of the crepe and make a line. Then spread some of the banana cream on one side of the crepe and more on top of the berries. Roll the sides up and fold one over the other. you can use the banana cream as a glue so have fun and get creative! Like I said, there are many alternatives to just these berries. You can use kiwi, grapes, apple slices, figs! you name it.

In health,

.

Hawaii

We are in Hawaii for the week.
It's one of my favorite vacation places. Especially in the cold winter months, coming here is like taking a deep breath after holding it for too long. I am spending my days with my family soaking up the sun and learning to make things like ribbon leis.

Eating raw is relatively easy here as well. I eat simply: lots of fruit, greens, and island grown tomatoes. I found these great lychees at the grocery store we walk to most mornings for breakfast.

Of course there are the local bananas which are nice. A little tart even. Unusual for me since the bananas that come in the Bay Area come from Guatemala and they are less sweet.

I like knowing I am eating foods that are grown locally- from the greens to the tomatoes, bananas and morning coffee! (Kona is 30 minutes from here)

Being on vacation I don't expect to stay 100% raw so I eat edamame and bites of some cooked foods. Tonight for dinner I ate a caesar salad-and ate roasted macadamias which felt strange but tasted great. It's times like this that I remember I am only human and need to enjoy myself and not worry so much. Perhaps it's the island taking hold of my spirit a bit and mushing my brain, but it's all good ;)

Living for a week in a warm climate reminds me to eat less focused on fats as well at home. I have been focusing so much on the dehydrated granolas and energy bars at home and forgetting to eat simple greens with fresh oranges or eating bananas for snacks instead of nuts and seeds all the time. I can already feel my digestion is moving so much smoother and even more efficiently since I have been here.

I have a raw macaroon recipe coming when I get back.A favorite customer of mine requested me to try some out,so I have research to do and I'll share it with you.

 Until then, Aloha and Mahalo.