You can tell it’s January when you offer someone a piece of cake or a cookie and they turn you down with that indescribable look of dread as they shoo you away. After feasting on every crumb of goodness presented on the Holiday buffets of previous months, it’s time to clamp down and turn down all things sweet until April…OK…really??
Well, I’m here to tell you that you can definitely have your cake and eat it too…and in this case it’s a crepe filled with bittersweet chocolate cream…
I guess the question on everyone’s mind is, ‘what is it that makes us fat?’ A lot of recent research done over the last few years has debunked many previous theories. There are many things that are beyond our control, like our genetics that dictate our predispositions to certain illnesses but there is much that we can control.
Studies have shown that it’s not the fat that makes us fat…our bodies need fat as an essential building block for everything that begins at the cellular level…and over the years they have found that it’s the quality and quantity that matters.
Many people stay away completely from carbs, but they too are very necessary for intestinal health…again, it’s all about the quality of the carbs you are consuming. Many people choose to use artificial sweeteners to replace sucrose (granulated sugar) and there are lots of substitutes out there like Ace K (AceSulfame K), Aspartame, Stevia, Splenda etc, etc… but the research for many of these with regards to our long term health (especially GI health) is not good…so what are we to do?
Well, there are many new types of sugars that are derived from natural sweet fibers, like chicory. These sugars are now categorized as Fructo-oligosacharides (FOS) and are a pure crystalline form of fructose. These sugars are called low glycemic because they do NOT increase insulin production and have been approved for individuals with diabetes.
The one good point about these FOS products is that they are also considered probiotic, which means that they create a healthy environment in your GI for the good and necessary bacteria to grow…so therefore, these types of sugars are also recommended for people who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Crohn’s disease.
Whatever sugar substitute you choose to use, just remember that many people do experience some aftertaste which seems to be very individualized. Many can use Splenda and others prefer Stevia…so it’s really a matter of trying different products to see what works best for you, whether you simply choose to use it in your coffee or all of your baked goods…
Oh, and one more point…many of these ‘sugars’ are promoted and sold as all natural…they may have started out that way but these sugars are not in their natural state when consumed…so keep that in mind.
With all that being said, I try not to rely too much on artificial sugars…as a teenager, I consumed so many diet sodas with aspartame that wreaked havoc on my stomach. For the past year, I cut them all out and now have no issues whatsoever.
I focus on lower carb meals, and as someone who loves desserts, I have created some lower carb desserts. One of them is a low carb crepe which you can fill with just about anything. The taste and texture is perfect and I use whole wheat flour instead of white flour. You can use any other low carb flours on the market (coconut flour, almond flour, soy flour, flaxseed flour) depending on what you are making…some rise better than others…but since I always have whole wheat flour on hand I simply use that.
This is a great recipe and can be modified into a savory version too by adding herbs or grated cheese and omitting the minimal amount of sugar…Fill them with anything you like and you will really feel as though you are cheating…but the best part is that you’re not!
Low Carb Dessert Crepe
1 egg
1.5 oz milk
1.5 oz water
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
Add everything together in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Add a little pan spray to a small 8 inch skillet and using a paper towel, remove the excess. Heat the pan well, and add the crepe batter and swirl around. Once the crepe has set, flip it so that you can cook the other side. This will take minutes, so be careful not to burn them. Remove them and allow them to cool. Fill with your chocolate cream and enjoy! Here are some more directions for you on how to cook crepes.
Low Carb Chocolate Cream
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate melted with 1-2 tablespoons of cream
Melt the bittersweet chocolate and allow it to cool. Add the cup of cream to the bowl of your stand mixer and begin whipping. When it is almost whipped add in the chocolate and whip together until stiff. If you prefer yours with more chocolate, then by all means, add a little more. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
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