Pancake Day Recipe: Spelt & Spinach Crêpes – Good Mood Food

I know it’s Pancake Day but these crepes will always have a special place in my heart as I had such a sense of achievement the first time I made them. My kitchen felt very happy indeed. They take about 15 minutes to make, so are great if you are starving and want something quick and fresh for lunch or a light dinner.

What makes this a Good Mood Food recipe?

Spinach is a source of iron – remember Popeye. Spelt provides steady energy and, though once a rarity, is now widely stocked in supermarkets. Other wholegrain flours work well too. This recipe is filling, and keeps you going all morning.

I like the green crêpe effect, but you don’t have to add the spinach to the batter. If you prefer, you can pop it inside the crêpe at the end with the avocado and smoked salmon. Spice up the filling by adding whatever takes your fancy: I am a fan of wasabi, an elusive Japanese root that grows next to highland mountain streams. It takes two years to reach maturity and is perishable, and therefore expensive to ship. So most of the wasabi paste you buy is in fact based on our more homespun horseradish. Either way, the stuff knocks your nasal passages off in the same way that mustard and horseradish do.

I hope you enjoy this recipe – and if you give it a try be sure to post a picture on your Instagram stories and tag me!

Images by Laura Edwards

– Serves 2 –

120g wholegrain flour, such as spelt, buckwheat, or brown rice
2 eggs
80g fresh spinach leaves, washed
300ml milk, either cow's, or a dairy-free option – sugar-free almond milk works well
1⁄2 teaspoon wasabi (optional)
4 teaspoons oil
1 ripe avocado
150g smoked salmon

1. Put the flour, eggs, spinach leaves, milk and wasabi in a food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes to make the batter. It should be slightly green from the spinach, and the colour may intensify over time. If you don’t have a food processor, leave the spinach out and add it to the dish later and blend the mixture using a hand whisk.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a medium-sized non-stick pan and put a quarter of the batter in, shaking the pan so the batter evens out: it should be around 1⁄2cm thick. We like olive or coconut oil but use whatever you prefer.

3. Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side. It should be obvious when the crêpe is ready to be flipped as it will start to come away from the pan. Repeat the process to make 3 more.

4. Mash or slice the avocado and place some on each crêpe along with a slice or two of smoked salmon. If you left the spinach out of the batter, put this on top, then fold the crêpe in half.

Recipe from my book The Happy Kitchen: Good Mood Food

If you give this recipe a try do post a picture on your Instagram stories and tag me or let me know over on Twitter!