When I was a child, my mother had a good friend, Marie, who was into French cooking. On many a Sunday morning they would make brunch. I remember their soufflees, quiches, and crepes served with sour cream or crème fraiche with caviar or fruit jam. I was a picky easter and a sugar-holic, so I stuck with the jam.

Sweet paleo omelets
Years later, when I got into paleo diet (before it was the rage), I got the idea of making a sweet omelet that was low in sugar but reminiscent of the crepes I used to eat. In my cookbook, The Garden of Eating, on page 223, I presented my Vanilla Omelet with Fruit Chutney as a variation on The Basic Omelet, which often included fresh or dried herbs with turmeric and black or white pepper.

For years I served both version with a side of cooked leafy green or mixed vegetables or asparagus. When I wrote that book, I served it with the Mango-Ginger Chutney from the book or with a Cranberry-Apricot Chutney I used to make for Thanksgiving and Christmas, for my Healthy Edible Gift classes, and to give as a gifts, packed in canning jars decorated with cloth tops and ribbons or bows.

Keto crepes
When I adopted a ketogenic (very high fat, moderate protein, very low-carb diet) in late 2013, I got the idea of making the Vanilla Omelet into Ketogenic Crepes and decided to add turmeric since I’ve been adding to all of my scrambled eggs and omelets for years, for it’s anti-inflammatory properties and other benefits.

The crepe-like texture of this dish is amazing! I have a couple of really delicious and very low-carb fruit sauce recipes I created this past winter when I was new to the ketogenic diet. It represented a drammatic reduction in carbohydrates and I, once again, had to reset my sweet tooth to a lower level. I will share one of these recipes later this year when I’m closer to having my new book ready for release.

If you’re not following a low-carb or ketogenic diet
You can replace all of the stevia with 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey or try using half as much stevia with about ½ to 1 teaspoons of honey. You could use the Mango-Ginger Chutney from my book, the Cranberry-Apricot Chutney, or one of the fruit sauces from my Ice Dream Cookbook (they’re lower in sugars than most recipes), such as Blueberry Sauce, Raspberry Sauce, or Cherry Sauce on the. If you tolerate yogurt or crème fraiche (and you’re not on a diet that eliminates milk protein), you could serve one of those a topping with the fruit sauce or a sprinkling of berries with a side of cooked leafy greens, cauliflower, or asparagus.

Low-Carb Crepes with Cinnamon & Turmeric

Prep: 15 minutes total/ Cooking: 6 to 8 minutes or less/ Yield: 1 serving (4 to 5 thin crepes)

I’ve made variations on this for more than 15 years. It’s a great way to get your protein and good fat in, with a bit of fresh berries, and a sweet taste. If your carb limit allows, add a side of steamed, stir fried, sauteed, or blanched broccoli, bok choy, chard, or Brussels sprouts.

Notes: A blender works best for distributing and emulsifying the spices in this recipe. You don’t need a crepe pan or non-stick skillet. I use a heavy stainess steel or cast iron skillet with great results. Just don’t set the heat too high or the fat will smoke or the eggs will stick and burn. Also be mindful of the kind of oil you use for cooking.

I like to keep the crepes thin. You can make them very soft or let them brown around the edges, so they brown and crisp a bit. A larger skillet or griddle––or two skillets and two people––will speed up the process if you’re cooking for two or three people.

Ingredients:
3 large chicken eggs or small duck eggs
3 to 4 tablespoons full-fat canned coconut milk or canned coconut cream (not coconut milk beverage)*
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (not immmitation and no-sugar added)
1/2 teaspoon clear stevia extract liquid, plain or vanilla-flavored (Nu Naturals, Kal, or Sweet Leaf brand)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric (you won’t taste it)
1 tablespoon bacon fat, pastured lard, avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, refined coconut oil, ghee or clarified butter, or more as needed, divided

Topping options:
1/4 to 1/3 cup fruit sauce (if you’re not low-carbing)
or a sprinkle of fresh berries + xylitol or erythritol, if desired, if tolerated, and if you’re low carbing
butter, ghee, coconut oil, MCT oil, or avocado oil, as needed for low-carb and ketogenic dieters

• Crack eggs into a blender or Vita-Mix. Add vanilla, stevia, and cinnamon. Blend until smooth. (The spices need thorough blending to spread throughout the eggs.)
• Add a little of the fat or oil or ghee to a heavy bottomed 8- or 9-inch stainless steel or cast iron skillet set over medium heat. As the oil spreads, tilt the pan to completely coat the bottom and sides. When hot, but not smoking, slowly pour about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mixture into the hot skillet to just coat the bottom of the pan, tilting the pan to spread it out. Cook undisturbed until it appears to set up. You can flip the crepe if you like, or let it cook on only one side.
• When the crepe is cooked through, fold it or roll it into a cylinder, then slide it only a serving plate with a metal spatula. Repeat the process with a portion of the fat or oil and some of the egg mixture.
• Transfer crepes to a serving plate and sprinkle with berries and a dash of erythritol or xylitol, or a stevia blend, if desired (or serve with a low carb fruit sauce). Add a side of cooked leafy greens or asparagus or green beans, depending upon your carb limit. If you need more fat, add more oil or butter to the crepes or vegetables at the table.