French Country Buckwheat Crepes with Balsamic Strawberry Filling

Just in case you can’t make it to a Paris crêperie this weekend, why not practice your crepe twirling and flipping skills in your own kitchen? They’re surprisingly easy to make, and they taste decadent wrapped around fresh sweet strawberries and creamy Greek yogurt.  This recipe comes from the Hodgson Mill Whole Grain Baking Book. This classic baking book has over 400 recipes, 100 of which are gluten free. I’m having a lot of fun exploring it!

These crepes are made almost completely with Hodgson Mill Buckwheat Flour, which imparts a fragrant, earthy, flowery flavor and smooth delicate texture to these versatile crepes. It’s also a naturally gluten-free flour.  I made two batches of crepes side by side, one using Hodgson Mill Naturally White Flour as the complement, and one using Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Baking Mix, and both were equally great successes. So you can choose your own crepe-making adventure.

Buckwheat is a naturally gluten-free grain, however, Hodgson Mill Buckwheat flour is not certified gluten-free right now because it may have gluten residue from the milling and packaging equipment it shares with our other wheat products. Therefore, it may not be suitable for anyone with celiac disease. But if you don’t have an out-and-out allergy, it’s a low-gluten alternative grain that tastes great. (Gluten-free eaters needn’t worry; any of Hodgson Mill’s products certified gluten free have been milled and packaged solely in dedicated gluten-free facilities.)

Start out by mixing the flours and salt in a large bowl. Below, you can see the batch made with gluten-free baking flour on the left, and the batch made with wheat flour on the right. Add the wet ingredients (eggs, butter and milk) and whisk together, then cover the batter and let it sit for two hours or overnight in the fridge.

Don’t skimp on this resting step, because resting the batter allows the flour’s starch molecules to absorb more liquid and helps make the batter smooth and cohesive; it’s what gives crepes their delicate paper-thin texture instead of being chewy and thick and fluffy like buckwheat pancakes. Besides, while you wait, you can prepare the balsamic strawberries.

You have to make hay when the sun shines, and when strawberries are ripe, they must be eaten quickly. Once you’ve had enough of eating them straight from the bowl, macerating them with balsamic vinegar and honey deepens their sweetness and rich berry taste, and is a great way to eke out an extra day or two of freshness for delicate ripe berries.

Wash them, hull them, and cut them into bite-sized pieces—I like to quarter them, and then cut the quarters in half. Stir the berries together with balsamic vinegar and honey and let sit one hour at room temperature or several hours in the fridge.

Back to the crepes: when the batter has rested, give it a stir, since some of the flour might have settled. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add a tiny amount of oil or butter, then ladle ¼ cup of batter into the center, lifting and twirling the pan to spread it to a thin, 8-inch circle.

When the edges are opaque and dry-looking, after about 30 seconds, it’s time to flip it over for an extra 20 seconds to finish the other side. That’s it!

You can see the gluten-free crepe on the left, and the wheat-flour crepe on the right. I believe they worked equally well – though clearly I need to work on my crepe-twirling skills . . . oh well, it’s still delicious.

Fill each crepe with Greek yogurt and a scoop of macerated strawberries, roll it up, top with a drizzle of honey, and dig in.

French Country Buckwheat Crepes with Balsamic Strawberry Filling

From the Hodgson Mill Whole Grain Baking Book, page 410

Crepes

¾ cup Hodgson Mill Buckwheat Flour
¼ cup Hodgson Mill Naturally White Flour, or Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Baking Mix
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
¼ cup butter (1/2 stick), melted
1 ¼ cup whole milk
Vegetable oil or butter for the pan

Fillings

1 pound strawberries, washed, hulled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar (preferably aged)
1 Tablespoon honey

1-2 cups plain Greek yogurt
⅛-¼ cup honey for topping (optional)

Combine flours and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, butter and milk until it forms a smooth batter. Cover and let rest 2 hours or overnight in fridge.

Wash, hull and cut strawberries into bite-sized pieces. Toss with 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 1 Tablespoon honey and let sit for at least one hour, up to overnight in refrigerator.

Oil a large skillet or crepe pan and place over medium high heat. Ladle ¼ cup of batter at a time into skillet. Lift and tilt skillet to swirl batter to 8-inch diameter. Cook until edges turn opaque and dry, about 1 minute, then turn and cook other side for 20 seconds. Transfer to platter. Cover each crepe with waxed or parchment paper until ready to serve.

To fill crepes, place about 1/4 cup of strawberry filling and about 3 Tablespoons of Greek yogurt down center of each crepe. Fold sides over and serve seam-side down. Top with a drizzle of honey and more strawberry filling if desired.

Yield: 8-10 crepes, or 4-5 servings

Note: Keeps in fridge 1-2 days if each crepe is separated by waxed or parchment paper and sealed tightly with plastic wrap. Reheat on low skillet or in microwave.

Iced Raspberry Loaf Cake

Post by: Holly – Hodgson Mill Blogger

Mother’s Day is coming up and people are thinking of ways to make their moms feel extra special.  In my family, part of how we share our love is by cooking a special meal or dessert for the person of honor.  When I first saw this recipe for Iced Raspberry Loaf Cake, I knew it would be perfect for Mother’s Day.  It’s filled with fresh raspberries, a hint of lemon and is topped with a browned-butter icing.  Now that I have your attention with the browned-butter icing, let me also tell you that this cake includes Hodgson Mill Milled Flax Seed and Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Flour. Yep, you get to have a healthy cake and eat it, too.   This Iced Raspberry Loaf Cake is easy to put together and tastes terrific.  I would be absolutely delighted to have someone make this cake for me on Mother’s Day – or any day for that matter.  (Good thing my husband reads this blog.)

Cinco de Mayo Conchas

Happy Cinco de Mayo! If you’ve ever seen these sweet buns in Latin American bakeries (big flat buns with pretty colored toppings and neat designs swirled into the top), like me, you may have wondered how on earth they were made to look that way. And if you’re like me, you probably bought several, ate too many, got a stomachache – and then wondered if you could make them yourself!

Conchas (the word means “shells” in Spanish) are lightly sweet yeast buns with a layer of sweeter, flavored dough on top. It’s kind of like the buns are iced before they’re baked. I found a basic recipe for conchas and doctored it up using some Hodgson Mill White Whole Wheat Flour to make them a little healthier.

Whole Wheat Lemon Cream Scones

Post by: Holly – Hodgson Mill Blogger

A few weeks ago some friends of mine took me to a fantastic local tea room to celebrate my birthday with an afternoon of tea, scones and lovely conversation.  Being a bit of a tea connoisseur and lover of all things pastry, this was a wonderful treat and such a fun way to spend time with my friends.

After eating delicious scones with Devonshire cream and strawberry jam at the tea room, I couldn’t get them off of my mind.  I think I may have even dreamed about scones that night.  To satisfy my craving, I made these Whole Wheat Lemon Cream Scones with a lemon yogurt sauce and fresh sliced strawberries.  Let me tell you, nothing is better than a hot scone fresh from the oven to get your day off on the right foot; my family will attest to that.

Now, before you think that making scones is only for the baking elite, let me tell you, in my opinion, they’re actually easier to make than muffins.  There’s no need for a mixer, no measuring and scooping batter into muffin pans – just one bowl and a baking sheet.  Easy, peasy.  Follow me.  You’ll be so happy you did.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Post by: Holly – Hodgson Mill Blogger

I recently had the opportunity to go to a bread baking seminar hosted by Father Dominic Garramone, also known as The Bread Monk.   Father Dominic put on a great presentation and did a wonderful job of demonstrating how easy it is to make and bake your own bread, which is something near and dear to my heart. 

 Needless to say, I came home from the seminar feeling inspired to bake.  I decided to make one of Father Dominic’s recipes, Honey Oatmeal Bread, and give it a Hodgson Mill twist by adding some whole wheat flour and a few other ingredients.   After spending an afternoon mixing, kneading and rolling dough, I’m happy to report that my new version, Oatmeal Cinnamon Swirl Bread, is a success.  The bread has a light texture and tender crumb that is accentuated by the old-fashioned rolled oats and Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Flour I added.  To make this more of a breakfast bread, I sprinkled a layer of cinnamon sugar on the dough and rolled it up so that each toasted slice would have a delicious cinnamon spiral in the middle.  The other great part about this bread recipe is that it makes two loaves at a time; one to eat and one to freeze for later.  Perfect.

Multi Grain Cereal with Dates, Orange and Cinnamon

Post by: Holly – Hodgson Mill Blogger

There are a lot of things I like about Hodgson Mill’s Multi Grain Hot Cereal.  First of all, it’s quick to fix – something a mother of four definitely appreciates.  Second, it’s filled with oats and three types of whole wheat, so I know it’s a healthy way to start the day.  And third, it tastes great plain with just a little brown sugar, but can easily be adapted to other flavor combinations.

The Blueberry Swirl Hot Cereal recipe is still one of my favorite ways to fix Hodgson Mill Multi Grain Hot Cereal, but recently, I’ve also become fond of mixing it with Medjool dates, fresh orange and cinnamon.  If you’re not familiar with Medjool dates, they’re generally found in the produce section of the supermarket and are usually packaged in small plastic containers or displayed loosely in large bins and priced by the pound.  They’re also left whole, versus chopped, and most often need to have the pits removed, although that’s a very simple task.   Medjool dates are moist, naturally sweet, a good source of fiber and can often be substituted for raisins as an easy snack or ingredient.

Banana-Nut Bulgur Wheat Hot Cereal with Cinnamon-Honey Yogurt

Post by: Holly – Hodgson Mill Blogger

I think I’ve found my new favorite hot cereal.  You’ll remember in my earlier post for Lemon Dill Bulgur Salad with Chickpeas, Cucumber and Feta Cheese that I’ve discovered the wonders of Hodgson Mill Bulgur Wheat with Soy.  In that same post I eluded to a great way to use bulgur wheat as a hot cereal – and here it is: hot cooked Hodgson Mill Bulgur Wheat mixed with brown sugar and toasted walnuts and topped with slices of banana.  As tasty as this combination is, we won’t stop here – no, no.  We’re going to put some Greek yogurt, mixed with honey and cinnamon, on top of it all. And so, may I present: Banana-Nut Bulgur Wheat Hot Cereal with Cinnamon-Honey Yogurt. Delicious, easy and so good for you – you simply must make this.

So what is bulgur wheat, anyway?  Actually, it’s not as odd as the name suggests.  Bulgur is whole wheat that’s been precooked (steamed) then dried and cracked.  It’s a good source of fiber that’s low in cholesterol and may help reduce the risk of heart disease.  I’m also a big fan of the slightly chewy texture and nutty, whole grain taste.  And have I mentioned what a great value it is?  The entire 18 oz. box of bulgur costs around $2.40, and this recipe uses a little less than half of a box. That’s just slightly more than $1 for all five servings of bulgur in this recipe.  That’s amazing such a nutrition-dense food is such a great value.

Vanilla-Pear Yeast Bread with Cinnamon-Honey Butter

Post by: Holly – Hodgson Mill Blogger

If you happen to love baking bread and are looking for that next best loaf, I’ve got a great one for you to try.  This Vanilla-Pear Yeast Bread with Cinnamon-Honey Butter is one of my new favorite recipes. I love how the dough incorporates ingredients like fresh pears, vanilla, honey, Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Flour and Hodgson Mill Naturally White Flour and kneads them together to become not one, but two lovely loaves of lightly sweet yeast bread that’s delicious on its own and even better when spread with cinnamon-honey butter.

Begin by pulling together some bread making basics: Hodgson Mill Active Dry Yeast, Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Flour and Hodgson Mill Naturally White Flour.  If you’re still trying to adjust to having whole wheat in your bread, this is a great recipe with which to begin expanding your palate.  It includes a full cup of Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Flour, but also has plenty of white flour to even out the texture.  If you’re accustomed to whole wheat breads, by all means, replace a cup of the white flour with more whole wheat.  This bread is meant to have a tender crumb, so I wouldn’t go over using half whole wheat, but there’s certainly room for more than one cup.

Pear Buckwheat Pancakes with Honey Ricotta and Ginger

January is such a tease. It was so warm last week, as if spring were around the corner, and now it’s freezing again. It makes me want to hibernate and throw myself back into comforting wintry foods, hearty breakfasts, and warm fruits and spices. (I guess it was just wishful thinking that it would warm up so soon…)

Nothing says hearty breakfast like buckwheat pancakes packed with satisfying protein, fiber and nutrients. Buckwheat is actually a fruit seed, not a cereal grain (who knew?). Besides having a delicious, earthy, wholesome taste, it contains nutrients that can help regulate blood sugar and reduce the risk of diabetes, and can also promote cardiovascular health, actually strengthening capillary walls. It also has tons of minerals and antioxidants. In short, it’s packed with good stuff, and all the good stuff finds its way, along with real whole wheat flour, into Hodgson Mill Buckwheat Pancake Mix.

Warm Honey-Spiced Pears over Steel Cut Oats

Post by: Holly – Hodgson Mill Blogger

Cold winter mornings call for a hot breakfast to help get the day started in the right direction. After eating a steaming bowl of Hodgson Mill Steel Cut Oats for breakfast, or any of the Hodgson Mill whole grain cereals for that matter,  I‘m warmed up and more inclined to get moving.

There are so many great things about Hodgson Mill Steel Cut Oats: they’re 100% whole grain oats, all-natural and a good source of fiber and protein, plus, they’re easy to cook and can be made ahead, making a hot breakfast all the more feasible on time-crunched mornings.  You can see Erin’s post – Steel Cut Oats: Make Once – Eat All Week – on how to prepare the oats the night before so that they only need warming in the morning and can be reheated throughout the week.   As an added bonus, Erin provides three delicious topping suggestions for how the steel cut oats can be flavored.  However, my new favorite way to eat them is with this recipe for warm honey-spiced pears.  The name alone, Warm Honey-Spiced Pears over Steel Cut Oats, got me hook, line and sinker and I just had to make them.  Is it breakfast time yet?