CREPE LASAGNA

CREPE LASAGNA

This is a fun crepe lasagna. I plan on trying another version sometime, but this was particularly easy to do. I got the idea from a sweet lady, Jeide. This is a meal that will satiate very well. I served this meal with a Caesar Salad. You may choose your own low-carb crepes - there are three different kinds - all different levels of carbohydrate per crepe. In this recipe, I chose to use my favorite crepes, but they are the highest-carb crepe recipe (3 grams carbohydrate per crepe) that I have. They taste better than many high-carb crepes, in my opinion. I think sometimes I prefer crepes to bread and in this recipe I don't miss the lasagna pasta noodles.

The other two low-carb crepes with lower-carb values can be found: HERE (1.8 grams carbohydrate per crepe) and HERE (1.0 gram carbohydrate per crepe)

Meat Sauce:

3 lbs lean ground beef (1.4 kg)

14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes (411 g)

5¹/₂oz can tomato paste (156 g)

4 tsp crushed garlic (20 mL)

1 tsp salt (5 mL)

1 tsp Italian seasoning (5 mL)

1 tsp dried basil (5 mL)

¹/₂tsp dried parsley (2 mL)

¹/₂tsp black pepper (2 mL)

Crepes:

1 cup Hood^® Calorie Countdown (250 mL)

milk, OR Carolyn’s low-carb milk

6 large eggs

³/₄cup gluten-free oat flour (175 mL)

¹/₄cup butter, melted (60 mL)

Sugar substitute to equal 2 tsp sugar (10 mL)

(optional – to balance flavors)

¹/₄tsp xanthan gum (1 mL)

2 tbsp light-tasting olive oil (30 mL)

Filling and Topping:

12 tbsp regular cream cheese, divided (375 g)

³/₄cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided (175 mL)

¹/₄cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided (60 mL)

Meat Sauce: In large nonstick frying pan, brown ground beef. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, crushed garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, basil, parsley and black pepper. Continue cooking over medium low heat 15 minutes. Add water if necessary. Set aside and make the crepes.

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Crepes: In food processor or blender, combine Hood^® Calorie Countdown milk, OR Carolyn’s low-carb milk, eggs, oat flour, melted butter, sugar substitute (if using) and xanthan gum. Process well, stopping to scrape sides of food processor or blender a couple of times.

Into cereal bowl, pour olive oil. Using a pastry brush, brush a tiny amount of oil to cover a 10-inch (25 cm) nonstick pan with a 7-inch (18 cm) inside diameter. Pour a scant ¹/₄cup (60 mL) crepe batter in pan (tilt to cover) and cook over medium low heat until edges turn brown. Flip crepe and cook the other side briefly. Transfer to a dish with a lid to keep the crepes warm.

Filling and Topping: Place 1 tbsp (15 mL) cream cheese in the center of each of 12 crepes. Fold crepes (making little pockets by folding both sides over filling and then fold bottom and top) and place smooth surface of crepes facing up on greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Remove and sprinkle each crepe with about 1 tbsp (15 mL) Monterey Jack cheese and 1 tsp (5 mL) Parmesan cheese. Bake 5 more minutes in oven, or until cheese is melted.

Assembly: Using 8 oz (250 g) meat sauce per person, place most of the meat sauce on the dinner plate, cover with 2 prepared crepes, sprinkle with remainder of meat sauce and sprinkle extra shredded Monterey Jack cheese over all, if desired. At this point, you can cover the plate and microwave 50 seconds or so to melt the cheese, if desired. Serve.

Helpful Hints: *Nutritional analysis reflects 2 crepes per person and 8 oz (250 g) meat sauce. This recipe makes 14 crepes. The meat sauce serving is very generous, so use as much as you would prefer. You may use any of the other low-carb crepes that are lower in carbs, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

1 serving*

788.1 calories

55.0 g protein

57.8 g fat

9.0 g net carbs