banana chocolate crepes

People have asked me before why I bake so much and rarely ever cook. Maybe it was that working with a stove used to be nerve wracking for me, and that the oven was always inviting and welcoming. Maybe I just really like working with oven mitts and bowls and measuring cups and spoons. Maybe I obsessively indulge in the spontaneity of baking--in mixing the batter, in scooping it into molds, in watching them bake in the oven, in removing, in cooling, in decorating, in indulging. 

I actually had a lengthy conversation about this with one of my classmates. He said cooking was easier, that even if you messed up you could add in extra things to save the dish. With baking it's different. Forget to add something and either the dough doesn't rise or the batter is runny.

But that's not all true. Baking is both science and art. Certain ingredients cause the build ups and breakdowns of others. How we mix, fold, whip, or whisk the batter determines the denseness or fluffiness of our confections. As important as ratios are in a recipe, baking shouldn't be confined to words on paper. Its beauty is in the experimentation, the failures, the successes, the pure creation--with something or someone in mind. I never hesitate to bake when I get the chance. It is the outlet of my emotions, my stress-reliever, fulfilling the occasional boredom I feel in snippets throughout the day.

Baking is what I am passionate about. I've thought over and over about my interests as possibilities for a future career, and though music and medicine have crossed my mind, my thoughts constantly lead back to food--to baking. I think I've learned a lot through baking. From experimenting with ingredients to the failed batch of checkerboard cookies to the successful mango-mousse espresso chocolate cakes, I not only developed but also matured in my perspective of life and of the world. I bake for the smiles and the grins on the faces of family and friends. My memories and relationships stand as inspiration in choosing what to bake to bring forth those smiles, those grins and the sheer bliss in experiencing the treats.

Even though I've recently become more acquainted with the stove top, the oven never fails to welcome me like an old friend, urging me to bring out the bowls, measuring cups and spoons, to just bake.

Banana Chocolate Crepes

 yields 2 crepes

Ingredients:

1 egg white
1 mashed banana
1 tbs almond four
1/2 tbs ground flaxseed
1 tbs cocoa powder
1/2 tsp brown sugar 
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

- Combine the egg white with the mashed banana until incorporated, then add in the brown sugar and vanilla extract.
- Combine the almond flour, ground flaxseed, and cocoa powder in a separate small bowl, and then add it to the wet mixture.
- Heat a pan and spray it with PAM or another non-stick cooking spray and spoon half of the mixture onto the heated pan. Spread the mixture out with the back of your spoon until you get a larger, thin circle.
- Cook at low heat, take your time and don't rush!
- After about 2-3 minutes use a spatula and fold one side towards the center, and then the other side and let the crepe rest and cook through.
- Remove when it is done and proceed to cook the next crepe. You can add any kind of topping with the crepes, and serve while warm.