Dairy and eggs are two things that are not often a part of my diet. I’m gluten-intolerant and have a slight sensitivity to both dairy and eggs. This is why most of my recipes use unsweetened almond milk and I generally only eat cheese sparingly and only eat eggs when they are cooked inside baked goods. However, during pregnancy, I’ve noticed that I’m not as sensitive to dairy and can get away with eating more cheese and ice cream than I could before. I’m trying to enjoy it while it lasts (wondering if it will go back after pregnancy?) and since the growing baby needs calcium for bone formation and I need to be getting in more protein, why not indulge a little more? I particularly love cream cheese and have been enjoying it as a snack throughout pregnancy. (Interestingly, most of my pregnancy cravings have been for foods from my childhood, cream cheese as one of those! I ate a lot of cream cheese as a kid — with celery, pretzels, crackers, etc. Other cravings have included potatoes (every kind really, but particularly mashed, as I ate those constantly as a kid at my Mamaw’s house!), oranges/orange juice, lemon/lemonade, breakfast cereal, and sweets!)
One day midway through my pregnancy, I was at Tulane’s Newcomb Art Museum for a Friday Collections tour of their Newcomb Pottery. I had walked there from my house (it isn’t far) and had been standing for the tour (about an hour). As it was ending, my vision went completely white and I felt dizzy and thought I might pass out. I didn’t know anyone else on the tour and didn’t want to pass out in the Newcomb private collections room (!!), so I felt my way along the wall and out the doors and sat down in the hallway for a few minutes until the feeling passed. I drank lots of water afterwards and called my midwife to let her know. I believe it was just a low blood pressure episode from standing so long with limited blood circulation during pregnancy (it gets harder for your body to pump blood back up to your heart/etc from your legs). My midwife recommended in the future I try not to stand for such long periods, change my position when I am standing, drink lots of water, and try and get more protein in at breakfast to help give me energy for longer and to keep my blood sugar at a good level as well. I also tested slightly anemic during pregnancy, so I’ve had to take iron supplements and try to get as much protein in as possible. On the weekends I occasionally have bacon or sausage with breakfast, but on a regular basis, I find it a little harder to get meat in first thing in the morning. So I was thrilled when I came across this recipe for protein pancakes that included cream cheese and eggs — both good sources of protein other than meat!
Not only do these Cream Cheese Crepes contain good protein, they are great served sprinkled with lemon juice and topped with strawberries — both high in vitamin c, which your body needs to absorb the iron in protein-rich foods. I’ve been calling these my pregnancy pancakes — as they check off many boxes: extra calcium for baby from the cream cheese, extra protein for breakfast with the cheese and eggs and added nuts, vitamin c for iron absorption with the lemon/strawberry (plus I usually drink a little orange juice with them as well) — all good for getting in good nutrients for baby and keeping me from being anemic! I’ve been eating them so often lately, and not that they are the reason, but I haven’t had any more dizzy, low blood pressure episodes! They are delicious and also super simple and quick and easy to make!
Cream Cheese Crepes
makes 1-2 servings or about 10 thin pan-crepes, but I eat them all myself!
Ingredients:
-1/2 block cream cheese (4 oz)
-4 eggs
-butter, for greasing griddle
-fresh lemon juice, fruit, powdered sugar, nuts, etc for serving
Directions:
1. In blender, blend together cream cheese and eggs. (I use my smoothie maker/blender and it is perfect for this!)
2. Let batter sit for a few minutes (reduces bubbles) while griddle heats up (~350 degrees).
3. Lightly grease non-stick electric griddle with butter and pour batter in about 3 Tbsp-fuls onto hot griddle. Batter is thin, so it will spread (remember these are more like crepes than pancakes!).
4. Cook until edges are dry and bubbles form on top, then flip and cook on other side. (These cook pretty quickly!)
5. Serve with fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar, fruit, nuts, etc.
Enjoy!
P.S. I’ve said it many times before, but I strongly recommend using a non-stick electric griddle for these! I’ve found with crepes, pancakes, arepas, tortillas, etc. it just works so much better than cooking on the stove! More even heat and more room for flipping! I use mine all the time!
