I mentioned last week that I would be starting a football-friendly segment on Fridays with healthy recipes to prepare for the weekend games. I love having people over to watch the Broncos play- it’s much more fun to root with a crowd and the weekend feels more like a celebration than a lazy day. When making food for guests, I always try to make something that will be a crowd pleaser but that will still push the envelope and get people trying new things. If you create something really different, people will remember it. This recipe takes a very well known food combination and adds some healthy, filling ingredients to the mix.
There are quite a few classic food combinations; simple ingredients that are perfect when combined. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato just scream the All American sandwich. Salty and rich bacon, light and crisp lettuce, and sweet juice tomatoes… what more could you ask for? Well, you could ask for prosciutto instead of bacon- I prefer the taste and you don’t need nearly as much. Instead of nutritionally void iceberg lettuce, how does vitamin-packed spinach or kale sound? Definitely healthier, more filling, and tastier than it’s classic comrade. In this recipe the combo takes the stage on a crispy flatbread, but you can easily substitute it for individual sandwiches depending on the crowd you are serving.
Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time:
For Dough:
2 cups wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1½ cups water
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 tbs flax seeds
For Flatbread
¼ cup pesto
1 bunch kale, stems removed or 6 cups spinach, thinly sliced like confetti
3 tbs water
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 large heirloom tomatoe, thinly sliced
12 thin slices prosciutto
2 avocados, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a large cookie sheet thoroughly with cooking spray.
- To make the flatbread, whisk together the flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Make a well with the flour and add the water and olive oil. Use a hand mixer on low to combine the ingredients until they form a ball. It may need a little more water or a little more flour, depending on how it incorporates. It should be lightly sticky.
- Use you hands to spread the flatbread dough onto the cookie sheet in as even a layer as you can. If you want a more rustic look, keeps the edges crinkly with finger indents. Spread the pesto overtop in a thin layer and set aside. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and remove from the oven.
- While the flatbread cooks for the first time, heat a large sauté pan with a dash of olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the chopped kale and the 3 tbs of water; cover the pan with a lid and cook for 3 minutes, or until the kale is bright green and soft. Lift the lid, add the garlic, basil, oregano, and red pepper and cook for another 3-4 minutes to sauté the greens and remove as much of the liquid as you can. If they end up being slightly crunchy that’s ok! Lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Increase the oven to 415 degrees. Add the kale to the flatbread and pesto. Layer the tomatoes on top and the prosciutto on top of that. Cook for roughly 10 more minutes. The prosciutto will be crispy and the edges of the dough crunchy.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes. Add the avocado slices and red onion before cutting the flatbread into pieces with a pizza cutter.
Cooking In Red Socks 