Starting today, our Virtual Potluck group is working with California Olive Ranch and Bob’s Red Mill to bring you healthy options as we start this new year. We’ll be sharing some fun and healthy ways to combine whole grains and fresh olive oils to create some fantastic new recipes. Find out more about the potluck and see who’s participating here!

Last year, California Olive Ranch came out and hosted a dinner with the Minnesota Food Bloggers at Cafe Levain. I know how fantastic their olive oils are and I’ve used many of Bob’s Red Mill Flours before so I knew this was going to be fun.

We spent the last couple weeks out visiting family in Utah. My dad just had heart surgery so he’s been on a pretty strict diet and will be going forward. I wanted to create something that was heart healthy and this was the perfect opportunity.

I created a flatbread using the Arbequina olive oil. It’s light and fruity and perfect for providing a slight olive oil flavor to the crust. The flour I used was the Hard White Whole Wheat flour. I loved how light it was for a whole grain flour and it was a great substitution for a typical white flour dough. I spread the crust with some fat free ricotta cheese and then I topped it with a variety of vegetables including, caramelized shallots and roasted egg plant (both done with the same Arbequina oil), fresh spinach and halved grape tomatoes. Drizzle it with a small amount of olive oil and then cook it at 425 for about 20 minutes.

The great thing with this is that you can serve it at room temperature so you can cook it a few hours in advance and then have it ready in squares as guests arrive. Healthy and no compromise in taste. Even I can’t argue with food like that.

Olive Oil Flatbread

Ingredients

5 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups luke warm water
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup California Olive Ranch Arbequina Olive Oil
5 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Hard White Whole Wheat Flour
1 tablespoon sea salt

Directions

Combine all ingredients at once in a large bowl, stirring well to combine. Cover the bowl loosely and let it sit in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Divide the dough in half and roll out each portion into a large rectangle or circle. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Spread with the ricotta cheese and then top with any other toppings.

Place in 425 degree oven and cook for 20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.

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Foodplayer Linda

I am sure you love food. Otherwise, you won’t be here. As a full-time and a part-time chef at a local restaurant, I know my way around food. Ever since I was a young girl, I enjoyed helping my mom in the kitchen.

We would often experiment with the spices, ingredients, and flavors and create great meals for my brothers and dad. Since cocking was my first passion, I decided to go in that direction. I finished culinary school, got my first job, and started developing my skills.

Later when kids came, I had all the liberty in the kitchen to combine some of the unique flavors. A lot of them were a success, but now and there I would make a couple of mistakes.