Fresh Herb Sprouted Focaccia

Sink your teeth into this tasty and healthy sprouted focaccia bread.

Guest Post By: Kaitlyn Ashner, Dominican University Nutrition and Dietetics Student

Have you ever wanted to bake focaccia bread but nixed the idea for fear of carb-overload? No worries. This healthy-carb focaccia bread features sprouted whole-wheat flour and plenty of fresh herbs. The sprouting process naturally increases the amounts of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals in the whole grain flour and it may help your body better absorb them. Also, using fresh herbs boosts the savory flavor without adding salt. Not in the mood for rosemary? Experiment with other fresh herbs such as basil, marjoram, or dill. Check out Top 4 Fresh Cooking Herbs for help picking herbs.

So the next time you crave carbs, grab your sprouted whole-wheat flour and whip up a batch of this carb-friendly focaccia bread inspired by Once Upon a Chef. For more nutritious, and delicious recipes look no further than the Eat Healthy Homemade Meals app that is available to download FREE on iTunes and Google Play.

Fresh Herb Sprouted Focaccia

24 slices

Prep time = 20 minutes (plus 3 hours of rising time)

Cooking time = 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups warm water
• 1 packet of active dry yeast
•    1 tablespoon sugar
• 5 cups sprouted wheat flour, plus extra for kneading
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• ¾ cup olive oil divided, plus extra for oiling the bowl and drizzling
• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoon chopped sage
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme

Directions

1. Add the water, yeast, and sugar to a bowl and mix to combine. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes; it should be visibly foamy.
2. In the bowl of the electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the sprouted flour and 1 teaspoon of coarse salt. Add the 1/2 cup of olive oil, and yeast mixture and mix on the lowest setting until combined. Turn the electric mixer up to medium speed, and continue to knead the dough for about 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth, but if it’s too sticky add a little extra flour.
3. Move the dough to a lightly floured surface to knead by hand just until it comes together to form a ball.
4. Oil a clean bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the ball of dough in the bowl, making sure to coat it completely with olive oil. Next, cover the bowl with plastic, and leave it to double in size for 2 hours in a warm location. I recommend preheating the oven early, and then leaves the dough to rise on top of the warm oven. This helps the dough to rise quickly, and prepares the oven for baking.
5. With the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil, coat the rimmed baking sheet. Place the dough on the baking sheet, and flip it to coat both sides evenly in the oil. Stretch the dough to fit the shape of the baking sheet, and using your fingers make small dimples all over the dough. These impressions give focaccia it’s classic look.
6. Cover the baking sheet in plastic, and let it rise once more in a warm location for 1 hour. While the dough is rising, be sure to preheat your oven 425 °F.
7. Before placing the focaccia in the oven, sprinkle it with the fresh herbs, and liberally drizzle olive oil over the top of the dough.
8. Bake the bread for 20 minutes, or until gold brown in color. Let the baking sheet cool on the wire rack for approximately 10 minutes. Cut the focaccia into square slices, and enjoy it as a tasty sandwich or as a side to your favorite soup.

Nutrient Information per (1 2.5” x 3” slice) Serving: 171 calories, 4 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 81 mg sodium 1 g sugar

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave