Even if this summer has had strong “stay at home” vibes with plenty of opportunities to brush up on new cooking skills, that doesn’t necessarily mean you want to spend every waking moment pursing arduous culinary endeavors. In fact, if the thing you’ve been craving most these days is just a little extra R&R, then discovering new cooking hacks to help save time is just as valuable as any artisan food methodology. And that’s exactly why we love making quick flatbreads so much!
As if pizza wasn’t already fun enough to eat, flatbreads are even more casual. Made in any shape and size, flatbreads usually have a thinner crust (often made without yeast), and an open-door policy to all your favorite toppings. That means your flatbread guest list can include virtually any kind of spread or sauce, all varieties of vegetables or other toppings, and any extra fun accoutrements you’d like!
But in addition to being enormously flexible (aka, “what do you have on hand?”), flatbreads also have the advantage of being made extremely quickly with our simple, healthy hack: use a pita as the base instead of raw dough, and enlist the help of the broiler setting on your oven for super speedy cooking. Made this way you can enjoy your freshly-made flatbread in just 10 minutes, with surprisingly satisfying results.
For our version, we’ve created a recipe that uses kale and hemp seeds for a heavy dose of important minerals, amino acids, and healthy fats. And if you’re looking for some extra credit health-wise, you can even add the optional topping of schisandra powder, which adds a unique tangy flavor and powerful natural nootropic properties. Whip up these flatbreads for your next family lunch now, and save the recipe for your future entertaining opportunities as a crowd-pleasing appetizer that’s (secretly) oh-so-easy!
WATCH HOW WE MAKE OUR ARTICHOKE & KALE FLATBREADS:
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ARTICHOKE & KALE FLATBREAD PREP TIPS:
A fast recipe means every step counts even more, so take note of these few tips before you get started!
Massage kale well. To ensure your kale doesn’t dry out too quickly while cooking, work olive oil into the leaves very well to “coat” them before mixing in other ingredients.
Use quality pita bread. The better quality your pita bread is, the better your flatbreads will taste! We love using whole grain and/or sprouted varieties for optimum nutrition, or try a gluten-free option.
Choose jarred artichoke hearts. To keep this recipe extra speedy, we lean on jarred artichoke hearts instead of cooking them fresh. Artichoke hearts packed in brine are the healthiest option, but hearts packed in oil (especially good quality olive oil) can be used as well—just be sure to check the ingredients prior to using to avoid unnecessary preservatives. Do avoid using frozen or canned artichokes, which can be mushy in texture as well as disappointing in flavor.
Spread out toppings evenly. Try to make sure your toppings are distributed fairly evenly in height on the pita. Any rogue “peaks” will cook faster due to being closer to the heat, and therefore will blacken prematurely.
Stay close by while cooking. Broiled foods cook FAST—literally in just minutes!—and can easily burn. Since every broiler is different, check on your flatbreads after a couple minutes of cooking, rotate the pan if needed, and continue to broil until light browning starts … then pull them from the oven.
MORE EXTRA-QUICK SUPERFOOD RECIPES:
Artichoke & Kale Flatbreads
Yes, you really can go from zero to fresh, gourmet flatbreads in just about 10 minutes! This recipe makes 4 personal-size flatbreads: If you’re making this recipe for less people, the recipe can be easily halved.
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Julie Morris Ingredients
4 cups Lacinato kale, stems removed, cut into 1-inch strips
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
Sea salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 lemon
6 jarred artichoke hearts, quartered
4 pitas
Hemp seeds and crushed red pepper, for serving
Directions
1. Preheat the oven on the broiler setting, and position a baking rack on the second-to-top shelf.
2. Add the kale strips to a bowl, along with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ¼ teaspoon of sea salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper. Massage the oil and seasonings into the leaves very well, to soften them.
3. Add the tahini and onion powder to the bowl. From the lemon, use a fine grater or
microplane to extract 1 teaspoon of zest from the peel, add it to the bowl, then add 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice as well. Mix very well. Fold in the artichoke hearts, and toss everything together to distribute.
4. Place the pitas on a baking sheet, and brush the top side of each pita with olive oil. Divide the artichoke-kale mixture on top, spreading it out evenly. Broil the flatbreads for about 4-7 minutes (depending on your oven), turning halfway through. Flatbreads are fully cooked when kale is wilted, sizzling, and slightly browned.
5. Sprinkle flatbreads generously with hemp seeds, and a little bit of crushed red pepper flakes. Cut into slices and serve.
Superfood Boost: Sprinkle cooked flatbreads with ¼ teaspoon of schisandra berry powder as an immune-boosting, natural nootropic.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below, or tag @luminberry on Instagram and hashtag it #luminberry
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