It takes me about three days to be over eating out when M and I are traveling. My body has been yelling at me for not exercising and eating not the healthiest foods at irregular hours. We’re attempting to get out of town to head back up to Chicago for flight home tomorrow. I can’t wait to get home and back on my normal schedule (it also doesn’t hurt that in a few days time, we should be finding out the sex of the bean, which of course makes me over the moon excited.)

Sometimes during the cooler months, I make dishes that transport me away from where I am and into a warm, sunny place. I nearly always have a jar of kalamata olives, artichokes, and roasted red peppers in the refrigerator for salads and sandwiches. This flatbread is the perfect dinner for M and I, accompanied with a salad. If I don’t feel like making the dough ahead of time, I’ll pick up the pre-made whole-wheat dough at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s (perfect for those ‘I didn’t have time to make dough but I still want homemade flatbread)!

On a separate note, be sure to check back on Thursday. I’ve got a big post planned to kick off the new year right and to kick off my own #eatnaturally campaign! I’ll be sharing a few of my favorite recipes from the blog, links to a few of the blogs I look to for inspiration, and a video with a salad recipe (I’m pretty excited about this!)

Mediterranean Flatbread ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 from 1 reviews Author: Erin Alderson

Prep Time: Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: Total Time: 25 mins

Yield: Yield: 2 1 x Print Pin Scale 1x 2x 3x Ingredients 1/3 cup grape tomatoes, halved

grape tomatoes, halved 1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved

kalamata olives, halved 1/4 cup marinated artichokes hearts, chopped

marinated artichokes hearts, chopped 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped

roasted red peppers, chopped 4 – 5 cloves roasted garlic, minced

– cloves roasted garlic, minced 1 teaspoon lime juice

lime juice 2 teaspoon s fresh parsley

s fresh parsley 1 tablespoon s olive oil

s olive oil 1 to 2 ounces feta

to ounces feta 1/2 ball of pre-made pizza dough (enough for 2 people) Instructions In a small bowl, combined tomatoes, olives, artichokes, roasted red peppers, garlic, lime juice, and parsley. Toss until well combined and set aside. Preheat oven to 450˚. Roll the pizza dough out in a rectangle that is roughly 8” by 12”. Transfer to an oiled or parchment covered baking tray. Rub dough with olive oil and sprinkle olive mixture evenly over dough. Follow with feta, starting with 1 ounce and adding more as desired. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until crust is crisp. Remove, cut, sprinkle with parsley and serve. Notes If a bit more crispness is desired after baking, turn broiler on and place baked flatbread until for 30 to 60 seconds to lightly brown the top and crisp the top part of the crust. If using parchment paper, be sure to remove from under the flatbread before doing this.

*recipe originally developed San Jose Mercury News