Pear and goat cheese flatbread with greens

Since I last posted, lots and lots started going on. Lots of travel planning, lots of party planning, lots of supremely warm weather, lots of really good time with old friends. I kind of forgot I had a blog, which is an internet sin. Please forgive me.

I turned 31, seemingly the other day, and it's usually around my birthday when I feel extra convicted to be really good to myself. This is as much about staying up late with dear friends and drinking a smidge too much wine as it is getting good sleep and eating healthy food. I had a glorious combination of both this past week after a girls' weekend with college friends and a night I spent mostly on my own.

Whenever I'm on my own, I treat myself to a recipe with mustard or goat cheese or any other ingredient that I don't normally fix with my guy. I kind of think he would have liked this pear and goat cheese flatbread had I forgone the mustard, but now I know what the mustard adds. Frankly, I would have used less of it. But whatever, this was still sweet and savory and everything you want a flatbread to be on a balmy evening spent alone.

Pear and Goat Cheese Flatbread

inspired by the Sprouted Kitchen

Small ball of dough (I used the whole wheat dough I have on hand in the fridge, using the Artisan Bread in 5 method)

1 small onion, thinly sliced

2 tsp. olive oil

1/4 c. goat cheese

1 T. whole grain mustard (optional)

Small ripe pear, thinly sliced - you choose the variety (I used Bosc)

Generous handful of tasty greens, like arugula, though I used a combo of microgreens I already had

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

Caramelize the onions: warm the first 2 tsp. olive oil over medium heat and cook onions until soft and brown, about 15-20 minutes (or longer for truly caramelized onions...I'm usually too impatient). Set aside.

Roll out the dough until fairly thin, making sure it will fit in your grill pan (you can also put this directly on the grill). Heat a dry, clean grill pan over medium high heat. Cook the dough about 2-3 minutes per side, allowing for some nice char lines and irresistible dough bubbles. Meanwhile, turn on your broiler and grab a broiler pan, and find a cooling rack for the counter. Once the dough has been cooked on the grill pan, place it on the cooling rack.

As the dough cools a bit, spread the mustard and goat cheese on top (though I will say this tastes great without mustard), then top with the onions and pear. Place under the broiler until you like the look of the melty cheese and the browning pears, 3-5 minutes.

Toss your greens with the oil and vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

Allow the flatbread to cool for a moment on the cooling rack, then top with the greens. Slice and savor with a glass of chilled pinot grigio.