Paleo Rosemary Thyme Focaccia

A savory, gluten-free bread that will have you dreaming of Thanksgiving. This Paleo Rosemary Thyme Focaccia is nice and toasty on top with a soft, fluffy inside. It pairs perfectly toasted with apples, apple butter, or almond butter. Actually, it’s also an amazing side for dipping in my Savory Pumpkin Pasta Sauce (hint hint).

I’ve been really enjoying the fall weather and of course all the flavors that come along with it. Rosemary and thyme are two of those herbs that just wrap you in a delicious cocoon of flavor. I think most of us normally only use them at Thanksgiving and Christmas…but I’m totally revolting against that. These herbs are so yummy and healthy we should be using them all season long!

The base of this Paleo Rosemary Thyme Focaccia is made of almond flour with a tiny bit of tapioca flour for texture. It’s fluffiness comes from whipped egg whites, so this bread has a ton of protein thanks to the egg and almond flour combo. The chopped herbs are sprinkled throughout the batter but then also mixed with sea salt and avocado oil and drizzled overtop, helping to create that beautiful browned crust.

Why You Should Eat My Paleo Rosemary Thyme Focaccia

Bread—even gluten-free bread—is normally just a carb-fest of refined flours that your body burns through super fast, spiking your blood sugar and leaving you hangry shortly thereafter. But not this Paleo Rosemary Thyme Focaccia, my friends. This recipe is rich in protein and fiber and will make your bready dreams come true. It’s really filling, great for a healthy morning grab-and-go, and makes you feel oh-so-cozy.

I find that when baking with almond flour super-fine is the way to go. Products labeled almond meal are coarser and much harder to bake with, but are great for fruit crisp topping and crumbly things of that nature. I really like this King Arthur’s one, you can find it here on Amazon:

King Arthur Almond Flour – 16 oz.

As a member of the Amazon Affiliates program, I do get a small commission when you purchase anything through my links, but it doesn’t cost you anything extra! It’s much appreciated when you use these links—it helps me keep this blog up and running 🙂

Now, let’s talk about rosemary. This uplifting herb has tons of health benefits, which explains its traditional role in the Mediterranean diet. One of the compounds found in rosemary, carnosol, has been found to have powerful anti-carcinogenic properties and another one, called carnosic acid, has been shown to benefit the neurological system and may possibly aid against memory-loss and cognitive decline.

I even have a little rosemary story for you. At the end of last summer, to complete my master’s program for nutrition, I had to take this horrific 8-hour long comprehensive exam. I studied ALL SUMMER LONG, like, all the damn time. Lunch breaks, after work, every weekend—it was rough. One of the herbalists I worked with recommended I smell rosemary essential oil when I studied, and then smell the oil throughout my exam to bring those memories back to present. I did it and I passed every section of my exam with a B or better. Who knows if it was the rosemary, but for me it was a calming way to feel like I was supporting my memory. Sometimes it’s just nice to feel like you’re doing everything you can!

How You Can Make My Paleo Rosemary Thyme Focaccia

Preheat your oven to 400°F and set up two bread pans with parchment paper. Spray or drizzle a little oil in them and spread around. I’m not a fan of whole rosemary, it’s kind of like tiny sticks, so I like to blend it up in a coffee grinder or chop it up really well. Do this with the thyme while you’re at it.

Now, grab a large bowl add your almond flour, baking powder, tapioca starch, and half of the fresh herbs. Pour the almond milk into the flour mix and whisk together. In a separate bowl, crack your eggs and add just the whites. But save the yolks for your dog! My pup, Ryder, loves them over his food. Use a hand or stand mixer to whip your egg whites until they are pretty stiff. This may take a few minutes, just think of it as a good upper body workout. When they’re ready, gently fold them into the rest of the bread batter—it will seem kind of light and wet.

Grab your two lined bread pans and split the Paleo Rosemary Thyme Focaccia batter evenly between them and spread to cover the bottoms of the pans. In a small bowl, mix together your avocado oil, the rest of the fresh herbs, and some sea salt and pepper. Now it’s time to get your hands dirty! Place the bowl of oil and herbs next to your pans. Dip your fingers into the oil mix and then immediately dunk them into the top of your bread batter, causing it to dimple so the oil and herbs will stick. This helps create a really nice texture on the top of the focaccia. Continue doing this on top of both bread pans until they’re well-dimpled and then pour any remaining oil and herbs overtop.

Now you’re ready to bake! Pop both pans in the oven on the same rack, in the middle of the oven. Set a timer for 25 minutes, then rotate and bake for another 25. After the full 50 minutes you can remove them from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes. Once cooled, use a knife to run along the short edges of the pan. Then, you can just grab the edges of the parchment paper and lift the whole loaf out of the pan, and cut into squares.

I adapted this recipe from Peter Reinhart and Denene Wallace’s beautiful book, The Joy of Gluten-Free Sugar-Free Baking. There were a few ingredients I changed to make it a bit healthier and more natural, and I also added the thyme to give it an extra dose of herbal tastiness.

Hope you enjoy!

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