Egg, Cheese and Crunchy Veg Focaccia Sandwich

A precursor to pizza, the humble focaccia has been enjoyed all over Italy by everyone from Sicilian mob bosses to Venetian artists. Focaccia is such a well loved part of Italian culture that at one point it was granted special exemption from a nationwide tax on bread. Made with slugs of olive oil, a heart-healthy unsaturated fat (more on the benefits of healthy fats), the classic risen flatbread boasts impressive heart-health credentials. You can even make your own focaccia bread if you have time.  

The recipe below features broccoli that’s been charred – which lets it retain far more immunity-boosting vitamin C than boiling – plus antioxidant-rich red cabbage to protect the body from the effects of damaging free radicals after a lunchtime gym session.

Because this sandwich provides 30g of protein to help build muscle and plenty of carbohydrate to replenish your glycogen stores, it’s an ideal meal to eat after a workout, or during marathon training (see what to eat during marathon training for more running nutrition tips). If you’re trying to cut the carbs, try one of these protein-rich salads instead.

Egg, Cheese and Crunchy Veg Focaccia Sandwich

590 calories

Ingredients (Serves One)

• 1 focaccia bread
• 3 broccoli florets
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1tsp mustard
• 1tsp mayo
• Handful of pickled red cabbage
• 50g Old Winchester or Gouda cheese (sliced)

Method

Boil the egg for seven minutes, then remove it from the pan and run it under a cold tap to cool it. While the egg boils, slice the broccoli florets and cook them in the oil for four to five minutes, turning frequently, until lightly charred around the edges. Thinly slice your egg. Slice the focaccia and spread the mustard and mayonnaise evenly on one side. Layer the broccoli on the other side with the egg slices, pickled cabbage and cheese.

Nutrition

We fed the ingredients into Myfitnesspal, one of the best weight-loss apps for calorie counting, to get a rough idea of the nutritional values of this recipe. This sandwich contains around 590 calories, and provides 45g of carbohydrates, 30g of protein, 30g of fat and 7g of fibre.

More Healthy Lunch Ideas

• No need to stick to soups and salads, we’ve got four healthy, protein-packed sandwich recipes for you
• These five healthy take-to-work lunches will make you the envy of all your desk buddies
• Make this healthy club sandwich in 10 minutes and help your body build more muscle