So, in the spirit of 'healthy eating' I did a poll on my insta stories asking people if they would like to see some salad recipes. I got a resounding yes and so here we are with a shift from my usual decadent posts.
In the hot season read: summer, salads are a perfect way to feed your body the nutrients it needs as well as eat without getting overfull.
And before you turn up your nose at salads, I do want to dispel the myth that salads are just green veges and a dressing. Salads can be as diverse as a bean salad, to salads incorporating cheeses and meats.
First off the batch is this halloumi salad.
Halloumi is a fun cheese. I say so because you can actually grill it and it takes on this lovely chewy, salty form that easily replaces meat protein in a dish. To keep it simple, I paired it with some fresh greens and quinoa.
Fun fact: Did you know that quinoa is gluten-free, high in protein and one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids? It is also high in fiber, magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E and various beneficial antioxidants.
If you do not have quinoa, you can easily substitute with brown rice. This salad can be had as a starter or as a meal in itself (depending on the portions served)
Serves 2
100 grams of halloumi cut into large strips
110 sticks of Asparagus (you can substitute with a handful of french beans)
1 large zucchini, cut into thick strips
1 cup of quinoi (you can substitute with brown rice)
For the dressing
1 teaspoon of mustard
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Black pepper
Quinoa is not much different to rice so use the ratio of 1:2 for rice and water and cook the same way as you would your rice.
Place your quinoa in a pan along with 2 cups of boiling water and add some salt to taste. Bring the water to a boil and once its bubbling, reduce the heat to the lowest, cover your pan with a lit and let the gains cook for about 15 minutes or until the grains are soft and the water has evaporated.
As the quinoa cooks, heat up your griddle pan on a high heat and drizzle a little bit of oil on it. Once the pan is hot, place your halloumi and let it cook for about 1 minute on each side (you will notice some nice golden brown griddle marks). Once the cheese is all cooked place your veges on the same pan and let them cook for about 3 minutes.
For the dressing, combine the mustard and vinegar in a small bowl and mix well using a fork. Add some black pepper to taste.
To assemble your salad, put your vegetables and halloumi into a bowl and add half the dressing then mix well. Add the quinoa and toss the salad and you're ready to serve.
Tip: Dress the vegetables and halloumi first to avoid the grains getting soggy from the salad dressing. You can add more dressing to your liking as you eat