Halloumi and Red Pepper Salad

This is my go-to salad in the summer months – all the delicious fresh vegetables in this salad conjures up thoughts of holidays in the Med. Peppers and tomatoes are excellent sources of vitamin C and phytonutrients. Halloumi is slightly lower in fat than most hard cheeses. When it’s grilled, barbecued or fried it becomes beautifully crispy and savoury on the outside. Avocado and pine nuts both provide healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamin E.

Photo credit: http://www.adrianlawrencephotography.com/

Serves 2

125g (4oz) halloumi

2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

2 large handfuls of salad leaves e.g. baby spinach, rocket and watercress

1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced

150g (5oz) cherry tomatoes, halved

1 avocado, sliced

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

A squeeze of lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a griddle or frying pan over a high heat. Cut the halloumi into 5mm (¼ in) thick slices and fry for 1–1½ minutes each side until golden.  Set aside.

Toast the pine nuts in the dry frying pan.

Arrange the salad leaves on 2 servings plates. Scatter over the peppers, tomatoes and avocado slices. Arrange the halloumi slices on top.

Whisk together the oil, lemon juice and seasoning. Drizzle over the salad and scatter over the pine nuts.