Warm Green Lentil Salad with Halloumi and Courgette

It’s half way through September and the weather is gradually getting colder which affects our food choices. A nice bowl of soup, hearty stew or other home made comfort food is great for warming us up on a cold autumn day. The food repertoire is definitely changing in our house:))

I love salads  – so light and refreshing in summer, it’s just what you need in warm weather. However, autumn and winter doesn’t associate with salads that much, unless it’s a warm salad!! That’s what I am making today – warm green lentil salad with courgette, halloumi and cherry tomatoes. Filling and delicious! I bought some nice organic courgettes from local farmers market this week – so I’m using them in my salad, but they could be replaced to other vegetables if you like. Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots or parsnips would go well with this salad.

If I was asked to describe my recipes in a few words, I would say – healthy and delicious. Therefore I don’t just experiment with different flavours, but take an interest in how various products affect our health and wellbeing.

I spent some time reading about lentils and their healthy properties – they are becoming more and more popular in our kitchen. There are a few lentil varieties – Red lentils are perfect for soups, curries and stews and cook very quickly; Green lentils have a nuttier flavour, they stay firm are perfect for salads; Brown lentils will take longer to cook. If you are a vegetarian or fancy a meat free bolognese sauce, check out the following recipe.

Lentils are a source of fiber which plays a big part in our gut health and digestion, lowers cholesterol, helps with hormone balance and helps to remove toxins from our bodies. Lentils add essential vitamins, minerals to the diet, and they provide protein and sustenance that can replace meat in meals [1].

I hope you will like this warm lentil salad:))

Ingredients – Serves 4

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil ( 2 tablespoons for cooking and 1 for garnish);
• 100g of green lentils;
• 50g of leeks, chopped;
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped;
• 150g of courgette, cut into chunks;
• 150g of halloumi, cut into cubes;
• 10 cherry tomatoes, halved;
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice;
• 20g of toasted pine nuts;
• handful of fresh basil, chopped;
• salt and pepper.

Recipe Directions

1. Rinse the lentils under cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, add leeks, garlic and courgette and fry over a low heat for about 8 minutes.
3. Add the halloumi and fry for another 2 – 3 minutes.
4. Finally, add the cherry tomatoes to the vegetables and halloumi and cook for another few minutes.
5. Place the warm lentils, cooked vegetables and halloumi in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil.
6. Garnish with the pine nuts and basil and ENJOY!