Rainbow salad

If I had to choose only one salad to eat for the rest of my life, it would be this one.

I first made this salad a couple of months ago, after having lunch at a cafe while waiting for my dog to finish up at his grooming appointment.* It’s rare that I order a salad when I eat out, as I generally like to try things I wouldn’t normally make myself. But the sound of the salad on this particular menu was so enticing I had to order it. It was probably the inclusion of haloumi that sold it to me, to be honest (I am not normally a cheese fan, but I make an exception for halloumi). And it was delightful. I loved this salad so much, that as I was eating it I picked it apart, typed the ingredients into the Notes app on my phone, and recreated it the next day.

Since then, I have made it multiple times – for family BBQs and for weeknight dinners. It keeps really well, and the leftovers make a great lunch for work. All I add for the dressing is a splash of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and some pepper. So it really is very simple.

If you’re a carnivore, like my husband (who doesn’t consider it to be a meal unless there is meat involved), you can always add chicken to this salad. A shredded barbecue chicken or sliced chicken breast would work well.

Go on, make this super healthy, nutritious salad. You won’t regret it!

Bon appetit!

*For those of you that love dogs as much as I do, here is a photo of my pup, Kobe. He is the best. And yes, that’s a bow tie.

Rainbow salad

120g mixed spinach and rocket

1/4 red cabbage, finely sliced

250g cherry tomatoes, halved

400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

425g can sliced beetroot

1 bunch radish, finely sliced

2 carrots, grated

180g haloumi, sliced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a fry pan on low heat and fry haloumi for two minutes each side, or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Prepare vegetables and combine in a large bowl. Add haloumi to bowl.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine and serve.