Today’s delicious, healthy recipe comes with more nutritional info than you can shake a stick at, thanks to freelance real food recipe writer, food stylist and food photographer Rosie Eyre of By Rosie.
A vegetarian’s match-made in heaven! a deliciously zesty haloumi and fig puy green lentil salad with some nourishing little micro-herbs on top.
This dish is a great one by itself, you can plop a couple of poached eggs on top or serve as a side to a BBQ or roast chook or something similar. It’s a simple recipe that you can throw together in under 20 minutes. These green puy lentils are perfect for salads, they are firmer than their cousins and are great additions to add extra protein to any dish.
Why its good for you:
Figs are high in fibre which is beneficial for your digestive system and can aid in high cholesterol. Containing potassium which is crucial to maintain a fluid balance in the body, by helping to maintain water balance as well as proper nerve and muscle impulses. Raw figs also contain a significant source of calcium which can be great for bones, skin, nails and hair.
Organic lemon and its zest adds that extra boost of vitamin C for your immunity, collagen production (less wrinkles, ladies), each cell will benefit from vitamin C (including bone and teeth growth, healthy gums and teeth, improves sperm motility, excretion of heavy metals, detoxifies) and helps to stimulate digestion. Vitamin C is one of the most under-utilised vitamins and lemons are such a potent form of it.
Lentils are a type of legume or pulse. They are high in protein and low in calories and fat. They have a high dose of protein, fibre (which is great for our cholesterol and digestion (including constipation), they will also help lower our blood sugar spikes (which can help with diabetes management), iron (a good natural source which can help prevent anaemia) and b-vitamins (the B3 niacin will help with our energy levels and B9 folate which helps promote healthy blood cells and helps reduce the risk of neural birth defects). They can however cause flatulence and bloating. To overcome this issue, start off by soaking them and properly washing them before you cook them. Secondly, start off with small amounts then slowly increase over time.
Haloumi is a delicious cheese which will offer some protein which is essential for muscle, brain and nervous tissue development.
Ingredients
1 cup puy green lentils, washed well
3 cups water
1 stock cube
200 g haloumi, sliced
4 large figs, quartered
couple of handfuls of micro-herbs (substitute for some fresh parsley)
1 lemon, juiced
olive oil
sea salt and pepper
Method
Make sure you lentils are thoroughly washed under a running tap. Place them into a medium saucepan that houses a lid. Add cold water and stock cube and bring to the boil, let them rolling boil for 15 minutes, until soft to eat, then drain with a sieve and leave to cool.
Whilst lentils are cooking, heat a medium frying pan, medium heat, add a splash of olive oil, add haloumi and let them fry either side for about 3 minutes or until golden before flipping. Once golden move to serving plate. Drizzle with half the lemon juice.
Once lentils are cooked and drained, place back in the saucepan, add rest of the lemon juice, a splash of olive oil, pinch of sea salt and pepper and stir well.
Add lentils to haloumi followed by figs and sprinkle over micro herbs or herbs to finish. Add an extra splash of olive oil and a sprinkling of pepper to serve.