Haloumi Salad

Bank holiday weekends aren't great for a healthy lifestyle. Not for me anyway. I'm not the sort who is going to spend a bank holiday walking up a big hill in the Lake District or going canoeing in Wales. So after two curries in two days plus beer and some Caribbean food at the Notting Hill Carnival my stomach had taken a bit of a beating over the weekend. I woke up at 4am this morning with a bad tummy and couldn't even think about eating any breakfast until 11. So I needed something healthy for dinner.

Haloumi Salad (Serves Two)

250g haloumi, cut into chunks
250g cherry tomatoes, cut in half
200g salad leaves (I used a bag of Sainsbury's curly mixed salad)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp mint, finely chopped
6 tbsp plain yoghurt
Juice of half a lemon
1-2 tbsp water
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Large pinch of chilli flakes.

1) First divide the salad leaves, tomato and red onion into two bowls. Then make the dressing. Mix the yogurt, garlic, mint and lemon juice. You'll need a tablespoon or two of water to loosen the dressing. Then season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2) Now for the haloumi. Cut it into thick slices and then half it. Put the olive oil and chill flakes in a bowl and then turn the haloumi in it. Then get a griddle pan hot (you can do this in the frying pan or under a grill) and cook the haloumi until it is browned on both sides.
3) When the haloumi is ready divide it between the bowls and pour the yogurt dressing over the top.

I admit that haloumi isn't exactly low-fat but with the minty yoghurt dressing this is so fresh it feels as though it is doing you good. Mint is supposed to soothe aching stomachs and I did feel loads better after eating this.