Field Green Salad topped with Fried Halloumi and Za’atar Vinaigrette

Mixed salad greens with fried halloumi, nuts, seeds & a Za'atar vinaigrette.

Mixed salad greens with fried halloumi, nuts, seeds & a Za’atar vinaigrette.

Digging through my fridge one day I discovered that I had a package of halloumi cheese underneath some cheddar in the door of the fridge. I was absolutely starving and it was lunch time. I fried up a little in a dry pan, put the pieces on crackers and had a thoroughly satisfying, if unbalanced lunch. A girl can’t live on cheese and crackers alone, without getting really fat and constipated, so later in the week I made myself a very healthy lunch while still satisfying my recurring craving for halloumi cheese.

If you are not familiar with halloumi, it is a semi-firm, unripened sheep’s milk cheese. It doesn’t melt like regular cheese and it is quite salty. I’m told it can be grilled but I’ve never tried that but I fry it often.

I used another ingredient is relatively new to me, Za’atar. It is a Middle Eastern blend of herbs that include oregano, thyme and sumac. It has a very familiar scent because it includes many common herbs but the addition of the sumac and sesame seeds adds a richness and the slightest hint of the exotic. I like to try new things but I’m kind of a chicken shit when it comes to spice so this blend that I found at Zehrs (my local grocery store) was perfect for me to try since it did not have hot spices in it. The Za’atar that I bought is part of the President’s Choice brand special Black Label line and on a leisurely trip to the grocery store I lingered in the spice section and picked up Za’atar and Sumac. I had seen Nigella Lawson use both of those on one of her shows and since she is my idol I had to have it.

For my salad I used a mix of cashews, sliced almonds, and seeds. Use whatever you have in whatever ratio you prefer. I do recommend buying the unsalted cashews though because those salted ones are just too easy to devour by the handful.

I prefer quite a tart vinaigrette. If you like your salad dressings a little less sharp, either reduce the vinegar slightly or add more oil. The vinaigrette will keep for a week or so in the fridge so you can make this salad for one like I did or serve it as a meal for four as described in the recipe.

I am dedicating this post and the one that will follow to my parents. Over the past 6 months or so, they have collectively lost over 75 pounds. I am very proud of them and I want to thank them for working so hard to be healthy.  We want you both to be around for a very long time. I know that we are not always the most demonstrably affectionate family — I love you guys. Xoxo

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Field Green Salad topped with Fried Halloumi and Za’atar Vinaigrette
Author: 
Recipe type: Salad
Prep time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 4
 

Mixed green salad topped with fried halloumi, mixed nuts and seeds and a Za’atar vinaigrette. A very satisfying salad that is large enough for a meal. Fry only a few pieces of halloumi and save the vinaigrette for later and it is a perfect meal for one.
Ingredients
  • 140 g (5 oz) mixed salad greens (approximately one package)
  • 8-12½ centimetre slices of halloumi
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Za’atar herb blend
  • 1½ tsp local honey
  • pinch each of salt and pepper
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¾ cup mixture of sliced almonds, unsalted cashews, pumpkin and sunflower seeds (whatever ratio you prefer).

Instructions
  1. In a 2 cup glass measuring cup, or a similar bowl, mix the lemon juice, vinegar, honey, Za’atar, salt and pepper.
  2. Whisk in the mustard with a small whisk, until thoroughly blended with the liquid. Slowly add the oil while whisking constantly until all the vinaigrette is completely emulsified.
  3. Set the vinaigrette aside and heat a medium non-stick frying pan to a medium-high heat.
  4. Slice the halloumi in ½ cm thick slices. When the pan is hot, fry the halloumi in batches. Fry it for 30-45 seconds per side or until each side gets a golden crust and comes away easily from the pan. How long you need to fry it per side will depend on how hot you let your pan get.
  5. Divide the salad greens on four plates and place 2 or 3 slices of halloumi on top of the greens. Sprinkle the nuts and seeds over each plate and then drizzle the desired amount of vinaigrette over each plate, about 2-3 tablespoons. Some people like more vinaigrette than others. Any extra vinaigrette can be stored in the fridge for a week or so.

 

3 comments May 21, 2013

Simple Gluten-free Buttermilk Buckwheat Waffles #SundaySupper

Gluten Free Buttermilk Buckwheat Waffles_I hate breakfast in bed. I will happily get out of bed, eat breakfast and then go back to bed but I do not want the challenge of balancing a tray on my bed full of sticky food and hot coffee. If it spills I know I will have to do at least some clean up and that is just not worth it. If you like feeling like an invalid and want to eat in bed, then have at it, but I am firmly on #TeamBreakfastAtTables.

I wouldn’t say I’m a waffle aficionado, but I really love waffles. I tolerate pancakes, but I would eat waffles with whipped cream and strawberries every single day of the week. Since I love them so much, when they are served and they are not up to snuff I am deeply disappointed. I think I almost cried one morning when we went out and I ordered the ‘English Waffles’. These were waffles that were supposed to have English custard and fruit on top. What I got was most cantaloupe and few berries and the custard was a lumpy, gritty slop. I scraped the custard off along with the disgusting cantaloupe, which I think smells rotten and tastes like it smells, and dipped the pathetic excuse for a waffle into the Cool Whip type crap that was on the side. Even if the waffle is so-so, if they had served strawberries that had been frozen, and thawed, and whipped cream I would have been happy.

A note on the ingredients. I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour, which is available in most large grocery stores in our area (Southern Ontario). The buckwheat flour I used is light buckwheat flour which I bought at a local health food store. I also have regular buckwheat flour (Bob’s Red Mill brand) that I bought at a Fresh Co which is a cheaper grocery store. That buckwheat flour is kind of a grey colour which results in a darker waffle but still quite nice. It would be comparable to using a very fine whole wheat in place of all purpose flour.

Here is the list of other #SundaySupper participants.

Mother’s Day Brunch:

Mother’s Day Entrees:

Mother’s Day Sides:

Mother’s Day Desserts and Drinks:

Don’t forget to join the #SundaySupper chat on Twitter today to celebrate Mother’s Day! We’ll tweet throughout the day and share our delicious recipes. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the
#SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join
in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupperPinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.

Do you have your ticket to the Food and Wine Conference yet? If not, there will be a special $100 discount available tonight only on the full
conference pass if you participate in the #SundaySupper twitter
chat from 7 to 8pm Eastern Time, and purchase your ticket during the
chat. The discount code is: SundaySupper.  We hope to see you there!

 

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Simple Gluten-free Buttermilk Buckwheat Waffles #SundaySupper
Author: 
Recipe type: Breakfast
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 4
 

Simple gluten-free buttermilk buckwheat waffles that use light buckwheat which makes a nice light coloured buckwheat waffle.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour
  • 1 cup light buckwheat flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ xanthan gum
  • 2¼ cup buttermilk
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • ¼ cup light olive oil or vegetable oil, plus more for brushing waffle maker
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla

Instructions
  1. Turn on your waffle maker to a medium heat.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk in a medium bowl.
  3. Melt butter in the microwave and set aside. In another medium bowl, mix the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and oil together.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet with a whisk. When well mixed, whisk in the melted butter. If the batter is very thick, add another tablespoon or two more of buttermilk.
  5. Brush the waffle maker with some oil and add batter according to the manufacturer’s instructions. My waffle make takes ¾ cup batter at at time.

 

9 comments May 12, 2013

Brown Butter Popcorn

Air-popped popcorn with brown butter.

Air-popped popcorn with brown butter – better than movie theatre popcorn!

I’m going to make a very bold statement about this popcorn: it is better than movie theatre popcorn. Even if I’ve had a big meal, I still get the popcorn when I go see a movie, with the real butter. Layered. I’m serious about butter on popcorn but now that I have discovered the simple beauty of air-popped popcorn with a generous amount of brown butter, I will be saving a lot of money since I won’t be pulled to the movies by a crazy popcorn craving.

Timothy absolutely loves this popcorn. He eats more of it than I do when we make it. He also loves helping make the popcorn with the air popper. He excitedly drags his stool over and helps pour the popcorn in. He giggles in delight as the popcorn flies out of the machine and into the bowl. I make sure he is well away from the stove when the butter is browning because it spatters before it gets to the foaming stage.

As of this weekend, we have just bought a house and we are in the process of putting an obscene amount of stuff in a rented storage unit to get ready to list our house. The financial pressure of moving to a slightly bigger house is starting to weigh heavily on me since I am currently a stay-at-home-mom. The thought of spending $40 for the two of us to go to the movies, get popcorn and a pop just isn’t in the cards right now. I have a feeling we will be popping in a movie that we already own into the BluRay player when we feel like having a movie night. Thankfully, making popcorn at home costs pennies rather than the extortionate prices the theatre charges for their popcorn.

I do really want to go see Iron Man 3 though…

What is your favourite movie to settle in and watch for a movie night, even if you’ve seen it half a dozen times (or more)?

 

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Brown Butter Popcorn
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Air-popped popcorn generously buttered with brown butter.
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup popcorn kernels (about 12 cups popped popcorn)
  • ½ cup salted butter
  • 1 tsp Maldon Sea Salt

Instructions
  1. Using a popcorn machine, pop all of the popcorn. Most popcorn machines don’t have a capacity to do ¾ cup popcorn all at once so you will need to do it in stages.
  2. While the popcorn pops, put ½ cup butter in a saucepan over a medium heat.
  3. The butter will melt, then splatter a bit so be careful. Once it is done splattering, it will start to foam.
  4. Keep a close eye on it at this stage because it will start to brown shortly after it foams. When it is foaming you will start to smell the butter take on a nuttiness and then you will see the brown bits bubble up.
  5. When you see that, take it off the heat and when the foam subsides, you can add it to the popcorn.
  6. Stir the butter into the popcorn with a large flat spoon and gently stir well to coat all the popcorn with butter.
  7. Sprinkle with a bit of Maldon Sea Salt (or other really good salt) to taste.

 

7 comments May 7, 2013

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I'm Christina, a SAHM to one little boy and our dogs, Buffy and George. I'm not a professionally trained cook, just someone who likes to come up with new recipes and share them. I can be a bit of a smart ass and if you follow me on Twitter you will see that I have potty mouth sometimes.
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