I’ve been on a real vegetable kick lately. Even veggies I hated as a child/teen (zucchini, I’m looking at you!) are being devoured at an alarming rate, and I’m happier than a pig in mud as I hunt down leafy recipes that will keep us all satisfied and healthy. It’s times like this I’m extremely glad that the kids will eat pretty much anything I put in front of them!
I found this recipe for haloumi and sweet potato noodles weeks ago, and despite the fact that it combines two of my greatest loves – vegetables and cheese – I promptly forgot about it. So when I found it again today while searching my My Fitness Pal recipe database, I knew lunch was sorted! At 266 calories per serve, it makes a great light lunch, with a bread roll or serving of meat not being outside the realm of reasonable additions.
As always, I adapted this to my own liking – I didn’t particularly fancy the idea of sprinkling paprika on the haloumi to “make it taste like bacon”, and I stupidly forgot to buy a lemon. But the result was still spectacular, with bowls licked clean and requests for seconds.
Serves 4 (light meal)
Ingredients
500g sweet potato, spiralised (or store-bought sweet potato noodles)
Spray oil
180g haloumi
1 bunch broccolini, sliced
1tsp minced garlic
1tbs lemon juice
200g cherry tomatoes
Pepper, to serve
Extra lemon juice, to serve.
Method
- Preheat oven to 180C. Place tomatoes on a baking tray lined with baking paper sprayed with oil, and roast for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, steam sweet potato noodles in steamer for 8 minutes, until just tender (or in microwave for 4 minutes – be careful not to overcook this way). Drain.
- While tomatoes and potatoes are cooking, heat a little oil in a large fry pan over medium low. Add garlic and lemon, and cook for one minute. Add broccolini and 2 tablespoons water, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until tender and starting to char a little. Remove from pan and cover to keep warm.
- Cook haloumi for one minute per side, until browned and softened.
- Add vegetables back to pan, toss to combine well. Add extra lemon and season generously with pepper.
