Lemon & honey halloumi with rice & butter bean salad

With courgette, rocket & creamy yogurt & tahini dressing

For me, this is a pretty perfect summer salad. For starters, it features my favourite cheese, halloumi, which is elevated by adding honey and lemon to the pan. It sits on top of a mix of rice, wholesome butter beans, fresh ribbons of raw courgette and peppery rocket, which is all dressed in lemon and olive oil.

The rice and bean mix is fresh and tasty, but also high in fibre and really filling, so you won’t feel hungry shortly after eating, like you might with some salads.

Finish with a yogurt and tahini dressing and you’ve got a seriously good, high protein vegetarian salad that’s perfect for dinner, for packed lunches or even to make as a sharing salad for a BBQ or dinner party. Enjoy!

You’ll need (to serve 2 as a main):

• 250g cooked & cooled rice, I used a wild rice mix

• 240g butter beans (drained weight)

• 1 courgette, peeled into ribbons

• Handful rocket

• 1 lemon

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Small handful basil leaves (or use mint or parsley)

• 100g Greek yogurt

• 1.5 tbsp tahini

• 1 block (200-220g) halloumi, sliced

• 1 tbsp honey

In a large mixing bowl, add the rice, butter beans, courgette and rocket. Zest half the lemon into the bowl. Add a glug (1-2 tbsp) of extra virgin olive oil and tear in the basil leaves. Cut the lemon in half, then halve one of the halves again, and add the juice of one of the quarters. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

Next make the dressing. In a small box, mix the yogurt with the tahini, a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper. Squeeze in the juice of the unused quarter of the lemon and add a dash of water too, 1-2 tbsp. Mix until smooth. You want it to be a thick, drizzle-able consistency. Add more water if needed.

Heat a frying pan to high temperature and add the halloumi slices to the pan. Cook until golden on both sides, then add the honey and the juice of half the lemon. Let it bubble away and move the halloumi/turn it over to cover it. Turn off the heat.

Divide the salad between two bowls. Add the halloumi on top, then finish with the dressing. Dig in.