Christmas clear-out continues with this fancy Greek salad! I have no idea why Paul has such a stiffy on for Greek food at the moment, but I’m not complaining as long as he tends to my every whim and fills my world with dolmades. I’d love to find a low-syn version of those but it’s tricky given they need to be soaked in oil.

Remember: our Christmas Clear Out is our wee break away, taking care of something personal and exciting. We’ll be back soon, but in the meantime, I hope you’re enjoying these recipes that we’re passing over. A lot of people ask us to put the recipes first on the blog and then follow it up with the nonsense afterwards. We’re thinking about it – what would you prefer?

Right: to the recipe. Dead simple this one and it makes for such a good lunch you’ll give yourself a wide-on just thinking about it. Serves two.

to make this fancy greek salad you will need:

• 80g quinoa, rinsed
• 90g reduced fat halloumi, thinly sliced (2 x HEA)
• a few modest inches of cucumber, cut into chunks
• 16 black olives, sliced (3 syns)
• 8 tbsp couscous
• 250ml vegetable stock
• 16 cherry tomatoes, halved
• handful fresh mint, chopped
• two good handfuls of rocket
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• salt
• ground black pepper

to make this fancy greek salad you should:

• well, really: cook the quinoa and couscous as instructed using the hot vegetable stock
• chop up your tomatoes and toss them with the lemon juice, olives and the rocket and a good pinch of salt and pepper
• dry fry your halloumi in a pan – use a griddle pan if you’re going for the fancy griddle mark look
• we added bacon after the photo was taken – we didn’t like the idea of having a meal that didn’t leave us looking anxiously at each other whilst clutching our left arms

This keeps very well for a lunch the next day, though I’d maybe hold back from tossing your rocket until you’re actually about to it. Trust me, if there’s one thing I’m an expert on, it’s tossing my rocket – been doing it since I was 12.

Oh we get asked a lot about what lunchboxes we use. Listen, we’re not fancy: get yourself a few Sistema boxes and crack yerself on. They’re dirty cheap on Amazon RIGHT NOW. 

More recipes please? Certainly. Open wide…

J