Herby quinoa with halloumi recipe by Two Raw Sisters

Herby quinoa and halloumi by Rosa Flanagan and Margo Flanagan. Photo / Susannah Blatchford

Texture and taste combine in this nutritious, filling dish that takes only 15 minutes.

Perfect for spring dinners, this recipe brings together crispy halloumi, fresh herbs and a creamy lemon yoghurt sauce.

Herby quinoa and halloumi

Serves 4

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

¾ cup quinoa

1½ cups of water

Herb Yoghurt

1 cup plain plant-based or dairy Greek yoghurt

1 cup chopped fresh herbs

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

½ tsp sea salt

½ head broccoli, finely chopped

1 cup frozen green peas, blanched in boiling water for 5 minutes then drained

2 cups chopped fresh herbs

½ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp sea salt

1 tbsp cooking oil

250g halloumi, cut into bite-size cubes

1 avocado, cut into chunks

Method

1. Add the quinoa and water to a pot. Bring the water to the boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook the quinoa uncovered for 7 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat.
2. For the herb yoghurt, process all the ingredients in a blender until you have a smooth, vibrant green sauce. Alternatively, you can use a stick blender.
3. To a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa, broccoli, blanched peas, herbs, pumpkin seeds, olive oil and salt. Gently mix together.
4. Lastly, heat the cooking oil in a frypan and fry the halloumi cubes for 2-3 minutes on one side before flipping them over. Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until they are crispy and golden.
5. To serve, divide the quinoa among four bowls and top with the halloumi and avocado. Dollop the herb yoghurt on top. This is best served straight away so the halloumi is gooey and soft.
6. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days. It is best to leave out the halloumi and avocado and add them fresh each time.

Notes

• Swap: Green peas for edamame beans. If you are dairy free, replace the halloumi with your favourite protein, such as chicken or prawns.
• Tip: Don’t throw away your broccoli stalk — grate it and add to everything else. If you are using a hand grater, hold the stem until you can’t grate any more, then finely chop the rest.
• Delicious with: Zucchini and garlic paprika, almonds (page 52) and prawns.

Extracted from Two Raw Sisters: More Salad by Rosa Flanagan and Margo Flanagan, $49.99, published by Allen & Unwin NZ.