Jubilee Celebration Gluten Free Quinoa & Halloumi Salad

Our guest blogger and Katrina Lander @fitnessfodmap_ guest edits this blog post for Cole & Mason UK.

Alfresco dining is one of my favourite things about the summer months! I absolutely love hosting and this dish makes for a perfect side for a BBQ. It’s light, refreshing and apart from grilling the halloumi, can be made in advance.

Pictured is the Cole & Mason Duxford Ceramic Spoon Rest

Prep: 25 minutes  

Difficulty: Easy 

Serves: 4/5 as a side

Ingredients: 

• 120g Quinoa
• 200g Cucumber, quartered and sliced
• 150g Mixed vine tomatoes, quartered
• 30g Pitted black kalamata olives
• Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Juice 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 150g Halloumi, cut into 6 slices 

Method:

1. Cook the quinoa as per the pack instructions, leave to cool.
2. Toss the cucumber, tomatoes, olives, ¾ of the chopped parsley along with the lemon and extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt. Once cooled mix in the quinoa. If you’re making this ahead pop the mixture into the fridge and leave step 3 until ready to serve.
3. When ready to serve, fire up the BBQ to a medium heat, grill the halloumi both sides until browned (around ¾ minutes each side). Place on top of the quinoa salad and garnish with the remainder parsley.

Top Tips

• If there is a fresh herb you enjoy more than others, or have hanging around, swap it out for the parsley.
• I particularly love this salad paired with warm pitta bread and grilled chicken.