Kale, Halloumi and Chickpea Salad

This hearty salad is packed with flavour, and topped with spicy, zesty chickpeas. It’s healthy and can be prepared ahead - making it the perfect midweek meal. 

Serves 2

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale
• 2 tbsp Tahini
• ½ a lemon
• ½ a red bell pepper
• 250g Halloumi
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 2 tsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp Zesti Seasoning Salt

Method:

1. Drain the chickpeas and rinse with cold water, let sit in the colander to drain for a couple minutes. (Hot tip: you can use the liquid from the can of chickpeas, it’s called aquafaba, and make vegan aioli’s, meringues, or as a substitute for egg whites in cocktails, so it’s worth reserving and experimenting with.) 
2. Heat the oven to 350f. Toss the chickpeas with half of the oil, and lay on a lined sheet. Roast for an hour or so, until the chickpeas are browned and fully dried. Toss the Zesti with the chickpeas, and let cool. 
3. Using your hands, pull the kale leaves from the stems. In a bowl, mix the tahini, lemon juice, and the water. Toss this with the kale. Kale is a very resilient vegetable, so it can sit for a while dressed without wilting. 
4. Slice the peppers into thin slices, and slice the halloumi into 6-7 thin pieces - shape of your choice!  
5. Heat a pan over a med-high heat, add the rest of the oil, and add the halloumi. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until it’s browned. 
6. To assemble, toss the peppers with the kale, add the halloumi, and top with the crispy chickpeas. 

Notes: This recipe has more chickpeas than you need, but these things make an excellent garnish to any salad or for general munching. Try them out, you’ll be putting them on everything. 

Make it vegan: Use some firm tofu, and prepare the same way as the halloumi.