There is something so comforting in a Winter Grilled Halloumi Salad – a test a freshness, melting pleasure and salty sweetness.

Halloumi is a firm cheese that originated in Cyprus. It’s made with some combination of goat, sheep, and cow’s milk and is popular throughout the Mediterranean.

Halloumi has a high melting point that allows it to be cooked directly on the hot grill plates without melting into total oblivion.
Cooking it feels a little bit like magic!

Halloumi’s flavor is mild and buttery. It is a little bit like a cross between a tamer, less salty feta and mozzarella. Halloumi tastes creamy and absolutely delicious!

While you can eat Halloumi raw, it’s best enjoyed cooked—grilling and pan frying are popular, easy ways to prepare it.

Cooking Halloumi improves both its taste and texture. It becomes creamier and some of the saltiness from brining mellows to a pleasant amount of saltiness.

I love serving it in a salad. Next to mixed green leaves, pleasantly seasoned in mango dressing vinaigrette, grilled cherry tomatoes and a sprinkling of sunflower and pumpkin seeds, the halloumi comes to live!

Very fluffy, soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside, but most of all full of flavour! Who doesn’t enjoy a perfect falafel served with silky hummus and fresh salad? Perhaps you are already familiar with the classic recipe, but this one promises something different – a depth of flavour and richness in taste, that I am sure you haven’t tried before.

Parsley, mint, dill, cumin, oregano and garlic powder mixed together with cinnamon, anise, cardamom, ginger and nutmeg – can a falafel get more aromatic than that! Don’t be shy with the ingredients as they really take the flavour to another level.

The secret ingredient to make the inside extra soft and fluffy is baking soda. It helps create a more airy texture inside, the only downside is that the exterior of your falafels will be a bit darker but it doesn’t impact the taste at all!

It is such a pleasant late summer day. We linger in the garden and enjoy the last warm sunny rays. A book, a blanket and a cup of coffee during the day and a garden fire at night, gazing at the endless starry sky. When is the last time you saw a falling star? Did you make a wish? In September it is such a joy to be one with the garden.

Today, I am making a healthy vegan spinach soup and serving it outside. I remember years ago my husband made a spinach soup for our four-year-old daughter who exclaimed “The soup is delicious, but I do not like the taste.”. Aren’t we all having a similar reaction when we hear about spinach? I assure you, this soup is so amazingly flavoured it will make you think of fine-dining and nothing else!

Lighter than light and completely refreshing, this creamy no-cook cucumber soup makes a splendid side dish for summertime meals. The cool, mellow flavor of cucumber puréed with tangy natural yogurt creates a quick soup that pairs perfectly with grilled meats and veggies.

Traditionally, it is called “Tarator”, the yogurt is thick and heavy, the cucumber is cut into small pieces and added to the soup together with garlic, dill and walnuts. Nowadays there are so many modern varieties – have you tried adding mint or basil? The flavour remains delightfully refreshing. A perfect, cool, summer meal!

The soup is made from small balls of minced meat & rice, usually using a mixture of beef and pork, but can be prepared with any type of minced meat. The minced meatballs can be rolled in flour so that they do not fall apart when placed in boiling water, but I usually skip this part. It is an easy trick to know when the minced meat is ready – once the balls come to the surface and change color, they are done. As vegetables are used – onions, carrots, sometimes peppers and potatoes. In a traditional recipe, vegetables are first placed in heated water to soften and give the water its flavor and delicious aroma. The soup’s real marvel is its egg and yogurt dressing that offers its unique colour and taste. To serve, drizzle a couple of droplets of vinegar and simply enjoy it.

Summer life sometimes can be so simple. Plenty of sunshine, afternoon rest in the shade, walks among nature marveling all creation. To rest, to live, to breathe. Even food does not need to be complicated. A fresh ripe tomato from the garden can inspire multitude of meals. Today however my easygoing lunch is something different. After days of lean and light garden salads the body is longing for something more protein rich and full of taste.

I am making a white kidney beans, bacon and red pepper salad with plenty of fresh greens. You may always put the white beans in plenty of water the night before and let them soak through the night. This will easy and quicken the cooking process and allow you to have soft and plum cooked kidney beans. Boiling the beans takes approximately up to two hours, depending on the white bean sort. To quicken the process, instead of boiling my own beans, I am choosing to buy ready made once from the store. It only takes a few moments to drain the water and fry them in the pan, and I could use all my time to really enjoy the summer day rather than cooking for hours in the kitchen. The same goes for the red bell peppers. You may always use fresh once and lightly fry them in the pan or like me opt for canned version.

To prepare the salad, first fry the bacon until crispy brown. Once ready set aside. Add the beans in the same frying pan and season generously with salt and ground black pepper. Once the beans have taken a shine and have absorbed the lovely flavours from the bacon you may take them out and serve directly on a plate. Mix together with the crispy bacon, bred bell peppers, micro greens and plenty of fresh mint leaves. Mix well, eat well and enjoy the summer.