Last Saturday after helping with a hen party at Harts Barn Cookery School I was in need of a quick, yet healthy balanced meal. In the winter, I can’t seem to get enough dark leafy greens. Kale, spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, purple sprouting, you name, if it is green I crave it! For this reason I always keep frozen organic spinach in the freezer.
After having a look in the fridge and freezer, this is what I came up with and wow did it hit the spot!
Serves Four
Vegan variation- use smoked tofu instead of haloumi
Honey Roasted Parsnips
500g parsnips, peeled and sliced lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick strips
1 tsp olive oil
3 tbsp water
salt and pepper
1 tsp honey
Preheat the oven to 200C. Place parsnips, olive oil and water in a baking dish and combine. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until a knife is easily inserted. Drizzle with honey and return to oven for 5 minutes.
Lime & Cumin Spinach
500g frozen spinach
1 large onion
olive oil
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered or 2 small tomatoes, sliced
salt and pepper
lime juice
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 lime
Toast cumin seeds in a dry frying pan, set aside to cool. To the same frying pan, add oil, let heat and add onion. Cook for 5 minutes until onion is tender. Add cherry tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes until the juices are released. Add frozen spinach and season with salt and pepper, cover and lover heat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until spinach is thawed. Finish with the juice of one lime and sprinkle with toasted cumin seeds. You can grind the cumin seeds or leave whole.
Fried Haloumi
1 package Haloumim slice into 8 pieces,
olive oil
In a cast iron or non stick frying pan, heat oil and add sliced haloumi. Pan fry until golden on each side.
To Serve
Place spinach in the middle of a serving platter, place the parsnips around the spinach and top with haloumi. Dinner done, yum!