Brown rice pomegranate haloumi salad – The Brown Paper Bag

Brown rice pomegranate haloumi salad

Here’s a deeeeelicious 15 minute recipe that packs a punch of flavour, has great diversity of ingredients to deliver high quality nutrition and with @sunrice   Low GI Brown Rice helps you feel fuller for longer AND sustains your energy. If you don’t have haloumi on hand then feel free to swap for a feta or goat cheese and same for hazelnuts – the nuts can swap for toasted almonds, walnuts, pistachios or pine nuts. Full recipe below and on the blog for you to make stat! 

+ This is a partnered post with SunRice, all thoughts and opinions expressed are the authors own. 

BROWN RICE POMEGRANATE HALOUMI SALAD 

Serves 4

Gluten free : Vegetarian 

1 cup SunRice Low GI Brown Rice, rinsed and drained 

1 ½ cups shredded kale or leafy greens of choice 

½ small red onion, finely diced 

200g cherry tomatoes, halved 

½ cup loosely packed basil leaves

3 tablespoons finely chopped dill or mint 

Seeds of 1 pomegranate 

⅓ cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped 

250g-300g haloumi, sliced 1cm thick 

Extra virgin olive oil spray, for frying

Dressing:

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

½ teaspoon ground cumin 

Pinch chilli flakes 

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 

2 teaspoons honey 

1 teaspoon dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

Place SunRice Low GI Brown Rice in a small saucepan, add 2 ½ cups water, cover, bring to the boil and then reduce to simmer until water is absorbed and rice is cooked (approx 15 minutes). Whilst rice is cooking prep your salad ingredients, then combine kale, red onion and cherry tomatoes in a bowl. Tear basil leaves over the top and add the mint. Once rice is cooked allow to cool slightly (you can spread it over a large tray to do this if you wish), then add to salad ingredients followed by most of the pomegranate and hazelnuts (keep some for the top once salad is finished). Heat a fry pan on medium to high heat, spray with some olive oil then add haloumi and cook 1-2 minutes each side until golden. Whisk together ingredients for the dressing. Toss the rice salad with dressing then spread it over a platter and top with haloumi pieces. Sprinkle over remaining pomegranate and hazelnuts, season with sea salt and black pepper and enjoy.