Making a traditional Greek salad may seem like a very simple task but by using a variety of ingredients, you can spend a little time creating a dish that is full of flavor and one that the entire family will almost certainly enjoy.

As you may have already discovered, a lot of salads tend to include olives and feta cheese but there are plenty of alternatives available if you are looking for something a bit different.

Grilled Halloumi and Avocado Salad

Ingredients (serves 1 – 2)

100g / 3 ½ oz Halloumi
Lettuce leaves
1 large avocado
A handful of cherry tomatoes
Juice of 1 lemon
Mint

Method:

1. Start by thinly slicing the required amount of halloumi ready for grilling.
2. Pre-heat the grill to a medium temperature and add the cheese, which will be cooked until golden brown (approximately 3 – 4 minutes each side)
3. Take the large avocado, cut in half and remove the stone and peel. Once this has been done, slice the avocado into small segments.
4. Rinse the lettuce leaves, place in a large bowl with the avocado, tomatoes and a small amount of lemon juice (to taste) and mix well. When ready, put on a plate and add the cheese and finally, top with mint.

Chickpea Salad

Ingredients (serves 1 – 2)

150g – 200g chickpeas, drained weight (approximately 5oz - 7 oz)
Lettuce leaves
1 onion
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Drain the chickpeas and rinse well. Place in a pan of cold water and heat gently, for approximately 5 minutes.
2. Peel and thinly chop the onion and put to one side.
3. Once the chickpeas are ready then add these, along with the onion, juice of one lemon and seasoning together and mix well.
4. When ready, put all of the ingredients onto a bed of lettuce leaves and serve.

These are just a couple of suggestions and with so many ingredients that can be added to a salad, this will give you the chance to experiment and see what you can come up with.

Got a creation of your own? What was it and did it work out or not? Please be sure to share it with us!