Inspired by the market: Ultimate veggie comfort food

My friend and I decided to take a trip to the Birmingham markets on Saturday afternoon to see what was on offer and I have to say I was really impressed with the bargains i found! Despite the inevitable hustle and bustle of a busy city centre, we were both able to pick out some beautiful fresh foods from a huge range.

I managed to get a great selection of vegetables (as well as a few other bits), which I’m sure will last me the week, for under a fiver and I’m already planning some exciting meals in advance.

Tonight I kicked off the week with a really simple halloumi, pepperoni (veggie of course) and red pepper salad and some sweet potatoes on the side. For me this is the ultimate comfort food. I love the saltiness of halloumi cheese and its chewy texture combined with the spicy pepperoni and sweet, crispy peppers creates an incredible texture. As well as this, sweet potatoes are a great alternative to regular fries or wedges and offer an interesting twist on any meal.

Here’s how to recreate it!

Ingredients

Two small sweet potatoes
A handful of spinach leaves, washed
One long red bell pepper, sliced into circles
Half an onion, roughly chopped
Vegan salami, roughly chopped (I used the cheatin’ brand from Holland & Barrett)
Halloumi, sliced into small rectangles
1 spoon of red pesto
Paprika
Salt
Black pepper

The sweet potatoes

1. Peel and chop the potatoes into smallish pieces
2. Part boil and ensure the potatoes are still reasonably firm before draining
3. Place the drained potatoes on to a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and season with salt, black pepper and paprika
4. Bake in the oven at 190 degrees until crispy

The salad

1. Chop and prepare the peppers, onions and salami
2. Shallow fry in a pan with a spoon of red pesto and any other seasoning (I like to use salt, black pepper and paprika for an extra kick)
3. After the onions have turned golden, remove the vegetables from the pan and assemble together with spinach leaves
4. With fresh oil, fry the halloumi for approximately one minute on each side until golden brown and crispy.
5. Serve with the rest of the salad.

So, there you have it! This was actually a really simple and straightforward recipe to make, despite the different elements involved. Seen as I still have an abundance of vegetables left over, you’re likely to be reading another recipe post sometime soon.