I’ve been making variations of this summery salad for years, and it’s become one of my four year old son’s favorite vegetable dishes. Bright with lime, fresh cilantro, cumin, and oregano, and rounded out with charred corn, juicy tomatoes, and meaty, grilled halloumi, this salad makes a fantastic side for an outdoor picnic, barbecue, or taco night.

I spent several years planning school meals that were affordable and met federal nutrition standards. Under those limiting conditions, school food often featured bland, steamed corn, under-seasoned beans, and soggy coleslaw that was picked over and dropped in the bin. The truth is that children, like adults, will not eat vegetables if they are prepared like a medicinal supplement rather than the precious and flavor packed gifts that they are. I don’t blame the students who toss their school veggies instead of eating them; I would too. But I want my own children to get those servings of produce, so I make vegetable dishes at home that I love with the hope that they will learn how delicious produce can be.

My kids love this salad because it has a lot of textures, colors, and flavors; it’s interesting and anything but bland. Plus it’s easy enough for them to help prepare. Their own culinary participation is often enough to get kids to at least eat the food they helped to make if not love it. If you’ve got picky eaters or children that detest vegetables, invite them into the kitchen to help you with meal prep. Let them taste the ingredients and contribute to the process and see if it doesn’t get them at least a little bit more open to trying new foods and flavors.

For this recipe, as with most (except when I’m baking), I do a lot of taste testing and seasoning adjusting on the fly. I rarely measure spices out unless I am trying to write down a recipe for a friend or for this blog. For this salad in particular I have found that I’ve needed to adjust the salt and acids (vinegar & lime) after allowing the salad to marinate. Don’t be afraid to taste along the way and adjust the spices and seasonings to your own pallet.

Roasted Corn & Haloumi Salad

Equipment:

• Large casserole dish

• Large fry pan

Ingredients:

• 1 (16oz.) bag frozen fire roasted corn

• 1 cup fresh cherry tomatoes, halved

• 2-3 TBS. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

• 1 small shallot, diced

• 2 TBS olive oil

• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt + more to taste

• Freshly ground pepper to taste

• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano

• 1 clove roasted garlic (can substitute fresh for a stronger garlic flavor), minced

• 1 TBS. white wine vinegar

• Juice of 1/2 lime + more to taste

• 1/2 pound package of halloumi cheese, patted dry and cubed into bite sized pieces

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

2. Place the corn, shallot, 1 TBS. olive oil, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano in the casserole dish. Stir well and then bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the shallots and corn are tender.

3. Meanwhile, grill the halloumi. Heat the fry pan over medium high heat. Place the halloumi in the pan and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side to give the cheese a nice golden crust. Remove from the pan and allow to cool slightly.

4. Combine the cherry tomatoes, chopped cilantro, 1 TBS. olive oil, minced garlic, lime juice, vinegar, and remaining 1/4 tsp. kosher salt in a large bowl. Stir well and allow the mixture to marinate while waiting for the corn and halloumi to cool slightly.

5. Once the corn is warm but cool enough that it won’t cook the tomatoes and cilantro, pour the halloumi and corn into the large bowl with the tomatoes. Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve warm or chill and serve cool. Be sure to taste before serving and adjust seasonings as needed.