I am taking the HealthyEats.com Brown-Bag Challenge and taking my lunch to work everyday this month instead of eating out.  Since I was traveling last week for work I am starting the challenge this week.  Every Tuesday for the rest of the month will be Take-It-Tuesday and I will post my best brown bag lunch idea for the week.

I am kicking it off strong this month with Crispy Halloumi Cheese Salad on Flatbread.  This easy cross between a salad and a wrap takes only minutes to make the night before.  I made it in conjunction with the previous night’s salad to save time and my lunch was ready to grab and go with me the next morning.

The crispy cheese in this salad is Halloumi Cheese (which I used not long ago in my Crispy Cheese Salad with Pancetta and Pine Nuts).  Halloumi cheese is a Middle Eastern cheese with a higher than normal melting point so you can sear it in a pan.   It is mild cheese with a salty flavor.  The brand available to me locally comes in a white tray with a blue sleeve, but I am sure there are other brands available.  It tends to be in the refrigerated section with specialty cheeses like brie and fresh mozzarella.

The salad portion of this dish is very simply – romaine lettuce, fresh strawberries and sprinkle of pecans topped with a couple of thick slices of pan seared Halloumi cheese.  If you wanted to you could get more involved with the veggies on the salad and add cucumbers, bell peppers etc, but my goal here was to keep it simple.

I served my salad over a piece of whole grain flatbread to make it more balanced and hearty.  It is your choice whether you want to eat it with a knife and fork like a salad (my preferred style) or eat it with your hands like a wrap.  It works either way.

I topped my salad with my favorite dressing, a balsamic vinegar reduction.  A reduction is really simple – simmer the balsamic for 15-20 minutes until it reduces by about half.  This sweetens the flavor and reduces the punch of the vinegar.  I don’t add oil to reduction so it is an extremely healthy salad garnish.  It is also especially delicious over strawberries to boot!  I tend to make a big batch and keep it on hand for salads anytime.  However, if you wanted to you could skip the balsamic reduction and opt for a premade dressing of your choice.  To avoid a soggy salad and bread, definitely pack your dressing separately in your lunch bag rather than pouring it over the salad the night before.

So there you have my first Take-It-Tuesday brown bag lunch idea.  This delicious salad over whole grain flatbread is so fabulous you won’t miss eating out one little bit!  I hope you give it a try even if you aren’t planning to brown bag your lunch.  This dish is deliciously easy and perfect for any eating occasion from brown-bag lunch to sit-down meal.

 Crispy Cheese Salad with Strawberries on Flatbread

Prep time: 5 minutes  – Cook time: 5 minutes – Makes: 2 salads

• 1 (8.8 0z) package Halloumi Cheese
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/2 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
• 2 multigrain or whole grain peices of flatbread
• balsamic reduction dressing (or substitute dressing of choice)

Add oil to pan and heat to medium high.  Cut cheese into 6 slabs.  Once pan is hot, add slabs of cheese.  Sear on both sides.

Place flatbread on plates or into to-go containers and top with lettuce, strawberries and pecans.  Add crispy cheese on top of salads.

Sprinkle with dressing (if desired) right before serving.

Balsamic Vinegar Reduction Dressing

• 8 oz of balsamic vinegar

Place vinegar in a pot and simmer until reduced to about 1/3 cup for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool until ready to serve.  Store any unused portion in an air tight container (after cooling completely) at room temperature.

Other recipes you might enjoy!

Black Bean Stuffed Pablano Pepper

Quinoa Confetti Salad

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