Halloumi Fries

I do embrace many of the core elements that make up the Paleo diet.  I ensure I include plenty of fruit and vegetables into my meals.  As well as lots of good quality meat and fish. 

Like everyone else, I avoid processed and refined foods. 

But like some others, I like to include a little dairy in my diet and in some recipes I enjoy.  Therefore, I’ve decided to share with you my recipe for Halloumi fries.

This is one reason why I choose to include a cheese known as Halloumi in my diet.  But there is a great reason why I do.

Back in 1986, I lived in Cyprus for a year.  This was because of my husband’s work.  

We had only been married for a year, and it was quite an adventure.   I had never been outside of the UK before.  

I cooked most meals for us at home because of the hours my husband was working.  Plus, he had some distance to travel to work each day from our beautiful apartment.

But sometimes we loved to go out.   It was during these meals I came across a cheese I fell in love with.  That cheese was halloumi.  

The meals we would enjoy were meat or fish mezzes.

Each of these meals included lots of grilled meat or fish with plenty of fish vegetables and salads, they also included some wonderful grilled Halloumi.  

One particular food we loved was cabbage that had been left for hours marinating in lemon juice.

I never thought about what I was eating then, I enjoyed the food.  

If you were to look at what I ate, then most of it would have come under the Paleo diet umbrella.  But it wasn’t even in existence then.

Although I follow a Paleo lifestyle now.  There are still certain foods I will include in my diet.  One of these is halloumi.  

A few months back my husband came across a recipe I tried out and we both fell in love with it.  

The recipe for Halloumi chips requires the cheese to be coated in flour.  

I changed the recipe and coat the slices of halloumi in almond flour along with some cayenne pepper.

I’ve now cooked this low carb Halloumi fries twice.  Each time I’ve found it makes this cheese taste even more delicious.

Before finding this Crispy Halloumi Chips recipe I would just fry the cheese in a dry pan with no oil.  I would then serve it with a few cherry tomatoes or some homemade hummus.

Eating this would bring back memories of the wonderful time I had when I lived in Cyprus. 

If you prefer rather than frying in coconut oil as this Halloumi fries recipe suggests. 

You could always try baked Halloumi chips instead.  

I’ve also tried out this method, but I also included a little coconut oil in the pan’s base. 

Including the oil helps to add another dimension to the way these low carb Halloumi fries taste.

Halloumi Fries Recipe – A Low Carb Treat

Okay, this recipe isn’t what some would call Paleo.  Many would suggest it is Primal instead.  

But there are certain benefits to be had from including such a Halloumi Paleo inspired recipe in your diet. 

Just like other cheeses, this one is dairy.  

Although today it gets made using cow’s milk, the traditional versions of this cheese get made using either sheep or goat’s milk.  

These are the ones I buy.   

This cheese is white and has a distinctive layered texture, like that of mozzarella. 

But unlike mozzarella, you’ll find it has a more salty taste to it. 

Nothing goes to waste when this cheese is made as they use its juices to help store it.

What I love about this cheese is its versatility.  

Unlike other cheeses I use to eat this one doesn’t melt when it gets heated.  

So it is possible to grill or fry it as shown in this recipe for Halloumi fries. 

But this isn’t the only reason why I love this cheese.  

Here are some other reasons why I love Halloumi so much. 

1.  Fewer Calories

A 50g serving contains about 166 calories.  If you were to eat 1 oz of it, you would eat around about 90 calories.   

2.  Less Fat

In a 1 oz serving it contains just 7.5g of fat even though this recipe includes coconut oil for cooking it in.  Providing you with around 12% of your daily needs.

3.  Good Source Of Protein

This cheese is a great source of protein.  

Again in 1 oz of halloumi, you’ll find it contains 6g of protein.  

Protein is vital not only on a Paleo or Primal diet but other diets.

4.  Good Source Of Calcium 

Just like other dairy products this cheese is a wonderful source of calcium.  

If you were to eat 1 oz, you could enjoy 20% of your daily needs. 

5.  Packed With Salt

Halloumi contains quite a lot of salt compared to some other cheeses.  It is for this reason we only eat it on the odd occasion.  

But by dry frying it, I find this helps to remove a lot of the moisture from the cheese.  This helps to reduce the amount of salt.  

So in the recipe above you notice that I have included no salt in it.

6.  Eliminates Lactose From Diet

By cutting back or eliminating lactose from your diet can help to improve your health overall.

If you suffer from any kind of gastrointestinal problems, you’ll find that these can be eliminated by removing dairy from your diet. 

You suffer such problems because of your small intestine cannot produce enough of the enzyme known as lactase. 

As a result, something allows the lactose found in certain foods to accumulate in the colon. 

This causes the bacteria to interact with it and this leads to stomach issues. 

If you have never tried Halloumi before I really do urge you to give the recipe for Halloumi fries a try. 

It actually can be used in place of meat in quite a lot of dishes and also adds a new dimension to salads. 

Also, as it has such a mild flavor, you’ll find your kids will enjoy it. 

In fact, they will probably ask you for more of it as it has a very distinctive squeaky sound to it.

As I said before this isn’t considered being a Paleo diet food.  

But I cannot give it up and I do limit how often I have it.   

https://youtu.be/zYyo2OZnTH8