Summer Salad - Watermelon, dates, halloumi, salad with a twist of basil

Before moving overseas, I pretty much viewed salad as a staple in life which primarily consisted of green, red, or even purple lettuce.  I usually jazzed up this quick and easy staple with a quick dressing, a protein - like cheese or nuts - along with an assortment of other fruits or veggies. 

Moving overseas - really shook up my perspective on what really makes a salad.  With limited lettuce options available, I turned to anything fruit or veggie, which actually turned out to put my mundane lettuce salads to shame!  This easy summer salad is filling and is the perfect go-to for those hot summer gatherings!

This hearty summer salad will hit the spot for those hot summer day gatherings!

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Preparation Time	10 minutes
Cook Time	10 minutes
Total Prep Time	20 minutes
Servings	4 - 6 people

Ingredients

■ 1/2 large watermelon (slices in thin wedges)

■ 10 dates (more or less) sliced in half

■ 20 washed basil leaves (more for garnishing if desired)

■ 1 package of halloumi cheese

Steps

■ Thinly slice halloumi cheese into about 20 pieces

■ Fry halloumi on a hot skillet for about 5 minutes per side (each side of the halloumi should be golden)

■ While halloumi is frying, slice watermelon, slice dates, and separate basil leaves

■ Spread out watermelon on a serving dish

■ Once halloumi is ready, place one slice of halloumi cheese on each slice of watermelon

■ Place one basil leaf on top of each halloumi cheese

■ Top it off with a sliced date on top of each basil leaf and serve!