Ahhhhhhhh it's finally Friday!

I don't know why, but some weeks just feel like they drag, and then suddenly the weekend is socloseyoucanjustmakeit. Ten more hours to Friday night, we got this!

You might assume, given my TGIF vibes, that I would be telling you to go home and melt into a puddle of blankets, Netflix and takeout. That does sound like it would be lovely in the moment, but then we'd all wake up with greasy salt hangovers, bloodshot eyes and no energy. And I don't know about you, but I've got food to cook and photos to take and Buffy episodes to watch yoga to do and a mile to run and a torturous pilates class to survive. Gimme something green!

Luckily, this salad hits the sweet spot between good for your body and good for the soul, with a virtuous mix of greens, green veggies, and fragrant spices, but topped with the salty, crispy treat of fried haloumi.

(Ok, maybe there will be a little grease and salt.) 

I hope you have had haloumi before, but if not, let me introduce you to the wonder of a cheese that can be fried without melting, and then served piping hot or room temp, but either way retaining it's glorious saltiness and tangy flavor. The only choice really is whether you want it soft and gooey inside, or firm but pleasantly squeaky like the best cheese curds. I pick both.

However you want it, it takes "being good" to "being good enough" and you can rest easy knowing you appeased the angel on your shoulder with a giant salad, but gave the devil his due too with actual fried cheese. That, my friends, is entering this weekend as a winner.

Fried Haloumi Salad with Za'atar Dressing

• juice of 1 lemon or 2 tbs white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more, for frying
• pinch sea salt
• 1/2 tsp za'atar
• 1/4 tsp sumac (optional, I added because my za'atar mix is light on sumac)
• 5 oz mixed greens
• 1 cup green beans, ends trimmed blanched or steamed and chopped
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 1 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced and soaked in water (at least 15 minutes, to reduce the harshness)
• 8 oz haloumi, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces

1. In a bowl, whisk together lemon juice or vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, za'atar, and sumac if using. Set aside.
2. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, and fry haloumi and zucchini about 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Drain on paper towels.
3. To assemble salad, toss all ingredients together and top with haloumi to serve.